Local No. P-1236, Amalgamated Meat Cutters & Butcher Workmen v. Jones Dairy Farm

519 F. Supp. 1362, 108 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2128, 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13932
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Wisconsin
DecidedAugust 17, 1981
Docket79-C-377
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 519 F. Supp. 1362 (Local No. P-1236, Amalgamated Meat Cutters & Butcher Workmen v. Jones Dairy Farm) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Local No. P-1236, Amalgamated Meat Cutters & Butcher Workmen v. Jones Dairy Farm, 519 F. Supp. 1362, 108 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2128, 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13932 (W.D. Wis. 1981).

Opinion

ORDER

CRABB, Chief Judge.

Local No. P-1236, Amalgamated Meat Cutters & Butcher Workmen of North America, AFL-CIO, asks this court to vacate an arbitrator’s award which upheld the right of defendant, Jones Dairy Farm, to promulgate and enforce a rule prohibiting its employees from dealing directly with inspectors from the United States Department of Agriculture. Additionally, plaintiff asks that defendant be enjoined from enforcing the rule, and seeks $25,000 in damages. Jurisdiction is alleged under § 301 of the Labor-Management Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. § 185; 28 U.S.C. § 1337; the Meat Inspection Act, 21 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.; and the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. This action is now before the court on plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment.

From the pleadings, affidavits, and exhibits submitted by the parties to this suit and for the purpose of deciding the motion, I find that there is no genuine issue with respect to any of the matters set forth under the heading “Facts.”

FACTS

Plaintiff is a labor organization and is the bargaining representative of some of defendant’s employees. Accordingly, plaintiff represents employees in an industry affecting commerce within the meaning of 29 U.S.C. § 185. Defendant is a Wisconsin corporation engaged in the processing and sale of foods in interstate commerce. Accordingly, defendant is an employer in an industry affecting commerce within the meaning of 29 U.S.C. § 185. Defendant also is subject to federal regulations under the Meat Inspection Act, 21 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.

Plaintiff and defendant have had a bargaining relationship since the latter part of 1966. They are parties to a collective bargaining agreement which, among other things, contains the following clauses:

Article V — Management
1. The management of the plant and the direction of working forces are vested exclusively in the Company, including but not limited to the rights to hire, discipline, or discharge for proper cause... .
The Company will furnish the Union with a copy of any new rules before they are put into effect.
Article XIII — Adjustment of Grievances
5. The sole function of the arbitrator shall be to determine whether or not the rights of an employee, as set forth in the Agreement, have been violated by the Company. The arbitrator shall have no authority to add to, subtract from or modify this agreement in any way.

On May 11, 1978, William Roberts, an employee of defendant who also is president of plaintiff union, observed grease and rust-colored material on a cutting board at defendant’s plant. Roberts reported what he had seen to an inspector of the United States Department of Agriculture. Roberts had reported unsanitary conditions to *1365 USDA inspectors in the past, and management had never informed him that in so reporting to USDA inspectors he was violating a company rule or policy. Nevertheless, by way of disciplinary action defendant sent Roberts a letter dated May 16, 1978, in which Roberts is reprimanded for “willfully by-passing your supervisor, aiid instead, reporting an alleged potential plant problem to a USDA inspector.” The letter continues:

This letter of reprimand is not for talking to a USDA inspector but for neglect of your responsibility in not reporting an alleged or potential problem condition to your supervisor to whom you are responsible.
In the future, any neglect of your responsibility in this regard or your by-passing of your direct supervisor will result in more severe disciplinary action.

On August 22, 1978, defendant posted a notice dated August 18,1978, of the following rule:

“Employees must deal through supervision or designated plant management rather than directly with U.S.D.A. government inspectors.”
Any deviation from this rule will result in appropriate disciplinary action. The first offense will be a written warning.
This does not preclude responses to proper questions, social exchanges, common courtesies, or carrying out properly delegated responsibilities or procedures.

The following reasons for the rule were expressed in the notice:

It has long been the company’s policy that employees must deal through supervision or designated plant management rather than directly with U.S.D.A. government inspectors in reporting real or alleged deficiencies, deviations, violations, or other plant problems.
There are very sound reasons for this policy. By regulation there must be a company designated individual in each department or area who is responsible for the sanitation program and compliance with regulations. The company must inspect the department and allow operations to be performed only when all requirements are attained. Plant management is responsible for training plant employees in proper procedures and compliance. Plant management through it’s [sic] supervisors must actually guarantee to strictly conform to all Federal regulations. Plant management is responsible for producing wholesome products in a clean plant, utilizing hygenic procedures. It follows that supervisory awareness and following the “chain of command” can expedite solution of the problem, prevent disorder and misunderstanding, and thus minimize any interference with production. The supervisor is the person responsible for corrective action when a deficiency occurs.

Plaintiff complained to the National Labor Relations Board both about the disciplinary action taken by defendant with respect to Roberts and about this rule, which applies to employees’ non-working as well as working hours, and which defendant promulgated unilaterally without negotiating with the union. The Board’s General Counsel issued a complaint alleging that when defendant disciplined Roberts, defendant violated § 8(a)(1), (3) and (4) of the National Labor Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. § 158(a)(1), (3) and (4). The parties subsequently negotiated a settlement on this issue, pursuant to which defendant revoked the reprimand to Roberts while denying any violation of the Act. With respect to plaintiff’s challenge to the validity of the rule itself, the Board’s General Counsel dismissed plaintiff’s charges on the following ground:

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Bluebook (online)
519 F. Supp. 1362, 108 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2128, 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13932, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/local-no-p-1236-amalgamated-meat-cutters-butcher-workmen-v-jones-dairy-wiwd-1981.