National Labor Relations Board v. Camco Inc‪.‬

In this unfair labor practice case, Camco, Inc., a Texas corporation manufacturing oil field equipment, contends that it made a good faith reduction in force because of a decline in business brought about by Hurricane Carla. The charging union, District Lodge 37, International Association of Machinists, AFL-CIO, contends that the decline in business was a pretext for discharging eleven employees because of their union activities. Camco insists that the eleven men were selected for termination of employment before it knew of their union activities. The Trial Examiner accepted the Companys explanation, found that Camco had engaged in certain "technical" violations of the National Labor Relations Act but had not engaged in the other alleged unfair labor practices, and concluded that a cease and desist order would not "effectuate the purpose of the Act." The National Labor Relations Board disagreed with the Examiners conclusions. The Board found that the Company violated Section 8(a)(1) of the Act by engaging in an "extensive campaign of interrogation coupled with promises of benefits and implied threats" and that this "coercive conduct warrants the issuance of a remedial order." The Board found that Camco violated Sections 8(a)(3) and (1) of the Act by discriminatorily discharging the eleven employees. The Board seeks enforcement of an order based on its findings. We grant enforcement of the order, except as to the reinstatement of two of the discharged employees.