Court Opinion

ID: 9449526
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 16:14:27.302654+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:31:51.958121
License: Public Domain

ALDRICH, Circuit Judge
(concurring).
Judge GIGNOUX and I concur in Judge HARTIGAN’s opinion in all re*842spects. However, since this is a case in which we are reversing the Board not because there was no evidence of an antilabor animus — the reverse is conceded, in view of the Dracut County correspondent discharge- — but because we disagree that such was the “true reason” '{to quote the Trial Examiner) for the ■discharge, we both would like to develop the discussion further.
In the first place, we agree that Judge HARTIGAN has applied the proper test. In its brief the Board correctly adopts our language in N. L. R. B. v. Whitin Machine Works, 1 Cir., 1953, 204 F.2d 883, where we said, at 885, that a discharge “ * * * may become discriminatory if other circumstances reasonably indicate that the union activity weighed more heavily in the decision to fire him than did dissatisfaction with his performance. * * * ” (Ital. suppl.). Where a party has two motives, one permissible and the other impermissible, the better rule is what we there indicated, namely, that the improper motive must be shown to have been the dominant one. Cf. N. L. R. B. v. Whitelight Products Division, 1 Cir., 1962, 298 F.2d 12, 16, cert. den. 369 U.S. 887, 82 S.Ct. 1161, 8 L.Ed.2d 288; Simmons, Inc. v. N. L. R. B., 1 Cir., 1963, 315 F.2d 143; cf. Commissioner v. Young Motor Co., 1 Cir., 1963, 316 F.2d 267.
Otherwise there is a danger that knowledge that something will have a pleasing result will be confused with, and substituted for, actuating motive. See discussion in Young Motor Co. v. Commissioner; 1 Cir., 1960, 281 F.2d 488, at 491; Boston Mutual Life Ins. Co. v. Varone, 1 Cir., 1962, 303 F.2d 155, at 159. This is a particular danger in labor cases because once an anti-union animus has been shown it is always easy, no matter how valid a proper cause for discharge may have existed, to say that “one” of the motives was the animus. This would lead to what we believe occurred here, that a militant union man would feel that he could safely behave as he chose.^,
As to the Board’s errors, Judge HARTIGAN has adequately covered its prejudicial reliance upon the particularly non-probative hearsay testimony of the “report” that respondent had “set a trap” for Breen.* But equally erroneous was its disregard of its own witnesses, and of totally undisputed testimony, in connection with its implicit conclusion that Breen’s dereliction of duty was not serious. The Board said, “It is beyond dispute that Flynn was fully competent to perform the first of the enumerated duties of the deskman, to check for typographical errors, a task which he repeatedly performed.” The only evidence as to Flynn’s prior performance was that he, along with all other sports writers when on duty, severally checked for typographical errors, and reported to the deskman, who, in turn, made the necessary changes. Breen, a Board witness, testified even on direct examination that a serious typographical error might require changing the page for the second edition, and conceivably might require stopping the press, although this last had never happened in his memory. In other words, discovery of the error was only part of the checking procedure. It is conceded that Flynn had no experience with changing pages or other composing-room work. The fact is that he had never been a deskman, and was not competent to be such.
The further circumstance that still other admitted duties of a deskman, referred to by the Board but which need *843not be here detailed, did not often require exercise does not mean that it was not a serious matter for Breen to take it upon himself to leave before the question of whether they would arise had been determined. Except for testimony by Breen that on half a dozen undescribed occasions he had previously left his desk unattended, but with no evidence that respondent knew of it, in several hundred pages there is no testimony that any deskman, with one exception hereafter referred to, had ever left his desk before his duties had been completed unless he left a competent substitute in charge, or obtained permission. The Board fails to mention Breen’s admission that he had known for a week that he was going to leave prematurely on March 18, and had made no effort to comply with either of these requirements. If, in fact, his departure was inconsequential, it would seem that permission could have been sought and easily obtained. Having in mind the undisputed high responsibilities of a deskman, this dereliction cannot be disregarded as an oversight. Even at the last minute, when Flynn stated he was “sticking his neck out” by leaving, Breen could have gone down the hall and asked permission. His reply to Flynn directed against the company, which respondent accurately describes as a defiant obscene expression, indicated such anj attitude of deliberate insubordination* that for the Board to disregard or mini-: mize it can only be construed as an unwarranted substitution of its judgment Í for respondent’s as to how respondent! was to run its business. Cf. N. L. R. B. v. United Parcel Service, Inc., 1 Cir., 1963, 317 F.2d 912.
The Board’s conclusion is not supported by its statement that respondent’s witness could not recall “the last employee of the editorial department that had been discharged.” This was the unimportant part of the testimony. The important part, not mentioned, was that, although it was twenty years ago, a previous deskman with similar length of service had been summarily discharged under identical circumstances, and that this was the only occasion when such a breach of duty had occurred.
We are compelled to conclude-that the Board, having determined that-respondent was pleased that Breen had been guilty of such gross misbehavior as to become dischargeable, confused pleasure with cause. This it cannot do, absent evidence that respondent would not have considered Breen’s conduct cause if that pleasure had not contributed. On this the burden was on the Board, and the evidence was all the other way.

 It might be added that there is a considerable difference between ' setting a trap and merely setting a watch. A husband who “baits” a trap, leading his wife to commit adultery, cannot rely on her ensuing misconduct as a ground for divorce. However, one who merely suspects, and watches in order to apprehend her, is not barred because he took no affirmative steps to prevent her activity. See, e. g., Wilson v. Wilson, 1891, 154 Blass. 194, 28 N.E. 167, 12 L.R.A. 524. The uncontradicted probative evidence in this case excludes any possibility that respondent did more than the latter.