Deering-Milliken, Inc. v. Johnston

193 F. Supp. 741, 48 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2174, 1961 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3808
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. North Carolina
DecidedApril 28, 1961
DocketNo. C-69-WS-61
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 193 F. Supp. 741 (Deering-Milliken, Inc. v. Johnston) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Deering-Milliken, Inc. v. Johnston, 193 F. Supp. 741, 48 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2174, 1961 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3808 (M.D.N.C. 1961).

Opinion

WYCHE, District Judge.

This is an action of a civil nature brought to declare the invalidity of, and to obtain an injunction permanently restraining the defendant from proceeding under, an order of the National Labor Relations Board dated February 15, 1961, in a case now pending before said Board bearing Docket Number ll-CA-1071.

The action arises under the Administrative Procedure Act (60 Stat. 236, 5 U. S.C.A. § 1001 et seq.) and under the provisions of the National Labor Relations Act, as amended (29 U.S.C.A. § 151 et seq.).

The case is before me upon a Rule to Show Cause entered by the Honorable Edwin M. Stanley, United States District Judge for the Middle District of North Carolina, why the defendant should not be enjoined, restrained and directed to act as prayed for in the complaint, and why the plaintiff should not have such other and further relief as may be just and equitable in the premises.

The case is also before me upon the motion of the defendant to dismiss the complaint because “(a) This Court lacks jurisdiction of the subject matter of the action; (b) This Court lacks jurisdiction [742]*742over the constituent members of the National Labor Relations Board who are indispensable parties to the action; (c) The complaint fails to state a claim warranting equitable intervention in that an adequate and exclusive statutory method of review exists which the plaintiff has not exhausted; (d) The Board action complained of is reasonable and proper.” Or, “2. In the alternative, defendant moves that summary judgment for defendant be granted on the basis of the complaint, the exhibits attached thereto, and the exhibits attached to this motion.”

The parties agreed at the hearing before me that the factual allegations of the complaint are not in dispute and the defendant’s counsel stated that if an answer were filed the defendant would admit the factual allegations of the complaint.

The parties agreed to submit for hearing and determination by me on the basis of the complaint, the papers and documents before the court defendant’s motion to dismiss, the complaint or in the alternative for summary judgment, and in the event I denied defendant’s motion to dismiss and defendant’s motion for summary judgment, it was agreed that I determine, on the basis of the complaint, the papers and documents before me, the merits of the action, including the plaintiff’s application for a permanent injunction and restraining order.

In compliance with Rule 52(a), Rules of Civil Procedure, 28 U.S.C.A., I find the facts specially and state my conclusions of law thereon, in the above cause, as follows:

Findings of Fact.

1. Plaintiff is a corporation of the State of Delaware and is the successor of Deering, Milliken & Co. Inc., which is a respondent in a certain proceeding before the National Labor Relations Board (hereinafter referred to as “The Board”) entitled “In The Matter of Darlington Manufacturing Corporation, Roger Milliken and Deering, Milliken & Co. Inc., and Textile Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO”, Case No. ll-CA-1071.

2. Defendant is the Regional Director of the National Labor Relations Board for the Eleventh Region, which includes the States of North Carolina and South Carolina, and in his capacity as Regional Director is charged, under the Rules and Regulations of the National Labor Relations Board, with taking specified action for and on behalf of said Board and its General Counsel within said Region, and resides at Winston-Salem, North Carolina ; the defendant has been ordered by the Board by its Order dated February 15, 1961, to arrange further hearings in case number ll-CA-1071, as to certain additional matters of evidence hereinafter described.

3. The original complaint in Case No. ll-CA-1071 was issued by defendant against Darlington Manufacturing Corporation on December 4, 1956, and said case has been pending before the Board, or an officer or agent thereof, at all times since then without any determination or order having been rendered by the Board on the merits thereof, notwithstanding that the record necessary for such determination was completed and closed on November 13, 1958, and the trial examiner’s report thereon was rendered December 31, 1959.

4. Subsequent to the hearings held on the original complaint and the report of the Board’s trial examiner thereon, the Board, on December 16, 1957, at the request of the Textile Workers Union of America (hereinafter referred to as the “Union”), remanded the case to the trial examiner in order that testimony might be taken on the question whether Darlington Manufacturing Corporation was but one in a chain of textile mills whose operations and labor relations were controlled by plaintiff’s predecessor Deering, Milliken & Co. Inc.

5. After extensive preparation therefor remand hearings were held pursuant to said order over a period of eighteen days in September and October, 1958. During the course of such hearings proof was offered, on the basis of records and documents produced by Darlington Manufacturing Corporation and by plain[743]*743tiff’s predecessor Deering, Milliken & Co. Inc. as to the following matters among others: (a) Whether Deering, Milliken & Co. Inc. had so controlled the operations and labor relations of Darlington Manufacturing Corporation as to be liable for the alleged violations of the National Labor Relations Act by Darlington in the fall of 1956; (b) Whether Deering, Milliken & Co. Inc. operated a chain of textile mills, including mills owned by the Cotwool Manufacturing Corporation, a Delaware corporation; (c) Whether there was such a common ownership and control of Deering, Milliken & Co. Inc. and other corporations, including the Cotwool Manufacturing Corporation, as to show that all of such corporations together constituted a “single employer” so that each could be held liable for the unfair labor practices of another; (d) Whether Deering, Milliken & Co. Inc. was so responsible for the alleged unfair labor practices of Darlington Manufacturing Corporation as to require it (i) To cause the employment of former Darlington employees by other corporations engaged in the manufacture of textile products, including the Cotwool Manufacturing Corporation; (ii) To pay back-pay to former employees of Darlington.

After affording the Board’s General Counsel and Union counsel a full opportunity to offer proof as to all of such matters, the trial examiner held that on the basis of the record before him there had been a failure to prove any of such matters and recommended dismissal of the complaint against Deering, Milliken & Co. Inc.

6. During the course of such remand hearings the Board’s General Counsel asked that the hearings be kept open so that further proof might be offered as to the relationship existing in 1956-57 between Deering, Milliken & Co. Inc. and certain other textile manufacturing corporations, including the Cot-wool Manufacturing Corporation, 'for which it acted as sales agent. The hearings were later closed without such proof having been offered, or any further request for an opportunity to make such offer.

7. Case No. ll-CA-1071 was again submitted to the Board on or about April 5, 1960, for decision on the merits.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
193 F. Supp. 741, 48 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2174, 1961 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3808, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/deering-milliken-inc-v-johnston-ncmd-1961.