Opinion ID: 321883
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: unconditional requests for reinstatement

Text: 24 The Companies, conceding for argument's sake that their employees were engaged in a protected concerted activity, challenge the Board's finding that the strikers made unconditional requests for reinstatement. Engraving argues that the photoengravers conditioned their return on NPC's reinstatement of the sympathy strikers. There is ample evidence to support the conclusion that this alleged condition was one placed on a final collective bargaining agreement rather than on the employees return to work. NPC contends its employees also insisted on returning to work as a group. The Unions, however, at various times requested information as to the number and type of replacements hired, indicating an awareness that reinstatement depended on the availability of jobs. The Companies, in turn, demanded that the strikers make individual requests for reinstatement. An employer is not permitted to delay reinstatement by insisting on such a procedure. A collective request for reinstatement made through the Union is sufficient. Retail Union v. NLRB, 151 U.S.App.D.C. 209, 466 F.2d 380 (1972); see Olin Industries, Inc. v. NLRB, 191 F.2d 613 (5th Cir. 1951), cert. denied, 343 U.S. 919, 72 S.Ct. 676, 96 L.Ed. 1332 (1952); Serv-Air, Inc. v. NLRB, 395 F.2d 557 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, 393 U.S. 840, 89 S.Ct. 121, 21 L.Ed.2d 112 (1968). Once such a request is made, the burden is on the employer to offer reinstatement to employees for whom positions are available. See NLRB v. Transport Co., 438 F.2d 258 (5th Cir. 1971); American Machinery Corp. v. NLRB, 424 F.2d 1321 (5th Cir. 1970). That the mass application at the plant door occurred at a time other than the beginning of a shift does not satisfy the employer's burden under American Machinery to demonstrate 'legitimate and substantial business justification for denying reinstatement.' 25 It is clear from the record that neither Engraving nor NPC had eliminated or had filled with permanent replacements all positions vacated by the strikers. Engraving violated sections 8(a)(3) and 8(a)(1) by refusing their employees' unconditional request for reinstatement. Backpay to the date they should have been reinstated is appropriate for all employees, including those who must be placed on a preferential hiring list because they were replaced before their request for reinstatement. See C. H. Guenther & Son, Inc. v. NLRB, 427 F.2d 983 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 400 U.S. 942, 91 S.Ct. 240, 27 L.Ed.2d 246 (1970); American Machinery Corp. v. NLRB, 424 F.2d 1321 (5th Cir. 1970); Laidlaw Corp. v. NLRB, 414 F.2d 99 (7th Cir. 1969), cert. denied, 397 U.S. 920, 90 S.Ct. 928, 25 L.Ed.2d 100 (1970). Since sympathy strikers are entitled to the same protection afforded the workers with whom they sympathize, NPC employees who honored the picket line are entitled to the same remedy unless, as NPC contends, these workers were subject to enforceable no-strike obligations.