Opinion ID: 1477516
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Bedford and Mitchell, Indiana.

Text: The Board found that petitioner violated 8(1) and (2) of the Act at its Bedford plant, and 8(2) at its Mitchell plant. At the latter plant it was exonerated as to the 8(1) charge. At the Bedford plant, employees who had joined the United were attacked by other employees and were refused admittance to the plant until they had destroyed their membership cards. On the following day, the United employees were again refused admittance to the plant. The Board concluded that the acts of the nonunion employees had the approval of petitioner's supervisory employees, which conclusion, we think, is sustained by the record. On another occasion organizers for the United were given to understand that the plant would close before it would recognize the union, and one of the United organizers was offered $100 to cease all union activity and accept a transfer to another plant, which he accepted. Other persons active in the affairs of the United were transferred to other plants. Such conduct was an inexcusable discrimination against the United. The Independent Union at Bedford appears to have been first suggested by one of petitioner's supervisory employees. At about the same time the employees at Mitchell decided to organize an independent union. The Bedford Independent obtained a loan from petitioner of $1,000, payable in five years. The money was paid over to petitioner's plant superintendent as trustee, and all disbursements were subject to his approval. There is no doubt but that the evidence amply supports the Board's finding with reference to the independent union at Bedford. At Mitchell, however, we do not believe there is any substantial evidence to justify the Board's finding as to domination and interference with the independent union. In its decision as to this matter, the Board refers to a number of matters which, in our judgment, are irrelevant to the issue. It recites the fact that a number of petitioner's employees joined the Chamber of Commerce, and that the same attorney who assisted in forming the independent at Bedford, assisted at Mitchell. There is no finding and no claim that petitioner had anything to do with either of these incidents. It was also found that petitioner permitted the Mitchell Independent to sell Coca Cola and candy on its premises. This business, so the record discloses, was a financial failure. The Board also finds that the secretary of the Independent, subsequent to its organization, was permitted to tell the employees at a meeting on petitioner's premises that the plant would close unless the employees accepted a wage decrease. There is nothing to show that the secretary was acting on behalf of the Independent, and even if so, we are unable to believe that it was an act of interference or domination with the Independent. There is only one fact found by the Board which furnishes any support to the charge, and that is, on one occasion the employees were permitted to quit work before the regular time for the purpose of attending a meeting at which the officers of the Independent were elected. So far as we can ascertain from the record, there was only one forelady who approved of the employees quitting before the regular time. She testified that at the time she did not know the purpose for which they quit work, and that they had on other occasions left before quitting time for purposes foreign to the organization of a union. The Mitchell Independent's request for recognition was not granted. As stated, the Board exonerated petitioner for a violation of 8(1) and we are of the opinion there is no substantial evidence as to its violation of 8(2).