Kennecott Copper Corp. v. Employment Security Commission

432 P.2d 109, 78 N.M. 398
CourtNew Mexico Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 31, 1967
Docket8089
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 432 P.2d 109 (Kennecott Copper Corp. v. Employment Security Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kennecott Copper Corp. v. Employment Security Commission, 432 P.2d 109, 78 N.M. 398 (N.M. 1967).

Opinions

OPINION

SPIESS, Judge, Court of Appeals.

Appellants, some 370 employees of Ken-necott Copper Corporation, hereinafter referred to as Kennecott, filed and prosecuted claims for unemployment benefits before the Employment Security Commission of New Mexico, herein referred to as the Commission.

■ Appellants’ claims for unemployment benefits arise out of a strike situation in Grant County by the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, hereinafter called Mine-Mill, against Kennecott. The strike by Mine-Mill appears to have had its beginning in failure to negotiate satisfactory contracts between Kennecott and its employees’ unions before the old contracts expired on June 30, 1964. On July 9, 1964, Mine-Mill struck the -Kenne-cott operations in New Mexico and three other western states following a strike by the United Steel Workers in Utah. Mine-Mill posted pickets at all entrances to the company properties.

Claimants were employees of Kennecott but were not members of nor represented by Mine-Mill, which was the dominant union at Kennecott. Nevertheless, beginning July 9, 1964, and until the strike was terminated on August 14, 1964, claimants did not attempt to cross the Mine-Mill picket lines or enter the company’s properties to report to their jobs. Throughout the strike period work was available to all of the appellants and they were so informed by radio announcements, newspaper notices and letters mailed by the company to each of the employees.

' Appellants’ claims were assigned by the Commission to a deputy for the purpose of conducting a hearing and to make and transmit to the Commission findings of fact. All interested parties and their counsel were present and participated in the hearing before the deputy.

Kennecott opposed payment of the claims on the ground that appellants were ineligible to receive benefit payments under § 59-9-5 (d), N.M.S.A., 1953. This section denies benefits to an individual during any period respecting which the Commission finds that the unemployment for which claim is made is due to work stoppage resulting from a labor dispute at the place of employment.

In accordance with the Act benefits are not denied to one who neither participates in nor is directly interested in the labor dispute, or to one not belonging to the grade or class of workers participating in or directly interested in the labor dispute.

Following the hearing the deputy transmitted findings of fact to the Commission and on or about August 13, 1964, a decision was rendered holding appellants’ claims to be valid and payable. To avoid confusion we will refer to this decision as the “first decision”. On the date the decision was rendered all interested parties, including Kennecott, were formally notified of the decision and reasons therefor. No appeal was taken from the first decision to the district court but on the 15th of August, 1964, Kennecott gave notice of appeal from the first decision to the Commission itself. On March 10, 1965, the Commission rendered a further decision affirming the validity, of the claims. From this decision Kenne-cott appealed to the district court and following a hearing to the court the Commission’s decision was reversed and appellants’ claims held to be invalid. From the decision of the district court appellants and the Commission have appealed.

The appellants contend that since an appeal to the district court was not taken within fifteen days after notification of the first decision it became final and neither the Commission nor the district court had jurisdiction to further consider or decide the validity of the claims.

The question presented requires an interpretation of the procedural provision of the unemployment compensation act.

The Commission is composed of three (3) members, § 59-9-10, N.M.S.A., 1953. Claims are made for unemployment benefits in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Commission, § 59-9-6(a), N.M.S.A., 1953. Under § 59-9-6(b) the Commission has power to appoint a deputy or deputies to examine claims and upon facts found determine the validity of such claims. If the claims are found to be valid then the deputy determines the time of commencement of weekly benefits, the amount and maximum duration thereof, or he may refer the claim or any questions involved therein to an appeal tribunal or to the Commission for a determination.

An exception is contained in the article as to the procedure applicable in a situation where payment or the denial thereof will be determined under the provisions of 59-9-5 (d), supra, the labor dispute provision to which we have referred. Where such issue is presented the deputy is required to' submit his findings of fact to the Commission and upon the evidence submitted, and such additional evidence as it may require, the Commission shall affirm, modify or set aside the findings and render a decision upon the issue.

Under § 59-9-6 (h) “Any decision of the commission in the absence of an appeal therefrom as herein provided shall become final fifteen (15) days after notification or mailing thereof * *

. The decision' of the Commission upon any disputed matter decided by it may be reviewed both upon the law and the facts by the district court. § 59 — 9—6 (i).

Kennecott argues that the first decision is a deputy’s decision as distinguished from a Commission decision and consequently an appeal at this point to the district court is not maintainable.

In view of the language of § 59-9-6 (b) as it relates to the determination of the right to payment of benefits under § 59-9-5 (d) (labor dispute section) we are of the opinion that the first decision was a Commission decision as distinguished from one made by the deputy. The deputy is required to submit his findings to the Commission and the Commission on the basis of evidence submitted and additional evidence if required may affirm, modify or set aside the findings and transmit a decision to the deputy. To our mind there is no basis for interpreting this section of the act to mean that the decision is that of the deputy. The statute is explicit that the power of decision, in the circumstances involved, is in the Commission and that the deputy’s function is limited to making and submitting his findings to it.

Kennecott further contends that the first decision was an intermediate step in the required or allowed procedure at the administrative level; that further proceedings before the Commission would be required to exhaust administrative remedies. The appeal taken by Kennecott and entertained by the Commission from the first decision we feel more closely resembles a proceeding for reconsideration of the first decision. An appeal usually pre-supposes a decision by a lower authority. It is difficult to conceive of an appeal from a decision of the highest administrative authority to itself.

There is no express language in the act which requires the Commission in a § 59-9-5(d) labor dispute to make a further determination or conduct a further hearing after it has received the deputy’s findings and made its decision.

If further proceedings before the Commission by appeal or reconsideration are allowed or authorized the right to entertain such action by the Commission must exist by implication.

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Kennecott Copper Corp. v. Employment Security Commission
432 P.2d 109 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1967)

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Bluebook (online)
432 P.2d 109, 78 N.M. 398, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kennecott-copper-corp-v-employment-security-commission-nm-1967.