Opinion ID: 214589
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Tester Position

Text: The Union’s final grievances relate to the elimination of one Tester position and the reassignment of this position’s work as a violation of various provisions of the CBA. Elimination of the Tester Position As discussed above, Article 11 expressly exempts from arbitration any grievance arising from management’s elimination of a position. For this reason, grievances regarding the elimination of the Tester position are not arbitrable under the CBA. Reassignment of the Tester Duties The parties disagree as to whether the elimination of the Tester position resulted in a reassignment of the duties previously performed by that position. The district court found no reassignment had taken place, crediting ConocoPhillips’s claim that improved efficiencies made reassignment of these duties unnecessary. But the Union argues the evidence in the record shows a genuine issue of fact as to whether there was a reassignment. In support, the Union cites the deposition testimony of a Union representative: “And we didn’t -21- feel like [] the [Tester] position should be eliminated and the work divided among the other lab people. . . . and [ConocoPhillips] refused to acknowledge that their work wasn’t going away; it was just being reassigned to another person.” App. at 324–35. But the Union did not rely on this evidence in resisting summary judgment below. Even if the testimony had probative value (which is doubtful given its conclusory nature), the Union cannot now rely on it on appeal. Once ConocoPhillips pointed out the deficiency in the Union’s case in district court, it was the Union’s burden to show the existence of a genuine issue of fact by pointing to affidavits, depositions, and exhibits in the record. Mitchell v. City of Moore, Oklahoma, 218 F.3d 1190, 1199 (10th Cir. 2000). “Where the burden to present such specific facts was not adequately met below, we will not reverse a district court for failing to uncover them itself.” Id. (quotations and alterations omitted).