b'1000Power&Light Bldg.,KansasCity, Missouri64105 March,1975 EMPLOYEE\'SRIGHTTOREPRESENTATIONINDISCIPLINARYINVESTIGATION ArecentdecisionoftheU.S.SupremeCourtwillbeofinterestto unionemployers,andmaybesignificanttonon-unionemployersaswell. Itconcernstheprocedurestobefollowedinaninvestigationwhichthe employermayconduct,involvingpossibledisciplinaryactionagainstan employee.TheCourtdealtwiththesituationwhereanemployerrequires thesuspectedemployeetobecalledintotheofficeforaninterviewas partoftheinvestigation.InNLRBv.Weingarten,Inc.,theCourtheld thatwheretheemployerinsiststhatanemployeecometohisofficefor aninvestigatoryinterviewandiftheemployee(1)reasonablyfears disciplinaryactionagainsthimasaresultoftheinvestigationand(2) requestsunionrepresentationwhileheisbeinginterviewed,theemployer willbeguiltyofanunfairlaborpracticeif hedenieshimsuchrepresentation. Whilethisistheholdingofthecase,afewothercommentsarein order. (1)Therightarisesonlyinsituationswheretheemployee requestsrepresentation.Theemployeemayforegothisrightif hepreferstoparticipateinaninterviewwithouthisunion representative. (2)Iftheemployerisunwillingtohaveaunionrepresentativepresent,heisundernoobligationtogoaheadwiththe interview.Heisfreetocarryonhisinquirybyinterviewing others,withoutinterviewingtheemployee,inordertodecide whetherdisciplinaryactionisindicated. (3)Theemployerhasnodutytobargainwiththeunion representativeattheinvestigatoryinterview.Therepresentativemayattempttoclarifythefactsorsuggestotheremployees whomayhaveknowledgeofthem.However,theemployerisfree toinsistthatheisonlyinterestedatthattimeinhearingthe employee\'s~ accountofthematterunderinvestigation. (4)AlthoughtheCourtdidnotdiscusstheissue,this righttohaverepresentationmayevenexistwhenthelabor contractsetsupproceduresthatdonotincludeunionrepresentativesattheinvestigatorystage.However,it wouldseem thatavalidwaivercouldbeimpliedif thelaborcontractspecificallyprecludesunionrepresentationattheinvestigatory stage.Thisquestionmustawaitfurtherclarification. ~Thedecisionspeaksonlyoftherightoftheemployeetoinsiston thepresenceofaunionrepresentative.However,theCourtdissentstates that"itmustbeassumedthat(theemployee)righttoact\'inconcert\'in'