Opinion ID: 379143
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: unilateral changes

Text: 58 As long as its bargaining obligation is not extinguished, an employer has a continuing duty to bargain over mandatory subjects of bargaining without instituting unilateral changes, even after the expiration of the prior agreement. NLRB v. Sky Wolf Sales, 470 F.2d 827 (9th Cir. 1972). See, Allied Chemical & Alkali Workers v. Pittsburg Plate Glass Co., 404 U.S. 157, 92 S.Ct. 383, 30 L.Ed.2d 341 (1971). Mandatory subjects of collective bargaining include insurance benefits and grievance procedures for employees. 404 U.S. at 159, 92 S.Ct. at 387; The Developing Labor Law, 404 (1971). 59 In Sparks Nugget, the Board found that the employer committed unfair labor practices in violation of Sections 8(a)(5) and (1) of the Act, 29 U.S.C. §§ 158(a)(5) and (1), by unilaterally implementing a new grievance procedure and a new insurance program. 60 The respondent's sole argument to justify the unilateral change in the grievance procedure was that the change was made after its obligation to bargain had terminated. We have already ruled in Section I that there was a continuing duty to bargain. The respondent's unilateral change of the grievance procedures was an unfair labor practice. NLRB v. United Nuclear Corp., 381 F.2d 972 (10th Cir. 1967). We enforce the Board's order on this issue. 61 There appears to be little question that the new insurance plan was implemented by the respondent without consultation or negotiation with the Union over the matter. The respondent was found to have committed an unfair labor practice. The administrative law judge, however, limited the proposed remedy to requiring the respondent to cease and desist from unilaterally altering or modifying the terms and conditions of a collective bargaining agreement it may have with the Union (R. 151) because he found that the Union had condoned the respondent's actions. 10 The decision and order were affirmed by the Board. We cannot agree that an unfair labor practice can be found as the acts were condoned. 62 Condonation takes place when the injured party demonstrates a willingness to forgive the improper conduct and wipe the slate clean. Confectionery & Tobacco Drivers & Warehousemen's Union v. NLRB, 312 F.2d 108, 113 (2d Cir. 1963); Cast Optics Corp. v. NLRB, 458 F.2d 398, 404 (3d Cir.) cert. denied, 409 U.S. 850, 93 S.Ct. 58, 34 L.Ed.2d 92 (1972). In Confectionery & Tobacco Drivers, employees had engaged in a walkout in violation of their contractual no-strike clause. The court there stated, however, that, (A)fter a condonation the employer may not rely upon prior unprotected activities of employees to deny reinstatement to, or otherwise to discriminate against, them. 312 F.2d at 113. 63 We agree with the Board that condonation took place with regard to the implementation of the new insurance plan. The Union's condonation of the unilateral action, however, wipes the slate clean. The Board erred in its application of the law on condonation; there was no unfair labor practice upon which to base the charge. We, therefore, deny enforcement of the cease and desist order. 64