Opinion ID: 789622
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Bullman's Termination

Text: 29 On March 27, 2001 Bullman was assigned to a maintenance job on a Thermal King refrigerated truck for customer Dixon Fish. Bullman performed various tasks listed in the maintenance schedule, including replacing the oil filter. He then completed various tasks listed on the preventive maintenance worksheet, checking off the appropriate lines to indicate that he had performed each of the tasks. Bullman checked off the lines indicating that he had restarted the refrigeration unit and inspected it for pressure and leaks even though he had not done so. 30 The next night, Bullman was told by the technician in charge that the Dixon Fish refrigeration unit had leaked because he had installed the wrong oil filter. Bullman informed his supervisor that he had made this mistake. A few weeks later, on April 11, upon reporting to work, Toneges summoned Bullman to the conference room and asked if he knew anything about an oil leak in a Dixon Fish truck. Bullman replied that he had mistakenly put the wrong filter on the unit. When pressed by Toneges, Bullman admitted that he had falsified the preventive maintenance sheet, indicating that he had checked the vehicle after changing the oil filter, when in fact he had not. Toneges told Bullman that he was being discharged for falsifying company documents and presented him with a termination letter. Bullman refused to sign the document. He accused Toneges of firing him for his union activities. 31 Bullman testified that after they discharged him, Toneges and Woehlke directed him to follow them through the lunchroom and the shop where employees were working. As they walked, Woehlke mimicked Bullman's gait and the way he swung his arms. Bullman asked Woehlke to leave him alone and let him go home. Woehlke replied that he was a Ryder employee and Bullman was not and that as long as they were on Ryder grounds, Woehlke could do whatever he wanted to Bullman. A minor physical confrontation took place before Bullman departed. 32 Toneges testified that Bullman had been discharged for falsifying the preventive maintenance report in violation of Ryder's corporate guidelines. Toneges specifically pointed to the policy listed under Embezzlement, Theft, Fraud, and Non-Monetary Irregularities, which prohibited conduct including falsification of any reports submitted to financial or operational management. Buckley and Cicchini were not involved in the decision to discharge Bullman, but both testified that they would have recommended the discharge.