Opinion ID: 3175253
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Events of October 2

Text: On October 2, 2006, Raymond held a meeting with the drywall-finishing employees at the company’s Orange, California, facility. The purpose of the meeting was to inform the drywall-finishing employees of the transition from the Painters to the Carpenters, the new wage packages and benefits, and the need for employees to sign insurance and pension forms. 8 The meeting took place in Raymond’s training room, which was set up with chairs, a stage, and two projection screens. Spanish-speaking employees were directed to seats on which translation headsets had been placed. These employees received English-to-Spanish translation services throughout the meeting. Once all employees were seated, the company and the Carpenters each gave a PowerPoint presentation, which was followed by a question-and-answer session. Allegedly, at some point during the meeting, Raymond told the employees they needed to join the Carpenters “that day” if they wanted to continue working. Following the meeting, employees went outside the training room, where representatives from the Carpenters Union were waiting. The union agents handed the employees materials that included an “Application for Membership” form, a “Supplemental Dues and CLIC Authorization” form, and an “Authorization for Representation” form. Once the employees filled out and returned the forms, they received a copy of the Carpenters’ magazine. The magazine explained the employees’ rights to decline union membership and to seek a reduction in union fees for monies spent on activities not germane to the union’s duties to serve as the employees’ agent in collective bargaining (“Beck rights”). A majority of the employees filled out and returned the materials that had been distributed. Later that day, union officials presented Raymond with the signed Authorization for Representation forms, which, according to the union, supported its claim that a majority of the drywall-finishing employees had elected the Carpenters to represent them. Raymond and the Carpenters then executed a “Recognition Agreement,” which stated that the company recognized the union as the exclusive collective bargaining representative under Section 9(a) of the Act for all employees 9 covered by the Memorandum Agreement. There is no dispute that this Recognition Agreement covered Raymond’s drywallfinishing employees.