Alpert v. Local 800, International Longshoremen's Ass'n

213 F. Supp. 228, 52 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2206, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7669
District Court, D. Massachusetts·Decided January 14, 1963·No. Civ. A. No. 63-10-J·Published

Opinion

JULIAN, District Judge.

This cause came on to be heard upon the verified petition of Bernard L. Alpert, Regional Director of the First Region of the National Labor Relations Board (herein called the Board), for a temporary injunction pursuant to Section 10(i) of the National Labor Relations Act, as amended (herein called the Act), pending the final disposition of the matters involved herein pending before the Board, and upon the issuance of an order to show cause why injunctive relief should not be granted as prayed in said petition. On January 8, 1963, at [229]*2294:44 p. m. this Court issued a temporary restraining order and order to show cause, notice of which was served upon the respondents on the same day. A hearing on the issues raised by the petition and answer was duly held on January 11, 1963. All parties were afforded full opportunity to be heard, to examine and cross-examine witnesses, to present evidence bearing on the issues, and to argue on the evidence and the law. The Court has fully considered the petition, answer, evidence, arguments, and briefs of counsel. Upon the entire record, the Court makes the following:

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. Petitioner is Regional Director of the First Region of the Board, an agency of the United States, and filed the petition herein for and on behalf of the Board.

2. (a) On or about December 26, 1962, Wiggin Terminals, Inc. (herein called Wiggin), pursuant to provisions of the Act, filed a charge with the Board alleging that Local 800, International Longshoremen’s Association (herein called Local 800), a labor organization, and its agent Thomas McNiff, have engaged in and are engaging in, unfair labor practices within the meaning of Section 8(b) (4) (i) and (ii), subpara-graph (B), of the Act.

(b) On or about December 28, 1962, Wiggin, pursuant to the provisions of the Act, filed a charge alleging that Local 799, International Longshoremen’s Association and International Longshoremen’s Association (herein called Local 799 and International, respectively), labor organizations, and Local 799’s Agent, Daniel Doherty, have engaged in, and are engaging in, unfair labor practices within the meaning of Section 8 (b) (4) (i) and (ii), subparagraph (B), of the Act.

(c) On or about December 28, 1962, Wiggin, pursuant to the provisions of the Act, filed an Amended Charge to the Charge originally filed with the Board on or about December 26, 1962, said Amended Charge alleging that Local 800 and International, labor organizations, and Thomas McNiff, Local 800’s agent, have engaged in and are engaging in, unfair labor practices within the meaning of Section 8(b) (4) (i) and (ii) (B), of the Act.

3. The aforesaid charges and amended charge were referred to petitioner as Regional Director of the First Region of the Board.

4. There is, and petitioner has, reasonable cause to believe that:

(a) Respondents Local 800, Local 799 and International, unincorporated associations, are organizations in which employees participate and which exist for the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates of pay, hours of employment or conditions of work.

(b) At all times material herein respondent Thomas McNiff has been business agent of respondent Local 800, and respondent Daniel Doherty has been business agent of respondent Local 799.

(c) Respondents Local 800, Local 799 and International maintain their principal offices at South Boston, Cambridge and Revere, Massachusetts, respectively, and at all times material herein all of respondents have been engaged within this judicial district in transacting business and in promoting and protecting the interests of the employee members of respondents Local 800, Local 799 and International.

(d) Wiggin is engaged in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in the operation of marine terminals, including warehousing and other facilities at the ports of South Boston and Charlestown, Massachusetts. In the operation of its business, Wiggin annually receives revenues in excess of $50,000 for the use of its facilities in the temporary storage of goods and materials being shipped from various states to other countries. Wiggin annually receives revenues in excess of $50,000 from companies which annually ship goods and materials valued [230]*230at in excess of $50,000 to states other than the states wherein the said companies are located.

(e) Among the companies for which Wiggin performs warehouse and cargo handling services at its South Boston and Charlestown terminal facilities are Weyerhauser Company, City Lumber Company, Commercial Solvents Company, Renault Distributors, Universal Atlas Cement Company and Hansen & McPhee Company (herein called, respectively, Weyerhauser, City, Commercial, Renault, Universal, and Hansen).

(f) Wiggin also provides docking and wharfage services at its South Boston and Charlestown terminal facilities for various steamship companies, including Norton-Lilly Company, Peabody & Lane Company, Furness Withy, C. H. Powell & Company, and Boston Shipping Corporation (herein called, respectively, Norton, Peabody, Furness Withy, Powell and Boston).

(g) Stevedoring services, including the loading, unloading and receiving of goods, are performed at the docks and wharves at Wiggin’s South Boston and Charlestown terminals by various steve-doring companies, including Nacirema Operating Company, Jarka Corp. of New England, John T. Clark & Son of Boston, Inc., Bay State Stevedoring Co., Inc., and Atlantic and Gulf Stevedoring, Inc. (herein called, respectively, Nacirema, Jarka, Clark, Bay State, and Atlantic). Such stevedoring companies are members of the Boston Shipping Association. Neither Wiggin nor any of the companies for which it performs terminal and warehousing services are members of said Shipping Association.

(h) At all times material herein, respondent labor organizations have been engaged in a labor dispute with the Boston Shipping Association and its constituent employer members. Included among them are Nacirema, Jarka, Clark, Bay State, Atlantic, Norton, Peabody, Furness Withy, Powell and Boston.

(i) At no time mentioned herein have respondent labor organizations had any dispute with Wiggin or its customers Weyerhauser, City, Commercial, Renault, Universal and Hansen for which Wiggin performs warehouse and cargo handling services.

(j) In furtherance of the aforesaid dispute with the Boston Shipping Association, since on or about December 24, 1962, respondents have picketed Wig-gin’s South Boston and Charlestown terminal facilities with signs which do not indicate the employer or employers with which respondents are involved in a dispute. The picketing was not limited to places reasonably close to the location of the situs of the employers with whom the respondents are engaged in a labor dispute. The picketing continued until January 10, 1963, at approximately 10:-30 a. m. notwithstanding notice of the temporary restraining order having been served upon the respondents on January 8, 1963. The respondents have not given the Court any assurance that such picketing will not be resumed.

(k) Respondents have picketed Wig-gin’s entire South Boston and Charles-town terminal facilities, notwithstanding the fact that Wiggin orally offered to respondents on December 24, 1962, and December 26, 1962, the opportunity to picket dockside at both of its terminals. The respondents rejected said offer.

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Alpert v. Local 800, International Longshoremen's Ass'n, 213 F. Supp. 228, 52 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2206, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7669 (D. Mass. 1963).

213 F. Supp. 228 (Alpert v. Local 800, International Longshoremen's Ass'n) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.