NLRB backs off on Fuyao subpoena

The National Labor Relations Board has asked to withdraw an application to enforce a subpoena against Fuyao Glass America.

A federal judge in an NLRB suit against Fuyao has recommended that the motion to withdraw be granted, and asked that any objections to that be filed by Thursday.

Earlier this year, the NLRB was trying to get information from Fuyao in an investigation into how Fuyao allegedly treated supporters of the United Auto Workers, a union that unsuccessfully tried to organize Fuyao’s Stroop Road plant last year.

RELATED: NLRB attorney: Fuyao is 'impeding' investigation

At one point, the attorney for the NLRB, Joseph Tansino, told Cincinnati’s federal court that Fuyao “has impeded and continues to impede the unfair labor practice investigation before the board and is preventing the board from carrying out its duties and functions under the Act.”

The NLRB’s Cincinnati-region office had been looking into whether Fuyao fired employees for support of the UAW. According to an allegation by the UAW filed with the NLRB in June 2017, Fuyao “discriminated” against employee Kim Lewis by terminating her “because of her support for the UAW and other protected concerted activity.”

Now, according to the court docket in the Cincinnati U.S. District Court case, Tansino backed off in late August, indicating that the NLRB wanted withdraw its application for enforcement of the subpoena.

A one-sentence request to withdraw the application was filed Aug. 27. A message seeking comment was sent to Tansino Tuesday morning.

Fuyao has built what it says is the world’s biggest auto glass plant in Moraine, with about 2,300 workers.

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