State Labor Board Dismisses Law Profs' Unfair Labor Practice Charge of 'Satanic' $666 Merit Pay Raise as Retaliation for Union Activities

Following up on my earlier posts (links below):  the Ohio State Employment Relations Board today dismissed the unfair labor practice charge against the Cleveland State Law School Dean alleging that he gave "Satanic" merit pay raises of $666 as retaliation for professors' engaging in union activities.  Cleveland State University Chapter of the American Association of University Professors v. Cleveland State University College of Law, No. 2013-ULP-08-0258 (Nov. 14, 2013):

Information gathered during the investigation revealed that the right (8) organizers are public employees, engaged in protected activity of organizing a union, however the Charged Party did not take adverse action against the organizers, nor is there a reasonable inference of adverse action when they were awarded a merit increase of $666 or $0. Accordingly, the Charging party has failed to establish a prima facie case of discrimination. Although it is suspect that the majority of the faculty receiving the $666 raises were the union organizers, the Charged Party provided a plausible explanation as to how the merit raises were awarded and therefore, the Charged Party's actions do not appear to raise to the level of a (A)(3) statutory violation.. Charging Party did not provide sufficient information or documentation to support the (A)(1) allegation. Accordingly, the charge is dismissed with prejudice for lack of probable cause to believe the statute has been violated.

Prior TaxProf Blog coverage:

• Cleveland State Law Profs File Unfair Labor Practice Charge: 'Satanic' $666 Merit Pay Raise Was Retaliation for Union Activities (Oct. 29, 2013)
• Cleveland State, AAUP Release Documents on Law Profs' Complaint Over 'Satanic' $666 Merit Raise (Oct. 31, 2013)