Court Opinion

ID: 9487281
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 12:12:19.58308+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:52:10.732136
License: Public Domain

WELLFORD, Senior Circuit Judge,
concurring in all respects except as to Part III C. in which he dissents.
I am in entire accord with the recitation of the factual background of this controversy and with almost all of Judge Nelson’s full opinion dealing with the issues herein. I have some reservations as to that portion of part III C. of the opinion with respect to Windemuller Electric, Inc. (“Windemuller”) and Construction Employment Services, Inc. (“CES”) being deemed joint employers in any respect. On this record, Mike Winde-muller and Roosevelt Tillman, who were *398principals in these entities, followed their own independent agendas and I find it ironic that Windemuller is “tagged” by NLRB as a joint employer because it sought Tillman’s help in hiring minority employees, both union and non-union. Because Windemuller does not seriously contest the order with respect to questioning Darwin Patterson, I concur as to that part of III C., but not as to the layoff of three CES employees.
As to III C., I would not enforce the order concerning the alleged improper layoff in May of 1990 of three temporary CES employees. Windemuller’s Kirk Strong and Tillman (d/b/a CES) both testified that these workers were hired for a short period (from one to four weeks). The work involved lasted no more than two weeks. Even if the ALJ were supported in his determination that the three employees’ union status played a part in their layoff after a week’s work, I would conclude that this is a de minimis violation at best. There was no atmosphere at Windemuller of threats, intimidation or coercion against unions or organizers, or even a union “salt” as noted in the majority opinion. I, therefore, dissent from that portion of the opinion (III C. and E.) affirming the NLRB with respect to anything other than minimal back pay, if any, to Thomas Sosnowski, Steven Tishhouse, and Larry Ketchum.