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OFFICE OF THE UMPIRE No. C-305 January 26, 1945
Appeal From A Disciplinary Layoff
GRIEVANCE: Chevrolet-St. Louis—Case C-40 "Unjustly suspended for being absent. Request that I be paid for time lost."
Umpire’s Decision: The grievance is dismissed. (Entire decision should be read)
In the Matter of: United Automobile Workers of America—C.I.O.—Local 25 and General Motors Corporation—Chevrolet—St. Louis—Case C-40 On June 6, 1944, Employee J. was absent from work. When he reported on the following day he presented a letter from his dentist stating that he had undergone dental treatment the day before. Management alleges, however, that at about 9:30 A.M. on June 6, he had been seen near the Plant in an intoxicated condition. As J.’s prior record of absenteeism was extremely bad, he was suspended for one week for violation of Shop Rule 8: "Habitual absence without reasonable cause. (One week to discharge.)" In presenting this grievance to the Umpire the Union claimed that J. was not intoxicated on the morning in question, that he visited his dentist during the day, and that his suspension was unjust. The Umpire finds from the evidence, however, that Employee J. had in fact been drinking on the morning of June 6th and that he was in no condition to come to work. Doubt is cast upon the good faith of Employee J.’s excuse, moreover, by his extremely poor attendance record and his consistent habit of offering dubious claims of illness in explanation of his absence. It has not been shown, moreover, why a visit to a dentist should have required his absence during an entire day. From the evidence in this case the Umpire must conclude that J.’s drunkenness was the basic reason for his absence on June 6th and that his visit to the dentist on the same day was at best coincidental and at worst a manufactured excuse.
Decision The grievance is dismissed. Signed, Ralph T. Seward UMPIRE January 26, 1945. |