Court Opinion

ID: 9442719
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 18:57:02.773653+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:42:24.223486
License: Public Domain

KERNER, Circuit Judge
(dissenting).
It was respondent’s theory that it closed its plant for economic reasons, but the Board found that respondent closed its plant and laid off its employees to discourage union activity and that thereby respondent discriminated against its employees within the meaning of § 8(3), 29 U.S.C.A. § 158(3), and in violation of § 8(1) and (3) of the Act had engaged in a course of conduct whereby it had interfered with, restrained and coerced its employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed them by § 7 of the Act. These, of course, were factual findings and respondent seeks to override them. The sole question is whether there is sufficient evidence to support the findings.
It is elementary that if the findings of the Board are supported by sufficient evidence on the record as a iwhole, they are conclusive, 29 U.S.C.A. § 160(e). This court has repeatedly held that an employer’s statement calculated to coerce employees in the exercise of their rights under § 7 of the Act is not protected as free speech;1 that an employer’s action in closing a plant and laying off employees to discourage union activity is violative of § 8(3) of the Act;2 and that an employer’s threat to close a plant rather than bargain with a union is within the proscription of § 8(1)3.
It is for the Board to determine the credibility of witnesses and the weight of the evidence. And the question of what inference should be drawn from the evidence is also a function that belongs to the Board. And the possibility of drawing either of two inconsistent inferences from the evidence does not prevent the Board *919from drawing one of them.4 With these principles in mind, I have studied the record. It discloses that the controlling facts upon which the Board predicated its findings are not in dispute. Briefly stated, they are:
On November 20, 1946, United Rubber, Cork, Linoleum and Plastic Workers of America, CIO (hereinafter called the union), which had been organizing the employees, sent a letter to respondent informing it that the union represented a ■majority of respondent’s employees, and requested a meeting for the purpose of negotiating a collective bargaining agreement, and respondent then, for the first time, became aware of the fact that the union had been organizing its employees. Respondent, on November 27, replied, declining to meet in collective bargaining negotiations because the plant had not hired its full complement of personnel.
On December 4, respondent closed the plant, laid off the employees, and its manager handed to each employee a severance notice and instructed them to look in a local newspaper for a statement, a paid advertisement, designated as “Our Policy,” which appeared in the newspaper on December 5.5
*920Immediately below the statement there appeared a copy of the union’s letter of November 20, requesting recognition, and respondent’s reply, denying recognition. December 6, respondent’s manager held conferences with a number of the laid-off employees; these employees inquired as to the reason for the closing of the plant, but the manager referred them to “Our Policy.” Within a few hours after the close of the last of these conferences, a number of the employees drew up a written statement in which they expressed a willingness to work under and abide by respondent’s “stated policy” and 35 of the laid-off employees signed the statement, and on December 11, a letter signed by 29 of the employees stating that they were withdrawing “their request for membership” was mailed to the union. Thereafter, on April 2, 1947, respondent inserted an advertisement in the newspaper that it would begin 'hiring the next day. Most of the employees responded and were interviewed; those who did not respond were neither interviewed nor considered for reemployment. The interviews were conducted by the ' manager, his secretary, and respondent’s personnel manager. During the interviews, and as a part of the application for reemployment, every applicant was asked to (fill out and sign a questionnaire prepared by respondent. The questionnaire began by inquiry whether the applicant had read and understood “Our Policy,” a copy of which was displayed on a table before the applicant. Any applicant, during the interview, who indicated that he had not read the policy statement was directed to read it immediately, and any employee who indicated a lack of understanding of the meaning of “Our Policy” was enlightened. The employees were required to state in the questionnaire whether they agreed that respondent’s policy was “fair and just and should be upheld,” and whether they would “help us to do so.” On July 1, 1947, respondent resumed operations. It did not hire any one of the laid-off employees who failed to indicate complete agreement with respondent’s policy and a willingness to assist in its enforcement.
From these facts, the circumstances and inferences reasonably flowing therefrom, and upon the evidence taken as a whole, I see no justification for a reversal of the findings on which the Board’s conclusions and order are based; I cannot hold that there was no substantial evidence to support the findings. On the contrary, in the words of Judge Minton in R. R. Don-nelley & Sons v. National Labor Relations Board, 7 Cir., 156 F.2d 416, 419, here “were threats and attempts to intimidate the employees if they joined the union.” In this state of the record, it cannot be said that the findings of the Board are clearly erroneous. Rather, it seems to me that the Board was justified in finding that the lay-off was anti-union in motive and intent and that respondent closed the plant and laid off its employees to discourage union activity. Consequently, I would en-. force the order of the Board.

. R. R. Donnelley & Sons v. National Labor Relations Board, 7 Cir., 156 F.2d 416; National Labor Relations Board v. LaSalle Steel Co., 7 Cir., 178 F.2d 829; and National Labor Relations Board v. Kropp Forge Co., 7 Cir., 178 F.2d 822.

. National Labor Relations Board v. Mall Tool Co., 7 Cir., 119 F.2d 700. See also National Labor Relations Board v. Cowell Portland Cement Co., 9 Cir., 148 F.2d 237; National Labor Relations Board v. National Garment Co., 8 Cir., 166 F.2d 233; and National Labor Relations Board v. Sifers, 10 Cir., 171 F.2d 63.

. National Labor Relations Board v. Auburn Foundry, 7 Cir., 119 F.2d 331; National Labor Relations Board v. Jahn & Ollier Engraving Co., 7 Cir., 123 F.2d 589; Reliance Mfg. Co. v. National Labor Relations Board, 7 Cir., 125 F.2d 311; Rapid Roller Co. v. National Labor Relations Board, 7 Cir., 126 F.2d 452; and National Labor Relations Board v. American Furnace Co., 7 Cir., 158 F.2d 376.

. National Labor Relations Board v. Link-Belt Co., 311 U.S. 584, 597, 61 S.Ct. 358, 85 L.Ed. 368; National Labor Relations Board v. Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Co., 319 U.S. 50, 60, 63 S.Ct. 905, 87 L.Ed. 1250; National Labor Relations Board v. Nevada Consolidated Copper Co., 316 U.S. 105, 106, 62 S.Ct. 960, 86 L.Ed. 1305.
“Our Policy.

. “Due to a recent happenstance we bring to the citizenry of Clinton a statement of policy so there will be no misunderstanding, and we use this paid ad as the best means for doing so and not for the purpose of publicly trying a case in the press.
“We selected Clinton as a place in which to locate a midwestern plant, not because of cheap labor but because our tests showed us a supply of labor that was fair, reasonable, intelligent, dependable and good producers.
“In seeking to locate in your city, we made it clear at the outset that we could not pay automotive-parts or similar wages nnd remain in the business of producing Rubber Footwear, nor could we hope to abide by working conditions set for such •industries. We did say — and we mean it— that we would pay the highest wages possible for good work and high productivity that would permit us to compete and provide full-time steady jobs with a fair return to us.
“We hope we shall be able to become a real asset to Clinton by supplying steady work at the best possible wages, and that the Reciprocal Trade Agreement action being started in Washington next month will not return us to a foreign •competitive situation which tumbled our -wages before.
“Now to the point; Below are appended two letters which speak for themselves. Among other reasons, we have in mind that (1) Before we have a roof over our heads they start shooting and trying to dictate to us. (2) It is obvious that we cannot afford to and will not be bound to a wage pattern as established with the Big Four tire companies. (3) Without adequate bonded assurance, we will not bargain with any Union which has broken faith with a predecessor company entailing great loss to that company. We cannot afford to risk it. (4) When we cannot bargain and conclude a contract in good faith with our own employees at our own plant and economic level, we are certain it will be less costly for us to suspend operations entirely than to operate at a loss.
“While we do not encourage employees to attach themselves to any national organization, we are not opposed to such organization when full consideration is given to our economic limitations and when it conforms strictly to ‘at plant-level relations.’ This is fully evident from the fact that our Providence Plant has a completely autonomous membership in the AFL.
“At the sacrifice of much time and expense we have endeavored, by temporary arrangements, to supply jobs to the greatest number of people at the earliest possible moment, and to speed the time when they could earn maximum pay by training them ahead of the time when the building would be completed. Apparently this has given the exaggerated idea that we are desperately in need of production, rather than motivated solely by the desire to supply maximum jobs and incomes, as quickly as possible. Since we have apparently been mistaken in our ideas as to what was wanted we have decided to quit operations.
*920“We recommend that anyone seeking employment 'with us that they only seek such employment with this — our policy— firmly in mind, and one which we expect to live up to and expect others to do so, as well. We are not going to all the expense of training anyone only to find out that we cannot later work together. We believe a vast majority will see the fairness of and need for such policy and will actively help us maintain it.
“Goodyear Footwear Corporation, “(Signed) Jack R. Baker, “President.”