Opinion ID: 764175
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Election-day rumor

Text: 32 The final stage of the Union's alleged strategy of deceit was the rumor that the handbill would be used as a layoff list if the Union did not prevail. Maremont presented no evidence that the Union was the source of this rumor. Furthermore, Maremont's theory that this rumor interfered with the employees' free and fair choice or created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation among them is contradicted by the fact that 77 more employees signed the Vote Yes petition than actually ended up voting for the Union. Even if we were to infer from this fact that those 77 employees were misled about the petition, it still tends to show that they exercised their free choice in finally determining whether to be represented by the Union. 33 The hearing officer's report also notes that Maremont responded to the rumor with a publication of its own. On the day of the election, Maremont issued a flyer that stated as follows: 34 The Company will not use any list provided by the IAM for anything, and the Company will not retaliate against any one because they might have engaged in some sort of Union activity. The Company has never retaliated against anyone who supported the Union, or signed a card, or wore a Union shirt, or did anything else for the Union,--and will not retaliate against anyone this time either! 35 Because Maremont had a chance to respond to the rumor, its allegedly misleading effects were reduced.