NLRB PROBES JOB CUTS\Allstate agents call plan unfair.

Byline: Russ Britt Daily News Staff Writer

The National Labor Relations Board is investigating unfair labor practice allegations filed by Allstate Insurance Co. agents over the carrier's plans to terminate their jobs May 1.

Irate agents who face having to leave Allstate or be turned into independent contractors are trying to stop the company from going ahead with its plans to cut off expenses and health benefits for 1,600 of them in California.

The action was filed by Gregory Wilson, a San Francisco attorney who said he is representing 941 agents upset about Allstate's plans. NLRB officials in San Francisco declined to comment on the case's merits, adding that they plan to make a recommendation to agency officials in Washington, D.C., within a week.

"In my mind it's a case of retaliatory termination," Wilson said Friday. "I know there are some very, very angry current employees."

Allstate spokesman Al Orendorff denied that the company was lashing back at its agents.

"This is not in retaliation for anything," Orendorff said. "(This is) to enable us to better manage our business and to be able to manage our business in the state of California."

Allstate said it would fire its policy sellers as a result of a class-action lawsuit filed by ex-agents seeking unreimbursed expenses in a case which is near final settlement. Wilson said more than half those represented by the lawsuit seek to overturn it, including one of the original plaintiffs, Karen Moran.

Wilson said he turned in change-of-attorney request forms from 450 agents Friday and plans to submit more to Alameda Superior County Court Judge Joseph Carson next week. He said additional agents seek to overturn the class-action settlement given preliminary approval by Carson last month, and the number is expected to reach more than 1,000.