Fitel Lucent Technologies

National Labor Relations Board - Board Decisions

Aug 13, 1998

326 N.L.R.B. 46 (N.L.R.B. 1998)

46 DECISIONS OF THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD
FiteJ/Lucent Technologies, Inc. and Communications
Workers of America, Local 3218, AFL-CIO.
Case IO-CA-29626
August 13, 1998
DECISION AND ORDER
By CHAIRMAN GOULD AND MEMBERS LIEBMAN
AND HURTGEN
On February 9, 1998, Administrative Law Judge
Robert C. Batson issued the attached decision. The Re-
spondent filed exceptions and a supporting brief.
The National Labor Relations Board has delegated its
authority in this proceeding to a three-member panel.
The Board has considered the decision and the record I
in light of the exceptions and brief and has decided to
affirm the judge's rulings, findings,2 and conclusions and
to adopt the recommended Order as modified.3
ORDER
The National Labor Relations Board adopts the rec-
ommended Order of the administrative law judge as
modified below and orders that the Respondent,
FitellLucent Technologies, Inc., Carrollton, Georgia, its
I The Respondent filed a motion to supplement the record, and the
General Counsel filed an opposition to the motion. The Respondent
seeks to introduce a 1996 disciplinary report that it did not introduce at
the unfair labor practice hearing. "Newly discovered evidence is evi-
dence which was in existence at the time of the hearing, and of which
the movant was excusably ignorant. A motion seeking to introduce
evidence as newly discovered must also show facts from which it can
be determined that the movant acted with reasonable diligence to un-
cover and introduce the evidence." Owen Lee Floor Service, 250
NLRB 651 fu. 2 (1980). To prevail on its motion, Respondent must
show that it acted with the diligence required to establish that it was
excusably ignorant of the existence of the report that was at all times in
its sole possession and control. The Respondent asserts that the report
was not found before the hearing despite a diligent search of its records.
That assertion falls short of the requisite showing. Furthermore, the
Respondent's motion fails to demonstrate that the introduction of the
1996 disciplinary report would require a different result than that
reached by the judge. The Respondent's motion is therefore denied.
See $cc. 102.48(d)(l) of the Board's Rules and Regulations; Opportu-
nity Homes, 315 NLRB 1210 fu. 5 (1994), enfd. 101 F.3d 2525 (6th
Cir. 1996); Owen Lee Floor Service, supra.
2 The Respondent has excepted to some of the judge's credibility
findings. The Board's established policy is not to overrule an adminis-
trative law judge's credibility resolutions unless the clear preponder.
ance of all the relevant evidence convinces us that they arc incorrect.
Standard Dry Wall Products, 91 NLRB 544 (1950), enfd. 188 F.2d 362
(3d Cir. 1951). We have carefully examined the record and find no
basis for reversing the findings.
J We shall modilY the judge's recommended Order in accordance
with the Board's decision in Excel Container. Inc., 325 NLRB 17
(1997).
Member Hurtgen agrees with his colleagues that the Respondent's
treatment of employee Keith Horsley violated Sec. 8(a)(1) amd (3) of
the Act. However, he believes that the Respondent's disciplinary write-
up of Horsley for tardiness on September 13, 1996, was legitimate.
Accordingly, he would not order the Respondent to expunge that write-
up from its files.
Member Hurtgen also agrees that the Respondent's conduct toward
employee Joel Snyder violated Sec. 8(a)(I) of the Act, but he does not
pass on the question whether it also violated Sec. 8(a)(4).
326 NLRB No. 11
officers, agents, successors, and assigns shall take the
action set forth in the Order as modified.
Substitute the following for paragraph 2(e).
"(e) Within 14 days after service by the Region, post at
its Carrollton, Georgia facility copies of the attached
notice marked 'Appendix. '27 Copies of the notice, on
forms provided by the Regional Director for Region 10,
after being signed by the Respondent's authorized repre-
sentative, shall be posted by the Respondent and main-
tained for 60 consecutive days in conspicuous places
including all places where notices to employees are cus-
tomarily posted. Reasonable steps shall be taken by the
Respondent to ensure that the notices are not altered,
defaced, or covered by any other material. In the event
that, during the pendency of these proceedings, the Re-
spondent has gone out of business or closed the facility
involved in these proceedings, the Respondent shall du-
plicate and mail, at its own expense, a copy of the notice
to all current employees and former employees employed
by the Respondent at any time since July 6, 1996."
Katherine Chahrouri, Esq .• for the General Counsel.
Walter 0. Lambeth Jr., and Douglas H. Duerr, Esqs. (Elarbee,
Thompson & Trapnell), of Atlanta, Georgia, for the Re-
spondent.
DECISION
STATEMENT OF THE CASE
ROBERT C. BATSON, Administrative Law Judge. This casel
was tried in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 16, 1997, on a complaint,
dated May 12, 1997, issued pursuant to a charge filed Septem-
ber 20, 1996,2 by Communications Workers of America, Local
3218, AFL"(:IO (the Union). The complaint, as amended at the
hearing, alleges that FiteULucent Technologies, (the Respon-
dent). violated Section 8(aXI) of the Act by threatening to dis-
cipline and to discharge its employee, Keith Horsley, because
of his union activities; violated Section 8(aXI) and (3) of the
Act by terminating Horsley for reasons proscribed by the Act;
and violated Section 8(aXI) and (4) of the Act for having
threatened to disciplinarily writeup and suspend its employee,
Joel Snyder, for having attempted to take time off from work
pursuant to subpoena served by the General Counsel in order to
attend the hearing in this matter.
All parties were given full opportunity to participate, to in-
troduce relevant evidence, to examine and cross-examine wit-
nesses and to file briefs. Briefs, filed by the General Counsel
and Respondent, have been carefully considered.
On the entire record/ including my observation of the wit-
nesses and their demeanor, I make the following
I The caption appears as amended at the hearing.
2 All dates below arc within 1996 unless otherwise indicated.
J The unopposed motions by counsel for the General Counsel and
Respondent to correct Ihe transcript record of this proceeding, respec-
tively dated August 27 and 29. 1997, hereby are granted and received in
evidence as G.C. Exh. 17 and R. Exh. 25.