Kinard v. Dish Network Co.

228 F. Supp. 3d 771, 208 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 3192, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5668, 2017 WL 159225
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Texas
DecidedJanuary 14, 2017
DocketCivil Action No.: 4:16-cv-00952-O
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 228 F. Supp. 3d 771 (Kinard v. Dish Network Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kinard v. Dish Network Co., 228 F. Supp. 3d 771, 208 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 3192, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5668, 2017 WL 159225 (N.D. Tex. 2017).

Opinion

ORDER

Reed O’Connor, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Before the Court is the Petition for Injunction Under Section 10(j) of the National Labor Relations Act, as Amended (ECF No. 1), filed October 17, 2016, by Martha Kinard, Regional Director of the Sixteenth Region of the National Labor Relations Board, for and on Behalf of the National Labor Relations Board (“Petitioner”). Petitioner seeks an injunction prohibiting the alleged unfair labor practices of DISH Network Company (“DISH”), pending the final disposition of these matters, which are currently pending before the National Labor Relations Board (the “Board”).

Having considered the petition, related briefing, and relevant law, the Court finds that the petition should be and is hereby GRANTED in part and DENIED in part.

I. BACKGROUND

The factual recitation is taken largely from Petitioner’s and Respondent’s briefs [775]*775in support and opposition. ECF Nos. 7,19. The Communication Workers of America (the “Union”) represents technicians and warehouse employees at DISH’s Farmers Branch and North Richland Hills, Texas facilities. The two units were organized in 2009. No other DISH employees at any facility are represented by a union.

A. Wage History

In 2009, prior to certification of the Union at the two facilities, DISH introduced a pilot compensation program called Quality Performance Compensation (“QPC”) for technicians at Farmers Branch, North Richland Hills, and a few other facilities. QPC provided a low base wage with a large incentive program. Technicians disliked QPC. According to DISH, animosity with QPC led to certification of the Union. Resp.’s Br. Opp. 6, ECF No. 19.

DISH was soon unsatisfied with QPC and it instituted a new pay program entitled Performance Incentive Plan (“Pi”) for its technicians at all its facilities except Farmers Branch and North Richland Hills. Pi offered a higher base wage than QPC with a smaller incentive program. Because DISH and the Union were bargaining for a new contract at the time DISH switched to Pi, the two Union facilities were required to remain under QPC, as it was the status quo at the time the Union was certified. See, e.g., NLRB v. Dothan Eagle, Inc., 434 F.2d 93, 98 (5th Cir. 1970) (“[Whenever the employer by promises or by a course of conduct has made a particular benefit part of the established wage or compensation system, then he is not at liberty unilaterally to change this benefit either for better or worse during the union campaign or during the period of collective bargaining.”).

DISH and the Union began bargaining in July 2010 and continued until November 20, 2014. During this time unit technicians’ earnings under QPC ballooned. QPC paid employees based on performance metrics that DISH was unable to adjust due to collective bargaining. As DISH improved its processes and technologies, DISH technicians were able to complete tasks more quickly and thus earn more under the QPC incentive program. As a result, the wages of unit technicians increased by about $17,000 between 2013 and 2015. Resp.’s Br. Opp. 9, ECF No. 19. In 2015, Union members were making, on average, $19,000 more than their non-unionized peers. Id. at 9-10. Thus, by the time face-to-face bargaining between DISH and the Union ceased in November 2014, DISH was eager to remove QPC, while the Union was intent to preserve it. The parties’ bargaining history is best understood against this background.

B. Bargaining History

As the bargaining history is central to Petitioner’s claim in this case, the Court recounts the history in some detail. The last in-person bargaining sessions between DISH and the Union occurred on November 18, 19, and 20, 2014. The lead negotiators at this point were Sylvia Ramos for the Union and George Basara for DISH. On November 18, 2014, the Union presented a proposal that was rejected by DISH, and on November 19, 2014, DISH presented a proposal that was rejected by the Union.

Another bargaining session was scheduled for December 8, 2014. Then Ramos suffered a death in the family and was unable to attend the scheduled session. Union Attorney Matt Holder informed Ba-sara on December 4, 2016, that the Union would be unable to make the December 8 session and proposed dates in January and February 2015 for rescheduling. App. 1418, ECF No. 8. Basara replied by stating that if the Union was unable to meet, and did not provide a proposal in writing, [776]*776DISH would consider bargaining to be at an impasse. Id.

Ramos responded later the same day, stating that the Union did not normally negotiate via email but under the circumstances the Union would send back a coun-terproposal in writing. App. 1421-23. Ramos also clarified that the email did not waive the Union’s right to bargain in person. App. 1423. On December 9, 2014, Ramos sent the written counterproposal via email. App. 1587. Basara then once again inquired about meeting in December and Ramos informed him that she had no dates available until January. App. 1424-29.

On December 18, 2014, Basara sent Ramos an email stating that he believed bargaining to be exhausted and he attached DISH’s “last, best, and final offer.” App. 1355-59. He asked that the Union take the proposal to its members and inform him if the proposal was accepted, at which time they would consider further bargaining. App. 1359.

Ramos responded that the Union had not waived its right to bargain in person and insisted on meeting and bargaining over its counterproposals. App. 1382-84. The next day, December 31, 2014, Basara informed the Union by email that he was resigning from his law firm and that his partner Brian Balonick would be taking over. App. 1385. Basara resigned from his firm in January 2015.

The Union did not attempt to contact Balonick, DISH’s new lead negotiator, during all of 2015, nor did Balonick attempt to contact the Union. Ramos stated at the administrative hearing that she did not reach out to Balonick because she did not have his contact information and she knew he had a trial in January 2015 and would need time to familiarize himself with the parties’ history. App. 489. Balonick stated that he believed the Union was not interested in reaching an agreement and was stalling. App. 116. He believed that the Union knew DISH’s position and there was an expectation that it would respond, either by contacting the company or filing an unfair labor practice charge. Id.

Then, on January 8, 2016, Balonick first contacted the Union. App. 1389. He stated in a letter to Ramos that DISH’s previous last offer on November 19, 2014, remained DISH’s final offer and that he believed further bargaining would not be productive. Id. Ramos replied on January 13, 2016. App. 1391. She recounted the bargaining history from her perspective and requested that Balonick send her dates for bargaining. App. 1391-93.

On February 2, 2016, Balonick replied via email. App. 1411. He reiterated his belief that the parties were at “a standstill” and asked Ramos to explain her position that the parties were not at an impasse. Id. On February 3, 2016, Ramos restated her request to bargain in person and Balonick did not respond for two months. App. 1431.

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Related

Dish Network Corporation v. NLRB
953 F.3d 370 (Fifth Circuit, 2020)

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Bluebook (online)
228 F. Supp. 3d 771, 208 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 3192, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5668, 2017 WL 159225, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kinard-v-dish-network-co-txnd-2017.