Opinion ID: 361082
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Company Letter To The Employees

Text: 97 The Union filed yet another charge in this case complaining that the Company violated § 8(a)(1) of the Act when it distributed a letter to its employees on April 20, 1976, the pertinent part of which was as follows: 98 . . . In addition, if a National Labor Relations Board agent should drop in on you, you may ask for an opportunity to obtain legal counsel before you talk to him. 99 If you should want some legal counsel, or just help in handling any of the situations described above, all you need to do is let your supervisor know. He will put you in touch with someone who can help you. 100 No union election campaign was in progress at the time the letter was distributed, as the election had already been held and won by the Company and the Board had not yet ordered another election to be held. This is the fifth charge filed by the Union against the Company in this case. 9 101 The ALJ held that the distribution of the letter was a violation of § 8(a)(1) of the Act by the Company, saying: 102 I further conclude that Respondent violated § 8(a)(1) of the Act by its April 20, 1976, letter to employees advising them of their right to obtain legal counsel before talking to a Board agent, and of Respondent's willingness to assist employees in obtaining such counsel. In light of all the circumstances, including Respondent's pattern of unlawful conduct, as shown in this and previous cases, the letter seems a patent attempt to obstruct the investigations of the Board by discouraging employees from supplying information to Board agents. He then ordered the Company to: 103 1. Cease and desist from: 104 (c) Informing employees that they can obtain legal counsel before talking to a Board agent, or that Respondent (the Company) will assist them in obtaining such counsel. 105 The Board not only approved the findings and conclusions of the ALJ, but also went a step further when it held that the letter was distributed by the Company for the purpose of obstructing Board investigations. In this connection, the Board held: 106 He also shall clarify par. 1(c) of the recommended order (of the ALJ) to provide that Respondent cease and desist from informing employees that they can obtain legal counsel before talking to a Board agent, or that Respondent will assist them in obtaining such counsel, for the purpose of obstructing Board investigations. 107 The Board then entered the following order requiring the Company to: 108 1. Cease and desist from: 109 (c) Informing employees employed throughout its corporate facilities that they can obtain legal counsel before talking to a Board agent, or that Respondent will assist them in obtaining such counsel, for the purpose of obstructing Board investigations. 110 Obviously, the ALJ and the Board interpreted the letter as being coercive and compulsory and a restraint on the employees of their rights, as guaranteed by § 7 of the Act. As a matter of fact, the Board states in its brief that the letter suggests that employees approached by a Board agent Should so inform their supervisor and obtain his assistance. (emphasis in text). On its face, the letter neither says nor suggests any such thing. It Offers employees the assistance of the Company in securing legal counsel, If the employee should want and ask for such help. The letter offers such assistance to all employees, regardless of the position they take with respect to the Union and regardless of the position they take with respect to talking to the Board's agent. 111 We do not agree with the interpretation of the letter by the ALJ and the Board. We interpret the letter and hold that there is nothing on the face of the letter that requires or compels the employees to do anything. There is no coercion, threat of reprisal, or force in the letter. Neither are there any words of restraint on, or interference with, the exercise of rights of employees that are guaranteed by § 7 of the Act that can be found in the letter. There was no proof that any employee was actually coerced or compelled to do anything, nor that his rights were in any way restrained or interfered with. In this connection, the only evidence in the case relative to the letter was the letter itself and a stipulation that it was distributed to the employees by the Company. 112 The holding of the Board that the Company distributed the letter for the purpose of obstructing Board investigations is nothing but pure speculation and imagination on the part of the Board, as there is nothing in the record that supports or even tends to support such a holding. 113 It is well settled that the interpretation of a written instrument is a question of law to be decided by the courts. Accordingly, the interpretation and construction of such an instrument by an administrative agency, such as the Board in this case, is not binding on this court. We held in Federal-Mogul Corp. v. N. L. R. B., supra, at p. 1256: 114 It is well settled that the interpretation of a written instrument is a question of law to be decided by the courts. While the courts may approve and adopt an interpretation of a document made by an administrative agency if found to be correct, they are not bound to do so. 115 The Seventh Circuit, in N. L. R. B. v. J. W. Mortell Co., 440 F.2d 455 (7 Cir. 1971), held: 116 It has been held by this court that the Board's construction of written documents and undisputed evidence is not binding on this court. Celanese Corp. v. N. L. R. B., 291 F. (2d) 224, 226 (7th Cir. 1961). 117 Also, see N. L. R. B. v. Big Three Industrial Gas & Equipment Co., 441 F.2d 774 (5 Cir. 1971); Tri-Cor, Inc. v. United States, 458 F.2d 112, 198 Ct.Cl. 187 (1972); Dale Ingram, Inc. v. United States, 475 F.2d 1177, 201 Ct.Cl. 56 (1973); H. N. Bailey & Associates v. United States, 449 F.2d 376, 196 Ct.Cl. 166 (1971); and Red Circle Corporation v. United States, 398 F.2d 836, 185 Ct.Cl. 1 (1968). 118 We hold further that the Board's interpretation of the letter is erroneous and is not supported by substantial evidence. 119 The letter in question is protected free speech under the First Amendment of the Constitution. It is also protected by § 8(c) of the Act, which provides: 120 The expressing of any views, arguments or opinion, or the dissemination thereof, whether in written, printed, graphic, or visual form, shall not constitute or be evidence of an unfair labor practice under any of the provisions of this subchapter, if such expression contains no threat of reprisal or force or a promise of benefit. 121 The distribution of the letter was a dissemination of an expression of the views and opinions of the Company regarding the fundamental rights of its employees to have an attorney present before making any statement to an investigative agent of the Government. The expression contained no threat of reprisal or force or promise of benefit. The statute provides that such an expression shall not constitute or be evidence of an unfair labor practice. In holding otherwise, the Board violated the express and mandatory provisions of the Act. 122 We conclude that the letter was well within the guidelines set forth by the Supreme Court in the case of N. L. R. B. v. Gissel Packing Co., 395 U.S. 575, 617-619, 89 S.Ct. 1918, 1941, 23 L.Ed.2d 547 (1969) where the court said: 123 But we do note that an employer's free speech right to communicate his views to his employees is firmly established and cannot be infringed by a union or the Board. Thus, § 8(c) (29 U.S.C. § 158(c)) merely implements the First Amendment by requiring that the expression of 'any views, argument, or opinion' shall not be 'evidence of an unfair labor practice,' so long as such expression contains 'no threat of reprisal or force of promise of benefit' in violation of § 8(a)(1). 124 The Company's letter is an accurate and objective statement of the law with respect to the right to obtain counsel. The Board concedes that employees do have a right to obtain legal counsel, if they so desire, prior to talking to an agent of the Board. In J. P. Stevens & Co. v. N. L. R. B., 449 F.2d 595 (4 Cir. 1971), the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals held that an employer had the right to tell its employees the truth when it stated: 125 It startles the conscience to deny an employer no matter its historical infractions of the Act the right to tell its employees the truth. Without conceding inappropriateness of the occasion or absence of cause here, these considerations, even if present, cannot override the stubbornness of the facts. However unbefitting, verity can never amount to illegality. Yet the Board holds just the opposite. The circumstances warranted the judgment of the employer that explanations were owing the employees and were also the entitlement of management. 126 The same reasoning is applicable here. Our case involves the advising of employees of one of the most treasured and sacred rights possessed by citizens of this nation. Thus we need go no further than to say that we can conceive of no circumstances where accurately informing an employee of his right to counsel could amount to an interference, restraint, or act of coercion. 127 In N. L. R. B. v. J. W. Mortell, 440 F.2d 455 (7 Cir. 1971), in a case where the company was similarly charged with having published a letter obstructing an investigation of the Board, Judge Pell stated in a concurring opinion: 128 I am unable to find in the record any showing that Mortell's activities in this particular regard interfered with employees' rights nor that the General Counsel was unable fully to present the employees' case at the hearing. 129 In the absence of any showing whatsoever that the General Counsel was in fact hampered in his presentation of this case, I find no basis in this particular matter for upholding the Board's decision. 440 F.2d at 461-2. 130 This court finds itself in much the same position here. The letter on its face shows no tendency to interfere with, restrain, or coerce the employees, nor does the record show in any manner that the General Counsel's investigation or presentation of his case was hampered nor made more difficult as a result of this letter. 131 It should be emphasized that there is nothing in the letter that indicated that the Company was discouraging its employees from talking with agents of the Board nor from giving statements to them. In fact the meaning of the language used indicates the opposite. The letter assumes and indicates that the employees will talk to Board agents. It merely tells the employees they May ask the agent (not the Company) for an opportunity to obtain legal counsel before talking to him. Nowhere does the letter Compel or Require the employees to ask the agent or anyone else for such an opportunity. Neither does the letter require or compel the employees to report to or consult with the Company regarding the obtaining of counsel or any talk or interview with a Board agent. Whatever the employees might do about obtaining counsel or talking with a Board agent was entirely optional with them, and this was the clear meaning of the Company's letter. 132 Since there was nothing in the record on which the ALJ and the Board could base their decision that the distribution of the letter was a violation of § 8(a)(1) of the Act, we can only conclude that the Company's long history of opposing the Union, standing alone, was the sole basis for their decision. This conclusion is supported by the statement of the ALJ in his decision: 133 In light of all the circumstances, Including Respondent's (The Company's ) Pattern of unlawful conduct, as shown in this and previous cases   . (Emphasis supplied). 134 This conclusion is also supported by the following statement of the Board in its decision: 135 The General Counsel and the Charging Party (the Union) have excepted to the failure of the Administrative Law Judge to grant A number of additional remedies. In the light of the clear tendency of Respondent (the Company) to commit the same types of violations at each of its locations in response to organizing efforts by the Union    we agree (with the Union and General Counsel) that additional remedies are warranted. 10 136 Therefore,    we    shall clarify paragraph 1(c) of the recommended order to provide that Respondent shall cease and desist from informing employees that they can obtain legal counsel before talking to a Board agent, etc.   . (Emphasis supplied). 137 Viewed in this light, it becomes clear that the Board entered its order (that the distribution of the letter by the Company was a violation of § 8(a)(1) of the Act) for the purpose of punishing the Company because of its opposition to the Union in this and other cases. This is not permissible, and we cannot approve it. The proper role of the Board is akin to that of an impartial and neutral referee. Its orders are required to be remedial, not punitive. Many cases have so held. It is fundamental that the Board has no authority to punish a company because it is against a union. Any company has a perfect right to be opposed to a union, and such opposition is not an unfair labor practice. See N. L. R. B. v. McGahey, supra, at 409, where we held: 138 This is not to penalize the employer because of antiunion bias for we recognize that Antiunion bias, strong convictions against unions or opposition to the the underlying philosophy of the Labor Management Relations Act Is not itself an unfair labor practice. In a free democracy, it is the citizen, not the Government, who fixes his own beliefs. (Emphasis supplied). 139 Accordingly, we hold that substantial evidence on the record as a whole does not support the order of the Board that the distribution of the letter by the Company violated § 8(a)(1) of the Act, and enforcement of that part of the order is denied.