Opinion ID: 159879
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Webco's Response

Text: 31
32 Apparently, Mr. Obermark was informed that Ms. Almy was seen handing out union authorization cards, although Ms. Almy denied doing so during work time. Mr. Obermark suspended Ms. Almy, who received a written consultation form that indicated that she had been [c]onducting solicitation in violation of company regulations and was directed to discontinue such conduct. Rec. vol. I at GC Ex. 2. 33 Webco reinstated Ms. Almy with full backpay when Mr. Obermark concluded Ms. Almy had not violated the non-solicitation rule. 4 Under a straightforward application of Burnup, substantial evidence supports the ALJ's conclusion that Ms. Almy was unfairly disciplined for conduct that never occurred, in violation of 8(a)(1). See 379 U.S. at 22-23. 34
35 Mr. Williams received a suspension, pending further investigation, upon Mr. Obermark's belief that on March 1, Mr. Williams had solicited two employees' union cards during work time. When Mr. Obermark confronted Mr. Williams, he also gave him an employee consultation form that Mr. Williams had been [c]onducting solicitation in violation of company regulation. Rec. vol. I at GC Ex. 1. Mr. Williams testified that he did not solicit employees during work time, but that he did speak to two employees as to whether they had made up their minds regarding union support, and that he mentioned the union to two other employees in the lavatory. 36 On March 15, two weeks into Mr. Williams' suspension, Webco determined that Mr. Williams had solicited at least one employee during work time. Webco adjusted the discipline to a three-day suspension, reinstated Mr. Williams and gave Mr. Williams backpay for the extraneous suspension period. 37 Applying the Burnup rule as above, we agree that the punishment imposed upon Mr. Williams for conduct that did not occur, violated section 8(a)(1) of the Act. 38
39 A similar analysis applies to Brad Powell's single conversation with another employee on March 1. Mr. Obermark testified that Mr. Powell abandoned his work post and attempted to solicit other employees from other work stations during work time. In response, he received written warnings for [c]onducting solicitation in violation of company regulations and directing him to discontinue the conduct. We affirm the Board's determination that Webco violated 8(a)(1) and (3) in this regard. 40
41
42 Mr. Thornton received a written warning, a suspension, and ultimately a discharge, in part for allegedly violating the non-solicitation rule on March 1, and in part for other conduct occurring on March 14 and 15, as more fully explained below. Mr. Obermark testified that he was informed that Mr. Thornton had been involved in a March 1 solicitation of a reluctant employee. Mr. Thornton's testimony vehemently disputes this allegation. On March 1, Mr. Thornton received a written warning similar to those issued to Ms. Almy and Mssrs. Williams and Powell. Mr. Thornton's personal notation on the form also vehemently disputed the allegation. 43 The ALJ generally believed Mr. Thornton's recital of the events. As to the March 1 events, the ALJ ultimately determined that Mr. Thornton was a credible witness and that Mr. Obermark was not. We defer to these findings. 44 Applying the Burnup rule to the March 1 events, under which Mr. Obermark's good faith beliefs as to Mr. Thornton's conduct are immaterial, we agree with the Board that Webco violated 8(a)(1) when it issued the written warning to Mr. Thornton without credible evidence that a violation of the non-solicitation policy occurred. 45
46 There is conflicting testimony as to the events that occurred on March 14 and March 15. The events occurred in Webco's break room when employees Thornton, Mark Sparks, and Everett Moton were present. The uncontroverted evidence indicates that upon Mr. Thornton's inquiry as to Mr. Sparks' interest in the union, Mr. Sparks took or received a card and immediately tore it up and threw it in the trash in front of Mr. Thornton. 47 According to testimony from Mr. Moton, Mr. Thornton pressured Mr. Sparks to vote for the union, and then used a racial slur to describe Mr. Sparks. Rec. vol. III at 520. Mr. Sparks reacted and twice asked Mr. Thornton to repeat the epithet, at which point Mr. Thornton stated he said you're dumb and ignorant. Id. at 521; 522-23. As Mr. Moton was leaving the break room, he observed Mr. Thornton approach Mr. Sparks and invite him outside for an altercation. Mr. Thornton then put his hands on Mr. Sparks' shoulder, but according to Mr. Moton, Mr. Thornton was goofing around. Id. at 525. 48 Mr. Sparks testified that Mr. Thornton had not previously used the epithet to describe him, but did use it on March 14. See id. at 508; 510; 513-14. He also recalled that Mr. Thornton was approximately ten feet from him when he invited Mr. Sparks outside. Id. at 509. Mr. Sparks' testimony indicated Mr. Thornton did not have his arm around me and was not goofing around when Mr. Thornton invited Mr. Sparks outside. Id. at 512. 49 Mr. Thornton testified that his invitation to beat up Mr. Sparks was met by several rejoinders, and that the entire exchange was in a humorous vein. He denied using the racial epithet. 50 After receiving a report about the incident from Mr. Sparks, Mr. Obermark called Mr. Thornton in for a meeting. Mr. Obermark testified that he told Mr. Thornton that Webco had received reports that you have been threatening people, telling them to come outside so you could kick their ass, [sic] and you've been using racial slurs. Id. vol. II at 450-51. Mr Thornton apparently denied the allegations. Mr. Obermark gave Mr. Thornton a written consultation form that suspended Mr. Thornton pending further investigation. Mr. Thornton indicated his assiduous disagreement with the events as described on the form. 51 Mr. Thornton's testimony indicates that he did not recall Mr. Obermark specifying the charges against Mr. Thornton. He reconfirmed his denial of the use of racial epithets. 52 Mr. Obermark testified that on March 15 he initiated an investigation regarding Mr. Thornton. He testified that Mr. Thornton had apparently asked employee Shane Sartin to join the union; the requests continued despite Mr. Sartin's evident reluctance. Mr. Sartin reportedly told Mr. Obermark that Mr. Thornton was very coercive during these requests. Mr. Obermark also interviewed Messrs. Sparks and Moton regarding the events and language use in the break room on March 14. The company determined it would discharge Mr. Thornton, based on his coercion of Mr. Sartin, his attitude, the racial slur, the shouting match in the break room, and the threat to do bodily harm to Mr. Sparks. Rec. vol II, at 478; vol. I at GC Ex. 8. When the Sartin conversations were disputed, Mr. Obermark testified that Mr. Thornton would have been discharged even if the conversations with Mr. Sartin had not taken place. 53 The remaining unfair labor practice charges concerning Mr. Thornton's discharge consist primarily of the conflicting testimony we have summarized above. As to the events of March 14 and March 15, in addition to his continued questioning of Mr. Obermark's credibility, the ALJ found Messrs. Moton and Sparks to be far less convincing and less forthright on the stand than Mr. Thornton. The ALJ provided a detailed account as to the rationale behind his determinations. As noted above, the determination of credibility is particularly within the province of the hearing examiner and the Board. Wilhow Corp., 666 F.2d at 1299; see Dover Corp., 535 F.2d at 1209. Even if the ALJ appears to consistently side with the employees' story, this does not furnish reason to overturn his credibility determinations. Dillon Stores, 643 F.2d at 692. We thus agree with the Board that Webco's conduct violated 8(a)(1) of the Act. 54