Opinion ID: 2974119
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Representation Proceedings

Text: Prior to 2004, none of the three branches had any history of collective bargaining. On March 12, 2004, the Union submitted a request to the regional office that a single bargaining unit be recognized covering 180 employees, to include all of Guardian’s “full time and/or regular part time security officers and drivers performing guard duties” at all three branch locations. The regional office directed that a hearing be held on the petition, but the Union withdrew the petition shortly before the appointed hearing date. The Union then filed a second request, proposing a single bargaining unit consisting of full-time and part-time employees performing guard duties at the Mt. Morris and Highland Park facilities, and stating that the number of employees involved would be 200. The regional office conducted a hearing on the second request. At that hearing, the Union again changed its position and asked that the Highland Park and Mount Morris facilities each be a separate bargaining unit and that each have its separate election. Guardian opposed the certification of one bargaining unit for each branch on the grounds that Guardian’s business operations at all three Michigan branches are fully integrated, branches have no autonomy from one another or from 4 the company at large, and employees assigned to each branch regularly coordinate, interchange, and interact with employees from the other branches. It therefore contended the appropriate bargaining unit would be a single unit consisting of all full-time and part-time guards at all three of its facilities. The director of the regional office granted the Union’s request and ordered separate elections at the Highland Park and Mt. Morris facilities, finding that the separate bargaining units requested by the Union are appropriate for collective bargaining purposes within the meaning of § 9(b) of the Act (29 U.S.C. § 159(b)). The director acknowledged the evidence in the record showing that Guardian has centralized control over personnel decisions and some centralized control over daily operations; the employees at all locations have the same skills; and all employees are paid at the same rate. The director nonetheless noted that a single-facility bargaining unit is “presumptively appropriate” unless other considerations show that the units have been effectively merged or have otherwise lost their separate identities. The director based his decision that separate units are appropriate on findings that the branches retain some autonomy over day-to-day operations, there is minimal interchange and interaction between employees at the various branches, and the geographical distance between the facilities is substantial. Especially significant to the director was the fact that the degree of employee interchange among the Guardian branches is much less frequent than that found in In re Purolator Courier Corp., 265 NLRB 659 (1982), and In re Dayton Transport, 270 NLRB 1114 (1984), two previous decisions in which the NLRB found that the presumption of a single-location unit had been rebutted because of the high degree of interrelatedness. 5 Finally, the director concluded that vault leaders and dispatchers would be included within the collective-bargaining unit, and allowed the lone assistant supervisor to vote in the election under challenge. Mechanics were excluded from the bargaining unit. Guardian filed a request for review with the NLRB, which was denied by two members of a three-member panel. The two elections were held on June 10, 2004, and the Union was certified as the exclusive bargaining representative of each unit. The Union requested that Guardian begin bargaining, but Guardian refused to recognize the Union as the employees’ bargaining agent on the grounds that the determination that there be two units was legally improper. The Union filed an unfair labor practices charge with the NLRB, alleging violations of §§ 8(a)(1) and (5) of the Act (29 U.S.C. § 158(a)(1) & (5)). Based on the charge and a subsequent investigation, the general counsel of the regional office issued a complaint against Guardian. The regional office filed a motion for summary judgment, and the NLRB issued a show cause order, to which Guardian responded. The NLRB granted summary judgment to the regional office, finding that Guardian’s refusal to bargain with the Union violated §§ 8(a)(1) and (5) of the Act. It rested its decision on reasoning contained in the determination by the regional office that two bargaining units were appropriate, and noted that Guardian had not presented any newly discovered evidence or alleged any special circumstances to justify its refusal to bargain. Guardian now petitions for review of this decision, and the NLRB seeks to enforce its order.