Lebus v. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

192 F. Supp. 485, 47 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2853, 1961 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3858
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Louisiana
DecidedMarch 20, 1961
DocketCiv. A. No. 8193
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 192 F. Supp. 485 (Lebus v. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lebus v. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, 192 F. Supp. 485, 47 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2853, 1961 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3858 (W.D. La. 1961).

Opinion

HUNTER, District Judge.

This cause came on this day to be heard upon the verified petition of John F. Lebus, Regional Director of the Fifteenth Region of the National Labor Relations Board (herein called the Board), for a temporary injunction pursuant to Section 10 (Z) of the National Labor Relations Act, as amended (herein called the Act), 29 U.S.C.A. § 160(Z) 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. Respondent filed an answer to said petition. A hearing on the issues raised by the petition and answer was duly held on March 20, 1961. All parties were afforded full opportunity to be heard, to examine and cross-examine witnesses, to present evidence bearing on the issue, 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 this same day makes the following:

Findings of Fact.

1. Petitioner is Regional Director of the Fifteenth 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 March 3, 1961, Cleveland Construction Corporation and Elco Electric, Inc. (herein called Cleveland and Elco, respectively), pursuant to the provisions of the Act, each filed a charge with the Board alleging that International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 861, AFL-CIO, a labor organization, has engaged in, and is engaging in, unfair labor practices within the meaning of Section 8(b) (4) (i), subparagraph (B) of the Act.

(b) On or about March 13, 1961, Cleveland and Elco, pursuant to the provisions of the Act, each filed an amended charge to the charge originally filed by it with the Board on or about March 3, 1961, said amended charges alleging that respondent has engaged in, and is engaging in, unfair labor practices within the meaning of Section 8(b) (4) (i) and (ii), subparagraph (B) of the Act.

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

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

(a) Respondent, an unincorporated association, is an organization in which employees participate and which exists 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) Respondent maintains its principal offices at Lake Charles, Louisiana, and at all times material herein respondent has been engaged within this judicial district in transacting business and in promoting and protecting the interests of its employee members.

[487]*487(c) Cleveland is engaged at Crowley, Louisiana, as a general contractor in the building and construction industry. In the operation of its business, Cleveland annually receives goods and materials from outside the State of Louisiana valued at in excess of $50,000.

(d) Elco is engaged at Rayne, Louisiana, as an electrical contractor in the building and construction industry. In the operation of its business, Elco annually receives goods and materials from outside the State of Louisiana valued at in excess of $50,000.

(e) At all times material herein, Cleveland has been engaged, pursuant to contract with the Louisiana Bank and Trust Company, in the construction of a bank building at Crowley, Louisiana (herein called the Bank Building), and at all times material herein, Cleveland has subcontracted the electrical work at the Bank Building to Elco.

(f) Since on or about February 28, 1961, respondent has been engaged in a labor dispute with Elco.

(g) At no time material herein has respondent had any labor dispute with Cleveland.

(h) In furtherance of its labor dispute with Elco, respondent on or about and after March 1, 1961, picketed the Bank Building construction site.

(i) Said picketing has occurred at times when none of the employees of Elco were present at or performing services at the job site.

(j) Respondent has picketed said Bank Building construction site notwithstanding that Elco maintains a regular place of business at Rayne, Louisiana, to which most of its employees regularly report at the beginning and end of each work day (4 out of 5 in this instance).

(k) As a result of the picketing by the Union, the employees of Cleveland, and of various subcontractors, other than Elco, ceased working and refused to perform services.

(5) The Court has heretofore found, in Finding 4(i) above, that the picketing occurred at times when none of the employees of Elco were present at or performing services at the job site. It is apparent that Elco removed its employees after the picketing started on the job. It is also apparent that if the picketing stops Elco’s employees will return.

(6) The picketing was at all times peaceful, there was no threats, there was no coercion. The pickets carried signs which read as follows:

“No Dispute with Any Other Employer,
Elco Electric Company has Substandard Wages and Working Conditions
I.B.E.W. Local Union 861 AFL-CIO”

(7) The only labor dispute existing between Elco and the Union had to do with the job site that was picketed.

8. Rayne, Louisiana, where the office of Elco is located, is seven miles’ distance from the City of Crowley, where the job site was located.

9. Other than the picketing the Union has taken no other overt act, either verbally or otherwise, to induce other employees to cease working on this project.

Discussion and the Law.

This Court has jurisdiction of the parties and the subject matter of this proceeding and under Section 10(J) of the Act is empowered to grant injunctive relief. Respondent is a labor organization within the meaning of Sections 2(5), 8(b) and 10 (£) of the Act. Elco is engaged in commerce within the meaning of Sections 2(6) and (7) of the Act. Cleveland and its subcontractors are engaged in commerce or in industries effecting commerce within the meaning of the Act.

As the Court sees this case, there are two complaints that the Board makes upon which they base their contention that the picketing is illegal. These are found in Paragraphs 5(i) and 5(j). Paragraph 5(i) says:

“Said picketing has occurred at times when none of the employees of Elco were present at or performing services at the job site.”

[488]*488Paragraph 5(j) says:

“Respondent has picketed said Bank Building construction site notwithstanding that Elco maintains a regular place of business at Rayne, Louisiana, to which its employees regularly report at the beginning and end of each work day.”

The Board asks the Court to conclude that from these two instances the Union has an illegal objective under Section 8 (b) 4(i) (ii) (B).

All such cases must be clearly differentiated upon their faces and this Court is faced with the problem of balancing the relative weights of the interests of the neutral employer in his business and of the interests of the picketing employees in their labor dispute.

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Bluebook (online)
192 F. Supp. 485, 47 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2853, 1961 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3858, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lebus-v-international-brotherhood-of-electrical-workers-lawd-1961.