48 DECISIONS OF THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD
strike script) one of the managers in the store that they were go-
ing on strike, and Brown, B. Collins, Dobyns, Gauer, Hooten,
and Stinnett called the IVR system to report that they would be
absent on May 28 (or May 27 and 29, as to Stinnett and Hooten,
respectively, since they were not scheduled to work on May 28).
(Jt. Exhs. 9(d), 10(d), 12(d), 13(c)–(d), 14(c)–(d), 52; GC Exhs.
9, 2418–4(a), 2418–8, 2418–9(a),
79
2418–18 (p. 26); R. Exh.
272; Tr. 386–391, 472–473, 475–478, 497–499, 533–536, 539–
540, 619–623, 649–656, 686–689, 715–720, 1161, 1165–1166,
1194–1197, 1253–1254, 1271–1272, 1791, 1888–1890, 1957–
1964, 1985–1986; see also Jt. Exh. 9(d) and GC Exh. 2418–18
(p. 22) (indicating that B. Collins also called the IVR system to
report that she would be absent on May 31); Jt. Exh. 11(d) (same,
regarding Dobyns’ calls to IVR system on June 2 and 9.)
80
In
connection with telling store management that she was going on
strike, Stinnett also notified management that she was giving two
weeks’ notice and did not plan to return to work after traveling
to Bentonville. (Tr. 1268, 1960–1962.)
While on strike, Brown, B. Collins, Dobyns, Gauer, Hooten
and Stinnett participated in Ride for Respect events in: Salt Lake
City, Utah; Denver, Colorado; and Bentonville, Arkansas.
Gauer remained in California to take care of a family situation.
Brown, Collins, Dobyns, Gauer, Hooten, and Stinnett each
missed between eight and ten scheduled shifts while on strike.
81
(Jt. Exhs. 9(b)–(c), 10(b)–(c), 11(b)–(c), 12(a), 13(a), 14(b)–(c),
86 (p. 3) (photo of Brown and Stinnett in Denver); R. Exhs. 9,
14 (photo of Dobyns in Bentonville), 272, 2125 VID2, ID21; Tr.
388–389, 394–395, 478–479, 500–502, 532, 538–539, 545–546,
548–550, 616, 625, 647–648, 651, 653–654, 656–657, 714, 720,
724.)
On or about June 10, Brown, B. Collins, Dobyns, Gauer,
Hooten and Stinnett read and presented store management with
a letter that reiterated that they had been on strike and communi-
cated their unconditional offer to return to work. Stinnett also
notified management that she was rescinding her two-week’s no-
tice. Brown, B. Collins, Dobyns, Gauer, Hooten, and Stinnett
then reported to work their scheduled shifts on June 11. (Jt.
Exhs. 8(a), 9(b), 10(b), 11(b), 12(b), 13(b), 14(b); R. Exh. 272;
Tr. 391–392, 479–480, 546–549, 607, 658–659, 721–727, 1226–
1227, 1962–1963.)
On June 22, Walmart issued first written coachings to Gauer
and Hooten and a second written coaching to Stinnett, citing their
79
Shift Manager Aaron Bornhoft clarified that contrary to his asser-
tion in GC 2418–9(a), Brown did not work on May 30. (Tr. 1225–1226;
see also Jt. Exh. 10(b).)
80
B. Collins and Hooten previously went on strike on October 8, 201,
and joined Brown and Gauer in going on strike on November 23, 2012.
B. Collins and Hooten submitted a strike letter for the October 8 strike,
and all of the associates listed here submitted return to work letters for
the October 8 and November 23 strikes. In addition, Brown, B. Collins,
Gauer and Hooten read a strike script to management and called the IVR
system for the November 23 strike. (Jt. Exhs. 8(b)–(c), 9(d), 10(d), 51,
70; Tr. 379–383, 531–532, 559–562, 587–597, 607–608, 663–665, 733–
738, 770–771, 807–808, 812, 1824; see also R. Exh. 3 (clips 6–7) (show-
ing the November 23, 2012 action).)
81
After returning to the Placerville area on June 8, Brown, B. Collins,
Dobyns and Stinnett attended a Women of Labor convention in Sacra-
mento on June 9. (Tr. 813–816, 819–820.)
strike-related absences as part of the basis for the coachings.
Walmart did not charge Gauer, Hooten and Stinnett with any
“no-call/no-show” absences because they each spoke with a
manager before going on strike. (Jt. Exhs. 12(a), 13(a), 14(a),
29; R. Exhs. 36, 38, 272; Tr. 393–395, 660–662, 1206–1208,
1215, 1226, 1279–1281, 1294–1298, 1817–1818, 1892–1893,
1962–1963, 2000–2001.)
From June 22–29, Walmart discharged Brown, B. Collins and
Dobyns for “job abandonment/three days unreported absence,”
citing their strike-related absences as part of the basis for the dis-
charges. Specifically, Walmart determined discharge was appro-
priate under its disciplinary policy because Brown, B. Collins
and Dobyns did not speak to a manager before going on strike
and thus accumulated three or more “no-call/no-show” absences
on dates during the Ride for Respect. (Jt. Exhs. 9(a), 10(a),
11(a), 29, 90; GC Exh. 2418–5(b); R. Exhs. 35, 37; Tr. 480–482,
551–557, 623–625, 728–733, 1137–1140, 1206–1207, 1214–
1215, 1271–1277, 1285–1288, 1300–1305, 1307–1309, 1771–
1778, 1780–1789, 1805–1807, 1809–1810, 1817–1818, 1891–
1893, 1951–1954.)
E. Richmond, CA—Store 3455 (Raymond Bravo,
Louis Callahan and Pamela Davis)
1. Raymond Bravo and Pamela Davis
In 2012–2013, Raymond Bravo and Pamela Davis worked in
store 3455, located in Richmond, California. Bravo worked as
an overnight maintenance associate, while Davis worked as an
overnight stocker. (Tr. 822–823, 1440–1442, 1490, 1520, 1546,
1569; R. Exh. 272.)
On May 29, Bravo notified Walmart that he was going on
strike by reading a strike script to one of the managers at his store
and faxing in a strike letter. Davis called Walmart’s IVR system
on June 2 to report her absence. (Jt. Exhs. 17(b), 22(d), 94(a) (tab
94); GC Exhs. 9, 3455–7; R. Exh. 272; Tr. 833–835, 837–838,
840, 1500.)
82
Bravo joined other OUR Walmart supporters in
riding on one of the Ride for Respect buses and participated in
Ride for Respect events in: Placerville, California; Colorado; and
Bentonville, Arkansas. Davis flew to Bentonville to join in the
Ride for Respect events at that location. Bravo and Davis re-
spectively missed ten and two scheduled shifts while on strike.
83
(Jt. Exhs. 18(b)–(c), 22(b)–(c); R. Exhs. 272, 2125 VID2, ID21;
82
Bravo and Davis also went on strike on October 9, 2012. In con-
nection with that strike, Bravo and Davis submitted a strike letter dated
October 9 and a return to work letter dated October 12. Bravo also called
the IVR system on October 9 to report his absence and attempted to read
a strike script to one of the managers in his store but was not successful
because the manager refused to listen. (Jt. Exhs. 17(d)–(e), 18(d), 94 (tab
10); R. Exh. 219; Tr. 846–851, 2620–2621; see also R. Exhs. 1 VID1,
ID15.) In addition, Bravo participated in a work stoppage on or about
November 2 (submitting a return to work letter dated November 2), and
Bravo and Davis participated in a strike on or about November 23 (Bravo
and Davis each called the IVR system, and Bravo also submitted a strike
letter and read strike scripts to notify Walmart of his absence and of his
unconditional offer to return to work). (Jt. Exhs. 17(c), 18(d), 22(d); GC
Exhs. 28(c), 29(c); R. Exhs. 77(a)–(d), 220, 272; Tr. 846–847, 852–853,
1488, 2622–2625.)
83
Davis had limited availability on her schedule, and thus at most
worked 2 days a week. (Tr. 1520–1521.)