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| Bernice DeLong speaking at the 2011 UE convention. |
UE Local 735 has won a major victory - the reinstatement with full back pay and other benefits of Bernice DeLong, the local's chief steward, nearly a year after she was unjustly fired. The company, Autoline Industries, fired DeLong on September 12, 2011 on false charges that she falsified an accident report.
Although the company had no evidence to back up this accusation, it stubbornly refused to budge throughout the grievance procedure, and even refused DeLong's request to take a lie detector test to prove that she was telling the truth. The company's safety director told the union that the company would not agree to a lie detector test because it was afraid she would pass such a test!
Through the long ordeal, DeLong enjoyed the support of her co-workers. Nearly everyone in the plant signed a petition demanding her reinstatement, and on October 28 the majority of members marched and rallied outside the plant in her behalf. Local 735 members were joined in that rally by members of two nearby UE locals, Local 715 at DMI and Local 770 at Hendrickson Truck Suspensions.
An arbitration hearing took place on June 22 before Arbitrator Marvin Hill, who issued his decision on August 13. He ruled totally in the union's favor and found that DeLong's firing was unjustified:
"The grievance is sustained in all respects. The Company did not have just cause to effect the termination of the Grievant for falsifying an accident report. She is to be reinstated to her former position with full backpay and other make whole relief, less any unemployment compensation and any interim earnings."
In a leaflet issued to members announcing the victory and welcoming Bernice DeLong back, Local 735 expressed its hope that "...the company will learn something from this. This union is not going away, and the union members are united, prepared to back each other up, and not willing to be pushed around. As soon the company accepts these facts, we can begin to build a positive labor-management relationship at Autoline that will benefit everybody."