Opinion ID: 2994613
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Reimbursements for Vehicle Damage

Text: During the organizing campaign, vehicles belonging to four employees were damaged while they were parked on or near company property. The victims, all union opponents, thought that the Union was responsible for the vandalism, and they complained to management. There was no evidence that this was so, nor was there any evidence that the damage to the cars had even occurred while the employees were at work. Nevertheless, ACE/CO reimbursed the employees for the damage in amounts ranging from $40 to $350. Noting that the company (a) had restricted its reimbursements in the past to situations in which the company itself caused or might have caused the damage, (b) did not ask for any support for the allegations that the damage was caused by union supporters, and (c) was acting contrary to its past practice, the Board found that these reimbursements violated section 8(a)(1). This finding is amply supported by the evidence. The ACE/CO Director of Labor Relations conceded that the company never announced any general offer to employees that they could obtain reimbursement for damage to cars parked on or near its property. Instead, the Director admitted that the company had offered these reimbursements in conversations in which the recipients were providing anti-union statements in connection with the election challenge.