National Labor Relations Board v. Local 490, International Hod Carriers Building & Construction Laborers Union

300 F.2d 328
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
DecidedMarch 15, 1962
DocketNo. 16801
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 300 F.2d 328 (National Labor Relations Board v. Local 490, International Hod Carriers Building & Construction Laborers Union) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit 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. Local 490, International Hod Carriers Building & Construction Laborers Union, 300 F.2d 328 (8th Cir. 1962).

Opinion

VOGEL, Circuit Judge.

The National Labor Relations Board, petitioner, seeks enforcement of an order against the respondents pursuant to § 10(e), 29 U.S.C.A. § 160(e), of the National Labor Relations Act, 49 Stat. 449, 61 Stat. 136, 73 Stat. 519, 29 U.S.C.A. §§ 141 et seq., as amended. The Board found that respondents had violated § 8 (b) (2)1 and (1) (A) 2 by causing the Dickmann - Pickens - Bond Construction Company to refuse to hire one Oree Jefferson, in violation of § 8(a) (3) 3 and in having an unlawful exclusive hiring arrangement with Dickmann.

That part of the Board’s order of which enforcement is sought requires the respondents to cease and desist from causing or attempting to cause Dickmann to discriminate against employees in violation of § 8(a) (3) and from in any other manner restraining or coercing employees in the exercise of their statutory rights. Affirmatively, the respondents are required by the order to notify Dickmann and employee Jefferson in writing that they have no objection to his employment and to post appropriate notices. Additionally, the union alone is required to make Jefferson whole for any loss of pay he may have suffered by [330]*330reason of the discrimination against him. The findings and order of the Trial Examiner and Board are reported in 130 N.L.R.B. 380.4

The main question on this review is whether there is substantial evidence to support the Board’s findings, upon which its order is based. Section 10(e) of the Act, 29 U.S.C.A. § 160(e), provides, inter alia:

“ # * * The findings of the Board with respect to questions of fact if supported by substantial evidence on the record considered as a whole shall be conclusive.”

This court may not substitute its judgment for that of the Board nor may it disturb the Board’s findings where they are based upon substantial evidence. N. L. R. B. v. Link-Belt Co., 1941, 311 U.S. 584, 596-597, 61 S.Ct. 358, 85 L.Ed. 368; N. L. R. B. v. Solo Cup Co., 8 Cir., 1956, 237 F.2d 521, 522-523.

Diekmann, an Oklahoma corporation maintaining its principal office and place of business in Little Rock, Arkansas, was engaged in the construction of a race track for the Oak Lawn Jockey Club. Diekmann employed one Thurmon Sharp as its labor foreman on that particular .job. Sharp, in compliance with union’s by-laws,5 became affiliated with union. Thereafter Sharp obtained all laborers for the job by calling the union hall. Shortly after Sharp became foreman of the job Oree Jefferson, a member of Local 490, came to the job site and asked Sharp for work. Jefferson testified:

“Well, I asked him, I said, ‘Mr. Sharp, you know I have been your hand once before, I was your jack hammer man. Why not give me a job back.’
“He said, ‘I will when I get started and needing some men.’ He said, ‘I will call through the hall.’
“I said, ‘O.K., I will depend on you calling through the hall.’ ”

Three or four days thereafter Sharp called the union for four or five men. A little later he called union for ten or twelve men. Shortly thereafter Jefferson was at the union hall looking for work when the telephone rang. The union’s bookkeeper answered the telephone and said, “O.K., Mr. Sharp.” “I will send you four men Monday morning.”

“Q. What happened after that? A. When she hung up and everything I asked her, ‘Miss Ethel, will you give me a work order to go out there?’ She said, ‘No. Mr. Dicus wants to see you and have a conversation with you.’ I said, ‘Why [331]*331does he want to have a conversation with me, what reason, what cause?’
“She said, T don’t know.’
“I said, T will see him in the morning.’ ”

Of that conversation which took place the following morning Jefferson testified:

“A. I asked him, I said, ‘Mr. Dicus, why won’t you send me out on any of the jobs?’
“He said, ‘You have been working with an unfair labor.’
“I said, ‘Who is that?’
“He said, ‘R. T. Higgins, he is unfair.’
“I said, ‘He is?’ I said, ‘Mr. President, why are you just now bringing it up? It has been about 1956 when I was working with Mr. Higgins. The man sitting in the hall had worked like I had and on the job and the other men in the union hall with me and he is just bringing it up against me.’ I said, ‘Mr. President, I am sorry. I needs a job bad.’
“Q. Anything else happen? A. No, sir. He said, ‘I can’t give you no work because you have been working unfair.’
“I said, ‘O.K. Thank you, Mr. President’, and walked on out.”

At the time of this occurrence Jefferson had not been sent out on a job from the hall from 1955 until after he brought the instant charge in 1958. After the bringing of the instant charge he was sent to one job where he worked four or five days. The union rules prohibited Jefferson from soliciting work on his own. Jefferson paid his dues all the time in question.

Respondents insist that the only time there can be a violation of § 8(a) (3) as required in § 8 (b) (2) is when the effect is to “encourage or discourage membership in any labor organization”. Respondents’ argument is that there is no violation here because Jefferson was a member of the union and, therefore, no action was taken which could have the effect of encouraging or discouraging membership in any . labor organization. Respondents rely on this court’s opinion in Del E. Webb Construction Co. v. N. L. R. B., 8 Cir., 1952, 196 F.2d 841, 38 A.L.R.2d 402, as controlling. However, Webb is distinguishable from the case at bar. There the court said:

“The decisive factor, however, is that the individual complainants did not seek employment from the Company, and the Company therefore could not discriminate against them.” 196 F.2d at 848.

In the instant case there is ample evidence to support the finding that Jefferson did in fact seek employment from the company. Additionally, the statement in Webb (196 F.2d at 848) that there could not be discrimination so as to encourage or discourage union membership where the complainant was' already a member of the union can no longer be considered as authority. Respondents’ contention is fully answered by the Supreme Court in Radio Officers’ Union, etc. v. N. L. R. B., 1954, 347 U.S. 17, 39-42, 74 S.Ct. 323, 98 L.Ed. 455, wherein this court’s opinion in N. L. R. B. v. Intern. Broth, of Teamsters, etc., Union No. 41, 8 Cir., 1952, 196 F.2d 1, was reversed.

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National Labor Relations Board v. Local 490
300 F.2d 328 (Eighth Circuit, 1962)

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