International Union, United Automobile, Aircraft & Agricultural Implement Workers v. Webster Electric Co.

193 F. Supp. 836, 48 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2111, 1961 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3798
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Wisconsin
DecidedMay 4, 1961
DocketNo. 58-C-286
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 193 F. Supp. 836 (International Union, United Automobile, Aircraft & Agricultural Implement Workers v. Webster Electric Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
International Union, United Automobile, Aircraft & Agricultural Implement Workers v. Webster Electric Co., 193 F. Supp. 836, 48 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2111, 1961 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3798 (E.D. Wis. 1961).

Opinion

STONE, District Judge.

The above-entitled action having come on to be heard upon plaintiff’s motion for judgment, supported by the stipulation of facts, the pre-trial order of the Court, and all of the pleadings now on file; and the Court having heard the arguments of counsel, and having considered the briefs submitted, and being fully advised in the premises, does make and enter the following findings of fact and conclusions of law.

Findings of Fact

1. Plaintiff, International Union, United Automobile, Aircraft and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, Local No. 391, hereinafter referred to as the “Union”, is a voluntary labor organization within the meaning of Sections 2(5) and 301 of the National Labor Management Relations Act of 1947, 61 Stat. 137, 156; 29 U.S.C.A. §§ 152, 185, with its principal place of business in the City and County of Racine, Wisconsin.

2. Defendant, Webster Electric Company, is a foreign corporation licensed to do business in the State of Wisconsin, having its principal place of business in the City and County of Racine, Wisconsin, and that it is engaged in activities affecting commerce within the meaning of the Labor-Management Relations Act, aforesaid.

3. Plaintiff and defendant, on August 8, 1956, entered into a contract of employment, which, insofar as it affects these proceedings, was at all times in full force and effect. (Exhibit “A”)

4. The contract, among other things, recognized the plaintiff Union as the sole and exclusive representative of all its employees and defined “employees” as follows:

“ * * * all men and women employed by the Company at its plants at Racine, Wisconsin, other than, and excluding, foremen, watchmen, firemen, all Tool Room and Model Shop Employees (excepting Tool Crib and Heat Treat Employees, who are included in the term ‘employees’ as herein defined) office employees, executives, engineers, and draftsmen, and department heads as designated by the Company. * * * ” (Art. I, Sec. 1.)

5. The contract required employees, as a condition of employment, to become and remain members of the plaintiff Union (Article VI); and it provided, further, that employees outside the bargaining unit will not perform regular production work or operations of an employee covered by this agreement (Article IV, Section 17). During the life of the agreement, the Company agreed that there would be no lock out of its employees (Article II, Section 6). Other provisions of the contract contain the usual provisions of a collective bargaining contract, Seniority and Layoffs (Article IV), Wage Classifications (Article X).

6. On or about June 27, 1958, three members of the Union, employees performing office janitorial work on the Company premises, were laid off by the defendant; these employees were subject to and derived their benefits from the contract (Exhibit A). The layoff was precipitated by the Company’s theretofore having entered into a contract with the Racine Police Protective Association to do the work of the three laid off employees on Company premises; this action was taken without the consent of the plaintiff Union.

7. Prior to said layoffs, the office janitorial work was historically and customarily performed by employees of the defendant Company, said classification of jobs, and the employees performing such work being part of the bargaining unit as described in the contract.

8. The individuals now performing the office janitorial work on the premises of the defendant Company are not employees of the defendant, are not members of the Union, nor are they covered by the provisions of the agreement, Exhibit A, but are employees of the Racine Police Protective Association.

9. The plaintiff Union has complied with all provisions of the contract, Ex[838]*838hibit A, but that the defendant has refused to grant the relief requested.

10. Prior to June 27, 1958, the defendant Company had never subcontracted the office janitorial work customarily performed by its employees on defendant’s premises.

11. The collective bargaining contract, Exhibit A, does not contain a management prerogative clause.

Conclusions of Law

1. Jurisdiction is conferred upon this court by Sec. 301 of the Labor Management Relations Act, 61 Stat. 156, 29 U. S.C.A. § 185.

2. The plaintiff . Union is the sole bargaining representative of all the employees of the defendant, including employees performing office janitorial work.

3. The contract between the plaintiff Union and defendant Company does not permit employees other than employees within the bargaining unit to perform office janitorial work on Company premises.

4. The defendant Company, by laying off the three employees performing office janitorial work on Company premises, members of the Union, did lock out said employees, contrary to the provisions of Article II, Section 6 of the contract.

5. The defendant Company further breached the contract when on June 27, 1958, it laid off the three employees who were part of the bargaining unit and displaced them with employees of the Racine Police Protective Association to perform office janitorial work on defendant’s premises, and that such breach was in violation of Article I, Section 1 and Article IV, Section 17 of the contract, Exhibit A.

6. The defendant Company does not have the right, without consent of the plaintiff, to subcontract the office janitorial work, to be performed by employees not covered by the bargaining unit, on defendant’s premises.

7. The defendant Company is hereby restrained and enjoined from entering into any contract or arrangement permitting employees, other than employees covered by and subject to the collective bargaining contract, Exhibit A, to perform office janitorial work on defendant’s premises.

Let judgment be entered accordingly.

Opinion

This is a proceeding to declare the rights of the parties to this action under a collective bargaining agreement entered into on August 8, 1956, which is marked Exhibit “A” and made a part of the complaint.

The defendant insists that the issue for determination by this Court is:

“Did the defendant Company violate its collective bargaining agreement with Local 391, UAW, dated August 8, 1956, when it subcontracted with a third party for the performance of office janitorial work on Company premises when such work had prior thereto been performed by employees covered by said collective bargaining agreement?”

The plaintiff asserts the issue to be:

“Does the defendant Company have the unilateral right to replace employees covered and subject to the collective bargaining agreement, by entering into a subcontract with a third party for the performance of office janitorial work on Company premises, when such work had heretofore been ordinarily and customarily performed by the displaced employees ?”

The parties have stipulated to the following facts:

“1. The issue of damages is hereby severed from the issue of liability.

“2. It is stipulated that at all times material to this action a contract, of which Exhibit ‘A’

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193 F. Supp. 836, 48 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2111, 1961 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3798, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/international-union-united-automobile-aircraft-agricultural-implement-wied-1961.