Opinion ID: 219504
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Gary StevensonThe Weingarten Question and Termination

Text: The matter of Stevenson's termination implicates his Weingarten rights, a convention established in N.L.R.B. v. J. Weingarten, Inc., 420 U.S. 251, 95 S.Ct. 959, 43 L.Ed.2d 171 (1975). In that case, the Supreme Court held that an employer violates § 8(a)(1) by denying an employee union representation upon request during an interview that the employee reasonably believes may lead to disciplinary action. Id. at 256-57, 95 S.Ct. 959; see also Rock-Tenn Co. v. N.L.R.B., 69 F.3d 803, 808 n. 2 (7th Cir.1995). Substantial evidence supports the Board's ruling that Spurlino violated Stevenson's Weingarten rights in connection with Stevenson's refusal to return certain errant paperwork. The ALJ found, and the Board accepted, that Stevenson's interview by manager Jeff Davidson was investigatory and that Stevenson had an objectively reasonable belief he might be subjected to punishment. The ALJ further credited Stevenson's testimony that he had asked to contact a union representative during the interview with Davidson, but his request was denied. This is sufficient to establish a violation of Weingarten. See N.L.R.B. v. Illinois Bell Tel. Co., 674 F.2d 618, 622 (7th Cir.1982). The Board was also supported by substantial evidence in concluding that Spurlino violated §§ 8(a)(1) and 8(a)(3) by suspending and terminating Stevenson. The ALJ concluded, and the Board accepted the conclusion, that Stevenson was terminated because of his support for the Union. The ALJ disbelieved the justification Spurlino offered below and now on appeal: Stevenson was terminated for refusing to cooperate with the company's efforts to mitigate the unintended publication of employee social security numbers. The ALJ also noted that the company witnesses were evasive as to who made the decisions to suspend and terminate Stevenson, and that this evasiveness further indicated to the ALJ that their justifications were pretextual. Retaliating against a pro-union employee by firing the employee violates § 8(a)(3) and § 8(a)(1). See FedEx Freight E., Inc. v. N.L.R.B., 431 F.3d 1019, 1025 (7th Cir.2005) (citing Vulcan Basement Waterproofing of Ill., Inc. v. N.L.R.B., 219 F.3d 677, 684 (7th Cir.2000)). Here in particular, we rely on our deferential standard of review. The Board might well have come to a different conclusion, since Stevenson admittedly obstructed management's efforts to correct what appears to have been an honest mistake, including by lying to a superior about discarding his paperwork. One member of the Board, in fact, noted a similar caveat about his reliance on the ALJ's factual findings. The ALJ himself acknowledged that Stevenson behaved imprudently [and] perhaps childishly, but nevertheless concluded Stevenson's union support was the cause of his termination. We, like the Board, properly rely on the ALJ's firsthand consideration of the evidence. See Slusher v. N.L.R.B., 432 F.3d 715, 727 (7th Cir.2005) (`[O]n matters which the [ALJ], having heard the evidence and seen the witnesses, is best qualified to decide, the agency should be reluctant to disturb his findings unless error is clearly shown.') (quoting Universal Camera v. N.L.R.B., 340 U.S. 474, 494, 71 S.Ct. 456, 95 L.Ed. 456 (1951)). The ALJ's discussions of the credibility of witnesses and of the company's motive in firing Stevenson were extremely thorough and well-reasoned, and together are sufficient support for the Board's conclusion that the company violated §§ 8(a)(1) and 8(a)(3) by firing Stevenson because of his allegiance to the Union.