National Labor Relations Board v. Cudahy Packing Co.

34 F. Supp. 53, 6 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 1051, 1940 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2730
CourtDistrict Court, D. Kansas
DecidedMay 3, 1940
StatusPublished

This text of 34 F. Supp. 53 (National Labor Relations Board v. Cudahy Packing Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
National Labor Relations Board v. Cudahy Packing Co., 34 F. Supp. 53, 6 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 1051, 1940 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2730 (D. Kan. 1940).

Opinion

HOPKINS, District Judge.

The National Labor Relations Board has made application for an order requiring the Cudahy Packing Company to produce books, records and information pursuant to subpoena duces tecum issued by the Board. The evidence is sought in aid of an inquiry by the Board to determine the bargaining representative of Cudahy employees.

The act, first effective July 5, 1935, United States Code Annotated, Title 29, Sections 151 to 166, declares the policy of the United States to be to eliminate the causes of and the obstruction to the free-flow of commerce by encouraging collective bargaining, and by “Protecting the exercise by workers of full freedom of association, self-organization, and designation of representatives of their own choosing, for the purpose of negotiating the terms and conditions of their employment or other mutual aid or protection” (Sec. 1). This declared; policy is made effective by Section 7 of the Act, which guarantees to employees the right to self-organization, to form, join or assist labor organizations, the right to bargain collectively through representatives of' their own choosing; and by Section 8 of the Act, which provides that it shall be an-unfair labor practice for an employer to-interfere with, restrain or coerce employees-in the exercise of such rights, dominate or contribute support to any labor organization, discriminate as to terms and conditions of employment, and then encourage or discourage membership in any labor organization, or refuse to bargain collectively with representatives of his employees.

The National Labor Relations Board-created by the act is given two principal functions to perform'. One, defined by Section 9, which as enacted is headed Representatives and Elections, is the certification, after appropriate investigation and hearing-of the name or names of representatives, for collective bargaining, designated or selected by an appropriate unit of employees. The other, defined by Section 10, which as enacted is headed Prevention of Unfair Labor Practices, is the prevention by the Board’s order after hearing, and, if need be by further appropriate proceedings, in court, of the unfair labor practices enumerated in section 8.

[55]*55Constitutional validity of the unfair labor practices section was upheld in National Labor Relations Board v. Jones & Laughlin, 301 U.S. 1, 57 S.Ct. 615, 81 L.Ed. 893, 108 A.L.R. 1352, opinion by the Chief Justice. The representation feature of the act was upheld by the Supreme Court in two decisions by Mr. Justice Stone on January 2, 1940. National Labor Relations Board v. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, 308 U.S. 413, 60 S.Ct. 306, 84 L.Ed. 354, and American Fed. of Labor v. National Labor Relations Board, 308 U.S. 401, 60 S.Ct. 300, 84 L.Ed. 347. These two cases also interpret the review provisions of the act. The act authorizes the Board to apply to the Circuit Courts of Appeals for the enforcement of its orders restraining an unfair practice, and in like manner, the employer may have review of a “final order” of the Board. In either event, the jurisdiction of the Circuit Courts is of the same character and scope. Ford Motor Co. v. National Labor Relations Board, 305 U.S. 364, 59 S.Ct. 301, 83 L.Ed. 221. It is definitely settled that neither the Board’s direction of election nor its certification of a particular union or representative is a “final order” subject to review. It is only after the election has been held and the Board has ordered an employer to do something predicated upon the results of an election, that review is authorized. These review limitations are important in passing upon the application now before this court. They evidence an intention on the part of the Congress that in the course of directing and holding an election and certifying the result, the Board be free of interruption. Abuse of this freedom is subject to court scrutiny on review of a final order.

The application under consideration recites: That the petition initiating the proceeding before the Board was filed June 7, 1937, United Packing House Workers Local Industrial No. 194, alleging that a question had arisen concerning representation of Cudahy employees. The Board ordered a hearing, which was held July 19 to 22, 1937. No action followed until February 1, 1938, when the Board consolidated that proceeding with another one initiated by the same union based upon a charge filed January 11, 1938, that Cudahy engaged in unfair labor practices, in that it encouraged its employees to join a company union, Packing House Workers Union, and discouraged membership in United Industrial No. 194. The company union on January 27, 1938, had intervened in the unfair practices proceeding, was a party at time of consolidation, and participated in a twelve-day hearing thereon during February, 1938.

As a result of the several days of hearing in February, 1938, the Board on May 13, 1938, issued an intermediate report finding Cudahy engaging in unfair labor practices, in that it was encouraging the company union. Exceptions to the report were filed by Cudahy May 31 and by the company union June 7, 1938. The exceptions were argued by Cudahy before the Board in Washington on two occasions, November 29, 1938, and August 3, 1939.

Following this, on September 29, 1939, the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butchers petitioned leave of the Board to intervene in the representation feature of the consolidated case. On October 19, 1939, after notice and without objections, Amalgamated was permitted to file its intervening petition and become a party to the representation proceedings.

November 4, 1939, the Board rendered its decision in the consolidated case. The unfair practices feature was disposed of by the Board finding that Cudahy “interfered with, restrained, and coerced its employees,” dominated and contributed support to the company union. The board concluded that Cudahy should “cease and desist from such practices,” and “withdraw all recognition of and to disestablish the P.H. W.U. as the representative of any of its employees for the purpose of dealing with the respondent in respect to grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates of pay, hours of employment, and other conditions of employment.”

As to the representation feature of the consolidated case, the Board in substance found that in view of its order requiring Cudahy to disestablish and withdraw recognition of the company union, there existed a question concerning representation as between United Industrial No. 194,'the group initiating the proceedings in 1938, and the Amalgamated, who were permitted to intervene in October, 1939. It found that a secret ballot election should be held with United Industrial No. 194 and Amalgamated on the ballot, and, as to the company union, “we shall make no provision for its inclusion on the ballot.”

Conclusions of law and order directing election were entered accordingly. The direction of election provided:

[56]

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

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
34 F. Supp. 53, 6 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 1051, 1940 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2730, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/national-labor-relations-board-v-cudahy-packing-co-ksd-1940.