Court Opinion

ID: 9490607
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 13:49:09.990113+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:54:12.596371
License: Public Domain

CUDAHY, Circuit Judge,
concurring in part and dissenting in part.
The majority recites the proper incantation of deference to the NLRB, but does not live by that time-honored maxim. The ALJ found that Mark Smith threatened Diana Jaccard when he saw Jaccard’s pro-union pin and said, “I’m glad you got a husband.” It is possible that Smith meant no harm. Perhaps after noting Jaccard’s pro-union pin he shrugged, paused and tried to return to the topic of Jaccard’s impending wedding. But it’s also possible that Smith looked, sounded and was menacing.
It is a question of tone and of temperament, and of whom you believe. The ALJ heard Jaccard and Smith; this court has not. And the ALJ believed Jaccard and not Smith, who flatly denied that the conversation ever took place. The credibility of a witness — and our deference to the ALJ— goes beyond the bare fact that words were spoken. Canteen Corp. v. NLRB, 103 F.3d 1355, 1363 (7th Cir.1997). A witness’ credibility also can inform a factfinder’s understanding of what those words meant. See NLRB v. Champion Laboratories, Inc., 99 F.3d 223, 231 (7th Cir.1996) (Ripple, J., concurring in part and dissenting in part) (for assessing whether employer threatened employee, ALJ’s impression of demeanor is pivotal). The majority does not heed its own resolution to weigh heavily the judgment of the judge on the scene, and instead substitutes its own. This is not the role Congress committed to us. Id.
I therefore respectfully dissent with respect to this issue and would enforce the NLRB’s order in full.