Opinion ID: 270611
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Hanger and Masinick.

Text: 17 Hanger's discharge and Masinick's reprimand with deprivation of the general pay raise, occurred in September after the union had, on June 28, lost the election and after the Regional Director had, on August 17, dismissed the union's attack on the election. Respondent argues that consequently there was no continuing union activity and that its conduct in September could not have been motivated by a purpose to prevent union organization or as a reprisal for prior protected conduct of Hanger and Masinick. We find this argument invalid. While the election victory did provide the company with a period of repose, it neither suppressed legitimate desire of the union's protagonists to prepare for the next contest nor foreclosed respondent's use of the time also to prepare for it by eliminating from its payroll one union activist and by discriminatory punishment of another, discouraging future union activity. 18 There was evidence that Hanger and Masinick had been the most conspicuous promoters of the union. Their activity was known to respondent and it would be fair to infer that their discipline would be duly noted by the other employees. While respondent's witnesses testified to poor performance of their duties by Hanger and Masinick as the sole reasons for the discharge of one and discipline of the other, we consider that the Board and its examiner were not without justification in taking cognizance of the timing of the company's action against these men. It was less than a month after the election victory had been made secure by the Regional Director's dismissal of the union's attempt to set it aside. There was much evidence that Hanger, a janitor, was a poor performer and had resisted the company's efforts to provide him with opportunity to equip himself for a better job. The company, however, had long tolerated his shortcomings. The fact that he was not replaced after his discharge was evidence to be weighed, but was not controlling. See our decisions in N. L. R. B. v. Murray Ohio Mfg. Co., 326 F.2d 509, 517 (CA 6, 1964); N. L. R. B. v. West Side Carpet Cleaning Co., 329 F.2d 758, 761 (CA 6, 1964). 19 Masinick was a veteran employee and as of September 12, respondent's highest paid production worker, being then paid ten cents an hour more than the others. While respondent offered evidence of some occasional lack of good performance, fault cannot be found with the Board's view of him as a good workman. It was shown that he was always responsive to suggestions for improvement or correction. Respondent explained that his ten cent advantage over others was due to his earlier superior skill, but his co-workers had caught up to his skills and claimed that the ten cent across-the-board raise to all but Masinick was merely to correct an inequity. Such thinking, however, was not then disclosed to Masinick or assigned as a reason for the disparate treatment given him on September 12. 20 We are not persuaded that the Board and its examiner made unjustified inferences that the treatment of Hanger and Masinick was discriminatory and violated Section 8(a) (3) of the Act. Citation of authorities is not needed to justify our recognition of the Board's prerogative to draw factual inferences if supported by substantial evidence. We consider that its ultimate inference of violation was so supported. Our holding here is consonant with our previous decision in N. L. R. B. v. Elias Brothers Big Boy, Inc., 325 F.2d 360, 366 (CA 6, 1963).