Verizon Wireless Wins Reversal of Labor Board Decision on Firing
On June 19, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia reversed an NLRB decision that ordered the reinstatement of an employee who was fired by Verizon Wireless for engaging in union activity. Judge Laurence H. Silberman concluded that the labor board’s evidence was inadequate and that the company’s decision to fire employee Bianca Cunningham was wholly legitimate. Cunningham was charged with lying to the company after an incident involving another employee, Victory Eshareturi, who walked off the job after talking with Cunningham following a scolding from one of Verizon’s managers. While Cunningham denies encouraging Eshareturi to leave, she did admit telling her co-worker that she would leave if confronted with the same situation. After the NLRB found evidence of retaliation, the appeals court eventually took Verizon’s side on the matter and reversed their ruling for reinstatement with backpay.
See "Verizon Wireless Wins Reversal of Labor Board Decision on Firing", Lawrence E. Dubé, Bloomberg BNA, June 21, 2018