Opinion ID: 769851
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Terminations and layoffs

Text: 15 In deciding § 8(a)(3) cases in which the employee was allegedly retaliatedagainst for his union activity, but the employer alleges that it was motivated by legitimate reasons, the NLRB must first establish a prima facie case by putting forth evidence that supports an inference that the employee's protected activities were a motivating factor in the employer's decision. See Wright Line, 251 N.L.R.B. 1083 (1980); see also NLRB v. Transportation Management Corp., 462 U.S. 393, 394-95 (1983) (adopting the Wright Line test). In an alleged § 8(a)(3) violation, the general counsel must put forward evidence that the employee was engaged in protected activity; that the employer knew of the employee's protected activity; and that an adverse employment action resulted in whole or in part from anti-union animus, or 'that the employee's protected conduct was a motivating factor in the adverse action.' ITT Automotive v. NLRB, 188 F.3d 375, 388 (6th Cir. 1999) (quoting Transportation Management Corp., 462 U.S. at 401). Anti-union sentiment can be shown through direct or indirect evidence. See id. at 389. 16 Discriminatory motivation may reasonably be inferred from a variety of factors, such as the company's expressed hostility towards unionization combined with knowledge of the employees' union activities; inconsistencies between the proffered reason for discharge and other actions of the employer; disparate treatment of certain employees compared to other employees with similar work records or offenses; a company's deviation from past practices in implementing the discharge; and proximity in time between the employees' union activities and their discharge. 17 W.F. Bolin Co. v. NLRB, 70 F.3d 863, 871 (6th Cir. 1995) (citing Turnbull Cone Baking Co. v. NLRB, 778 F.2d 292, 297 (6th Cir.1985)). The burden then shifts to the Company to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that it would have taken the same action against the employee in the absence of protected activity. See NLRB v. General Sec. Servs. Corp., 162 F.3d 437, 442 (6th Cir. 1998) (citing Transportation Management Corp., 462 U.S. at 394-95). 18 As an initial matter, the Company contends that it was unaware of union activity until November 5 or 6, therefore, retaliation for union activity did not motivate the termination of Jones on October 30, the permanent layoffs of Collins and Roberts on November 3, or the temporary layoffs on November 4. The ALJ, however, found that the Company was aware of union activity by October 30. This finding is supported by substantial evidence. The first union meeting was held October 29. The next day, employees who had attended the meeting brought brightly colored union flyers into their workplace, left them in plain view, and handed them to co-workers. In addition, several employees testified to discussing the union with others on October 30. In a small company, with a hands-on president, and where supervisors frequently walk around the facility, these facts support the inference that Company management knew of union activity on October 30.
19 Davin Jones began working at General Fabrications on September 15, 1997 as the highest paid welder/fabricator. Before starting with the Company, he was a fabricator and welder in Michigan. At a company meeting in September, Boraski stated that he could use more employees like Jones, according to the testimony of Jones and other employees, which was credited by the ALJ. Boraski acknowledges making a similar comment, but denies that he singled Jones out for praise. Jones was terminated on October 30, 1997. 20 The Company argues that the only evidence of Jones's union involvement was his own exaggerated testimony and that Jones was properly terminated for absenteeism, not because of anti-union animus. We believe that the ALJ's determination that absenteeism was a pretext forterminating Jones for union activity is supported by substantial evidence. 21 First, the ALJ properly inferred that the Company was aware of Jones's union activity. Jones clearly signed an authorization card at the first meeting and testified that he put union flyers on top of his welder in the shop and spoke with a few employees regarding the union. In addition, Jones testified that Terry Trushell, the employee who had attended the first union meeting but did not sign an authorization card, had a discussion on October 30 with General Manager Robert Garba and that the two were looking at him; facts from which the ALJ inferred that the Company was aware of Jones's protected activity. 22 Second, substantial evidence supports the determination that Jones's termination was motivated by anti-union animus, not Jones's alleged absenteeism. General Fabrications alleges that from his start on September l5 to his termination on October 30, he was late twice and left work early four times. Jones testified, however, that on these occasions, he either had permission from Garba, or left early with other employees, as occurred when no supervisor or foreman was there, and that he would get a ride home with his coworkers because his wife drove him to and from work. Further, Jones did not receive a warning or any notice that his attendance was a problem. 23 On October 30, when Jones asked why he was being terminated, Garba told him it was for absenteeism. Jones's supervisor had asked Jones to work overtime the following weekend, however; a fact from which the ALJ inferred that the supervisor had not been consulted about Jones's termination and that meaningful investigation into Jones's work record had not been made. Garba testified that he normally does not review employee time cards, but he stated that he did in this case and then wrote a memo on October 31, the day after Jones's termination. The ALJ found that Garba's review shows neither irregularities in Jones's attendance, nor unexcused absences. Further, the memo does not show that Jones was absent on October 25, a fact to which Garba testified before the ALJ. In sum, there is substantial evidence to support the Board's finding that the company had a discriminatory motive in light of the timing of the termination, Garba's false testimony, and the anti-union animus shown by the Company at its November 4 meeting. See, e.g., W.F. Bolin Co., 70 F.3d at 872 (stating that the proximity in time between the protected activity and layoff supported an inference of improper employer motivation).
24 Ed Collins responded to an advertisement in the Sandusky Register newspaper for a welder/fabricator position and was hired December 23, 1996. He was first assigned to manufacturing, then was moved to oven panel production in Plant 1. In April 1997, he became lead man for oven panel production. James Roberts was hired June 9, 1997 after responding to a Sandusky Register ad. Before coming to the Company, he had worked at Sandusky Cabinets for 15 years. He started as a shear operator, then moved to oven panel fabrication. Both Collins and Roberts attended the first union meeting on October 29, signed union authorization cards, and took union literature. Collins left the literature on his work table and discussed the union with other employees. Roberts put the handouts in his lunch box, but testified that he talked to, at least, Harvey and Johnson regarding the meeting the night before. On November 3, both men were told by supervisor Mike Belch not to make any more panels that day. At the end of the day, they were permanently laid off. The Company had never permanently laid off an employee before. 25 The Company alleges that Collins and Roberts were fired due to the Company's decision to stop production of oven panelsbecause of the cost of producing the panels. The Company began producing the panels in 1994. At the hearing before the ALJ, the Company did not present any cost-related figures and Boraski stated that he did not know the cost per panel of production. Nonetheless, the Company states that a target daily production was twelve to fifteen panels; and that panel production had declined to an unprofitable level by October 1997, so that in November, the Company decided to abandon oven panel production. The ALJ found that the record did not establish that the Company monitored declining levels of production, and did not discuss the need to make more panels with Collins or Roberts. To arrive at its decision, the ALJ relied on testimony from Collins and Roberts that they were not told that they needed to make more panels, and testimony that oven panel production was dependent on other employees' parts production. 26 General Fabrications also alleges that both Collins and Roberts were hired as laborers and were not qualified to be welder/fabricators given their lack of welding skills and, therefore, could not have been given other work instead of being laid off. The ALJ noted that both men were paid similarly to welder/fabricators at the Company and that they were paid more than laborers. Both men had some prior welding experience: Roberts's file contained a recommendation letter from Sandusky Cabinets that he worked on its welding line, and Collins's file contained three certifications of welding training. The oven panel position required some welding, although the Company stated that it was not the same type of welding needed for other positions at the facility. Further, at least some oven panels were built after the two were terminated. Finally, ads similar to those Collins and Roberts had responded to were placed by the Company in the Sandusky Register from November 1 to November 4, after their layoffs. 27 Given the evidence of anti-union animus, these employees' qualifications, and the Company's inability to support its assertion that the layoffs resulted from unprofitable panel production, see W.L. Bolin Co., 70 F.3d at 874, we find that substantial evidence exists to uphold the Board's determination that the Company fired Collins and Roberts because of anti-union animus, in violation of Section 8(a)(3), and that the Company failed to make its affirmative defense that it would have taken the same action absent protected activity.
28 Bryan Cloud started on March 7, 1997 as an electrician assistant. He was hired by Arnold Kath, a family friend who was the electrical engineering manager at the Company. Electrician Ron Fields was hired on June 18, and electrician John Johnson was hired July 28, 1997. The third electrician, Thomas Searcy, had been at the shop the longest. On November 4, 1997, Johnson and Cloud were laid off. Fields was laid off on December 2, 1997, but was recalled in February when Searcy quit. Neither Johnson nor Cloud was recalled. We find that substantial evidence supports the Board's determination that the layoff of these employees was motivated by anti-union animus. 29 Cloud and Fields stated that, at the September company meeting, Boraski said that business was good and that it was a good time to buy a car. Cloud, Fields, and Johnson attended the second union meeting on October 31 and signed union authorization cards. 30 The Company first challenges that it knew of these employees' protected activity. The ALJ credited Fields's testimony that ill-will existed between Searcy and the others, because Searcy had been suspended for shoving Cloud, and that after the November 4 company meeting Searcy asked Fields and Johnson, with Cloud present, if they had attended meetings. Fields told him that they had and that they had signed union cards. Searcy allegedly stated that it was not a good ideaand headed towards Plant 2, where the management offices were located. From this testimony, the ALJ inferred that Searcy told management of these employees's union activities. 31 The Company also argues that it needed to layoff electricians due to a seasonal, cyclical downturn, therefore, the employees were not laid off because of retaliation. As of November 4, these employees were consistently working full weeks and overtime. Kath and Boraski downplayed the work done before the layoffs as indirect, busy work. As the ALJ stated, I am satisfied that Respondent would not have paid overtime to electricians for 'busy work.' Joint Appendix (J.A.) at 22. 32 Cloud stated that after the company meeting on November 4, when Boraski stated that he was not bringing jobs into the shop because he would not succumb to threats, Cloud approached Kath, worried about his job. Cloud testified that Kath told him that he had plenty of work for them. Further, Cloud testified that when he was laid off later that day, Kath did not mention a downturn in work. Instead, Kath told him that Boraski said that he would not bring more work into the shop until the threats stopped. Kath stated, according to Cloud, that both sides were butting their heads, both sides are flexing their muscles right now. . . . Let's let everything cool down, and I'll have you back in here in two weeks. The ALJ relied on this testimony to determine that Cloud and Johnson were not fired because of a downturn in production, but rather because the two were on the wrong side in the confrontation. 33 Further, there was some evidence that other employees stated that the electricians were needed and that the Company took other measures to complete its electrical work by having supervisors do work in the shop, having other employees help out, and hiring a retired former electrical supervisor as a contractor to manage the installation of a project for the Company. 34 The Company suggests that layoffs were almost a yearly occurrence. However, Kath, who stated that layoffs had occurred in the past, also said that the most recent he could remember was four years earlier. Boraski stated that the fall of 1996, the year before the organizing campaign, was terrible for the department, however he conceded that employees in the department were kept on the payroll and not laid off. See ITT Automotive, 188 F.3d at 388 (stating that an employer's deviation from past practices supports an inference of anti-union animus). 35 The deference given to the ALJ's credibility findings and other factual findings leads us to find that substantial evidence exists to support the Board's determination that these three were laid off in violation of Sections 8(a)(1) and 8(a)(3). 36