Opinion ID: 2996276
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Gary Gravit and Jeffrey Jehl

Text: Gary Gravit applied for a job as a plumber at the Mishawaka jobsite in December 1996. He met a superintendent, Ron Curd, and was offered a position. The morning of his first day at the jobsite, Gravit met with Jeffrey Jehl, an organizer for the union, and they both went to the jobsite. Gravit introduced Jehl to Curd and told Curd that though Jehl did not have a plumber’s license, he was experienced and would do good work. Jehl filled out a job application and was hired on the spot. Neither Gravit nor Jehl revealed their union affiliation on their job applications or while talking with Curd. Their first morning at work, Gravit and Jehl observed two people with jackets bearing union insignia talking to Curd. After the two individuals left, Curd approached Jehl and Gravit and asked whether either of them knew the two union members. Gravit said that he knew one of the employees. Curd then turned to walk away, but returned and asked, “Have either of you been a member of the union before?” Gravit said he “worked permit” a couple of times in the past, and Jehl said that he was never a member of Local 172. 4 Nos. 00-3194, 00-3576, 02-1227 & 02-1591 The next morning, Gravit and Jehl began distributing union literature and discussing the union with the employees on the jobsite. Jehl wore a white jacket with a union organizer logo on it and Gravit wore a Local 172 baseball hat. Curd arrived at the job site a little while after Gravit and Jehl began talking with other employees, and was told by Jehl that he was a organizer for the union. Curd replied that he was not surprised, and said “If Masiongale had to pay union wages, they might as well pull off the job, they would go broke.” Gravit told Jehl while they were working on the jobsite that Masiongale was not completing some of the plumbing up to code. Instead of telling Curd, Gravit decided he would send a letter to the plumbing inspector. They then met with Curd and told him that they felt that they were underpaid compared to other plumbers on the jobsite. Curd replied by telling them that he could not grant wage increases. Jehl said that until he was given a raise, he was going on strike. Curd asked, “Are you both union members?” and they replied “Yes.” Curd then asked, “Are you both going out on strike?” Gravit replied “Yes.” Both left the jobsite and did not return to work. Gravit then sent his letter to the plumbing inspector describing the code violations he noticed on the jobsite. Jehl and other union organizers had several meetings with Curd over the next two months discussing the union’s picketing of the jobsite and other matters. In March 1997, after learning from his last conversation with Curd that the jobsite was in dire need of help, Jehl went to the jobsite and told Curd that he would unconditionally return to work. Curd began to laugh, saying that Jehl was not allowed on the project, and that “around here you are considered a marked man, everyone on the job has a hunting license and shotguns.” Jehl left the jobsite and wrote a letter to Masiongale reiterating his offer to unconNos. 00-3194, 00-3576, 02-1227 & 02-1591 5 ditionally work on the jobsite, but never received a response.