National Labor Relations Board v. Nesen

211 F.2d 559, 33 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2773, 1954 U.S. App. LEXIS 3750
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
DecidedFebruary 26, 1954
Docket13204
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 211 F.2d 559 (National Labor Relations Board v. Nesen) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Ninth 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. Nesen, 211 F.2d 559, 33 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2773, 1954 U.S. App. LEXIS 3750 (9th Cir. 1954).

Opinion

DENMAN, Chief Judge.

The National Labor Relations Board (hereafter the Board) petitions for an adjudication that respondent, R. D. Nesen, is in civil contempt of this court for having failed and refused to obey the decree of this court entered on January 23, 1952.

After hearing had been duly held, the Board entered findings that respondent had refused to bargain collectively with the International Association of Machinists, Local Lodge No. 1831 (hereafter the Union). The Board petitioned this court for enforcement of its order and on January 23, 1952, an order of enforcement was entered on the consent of respondent. On August 25, 1953, the Board filed this petition, alleging that respondent still refused to bargain with the Union. By stipulation of the par* ties, the matter was referred to a special master, Reuben G. Hunt, for hearings and for proposed findings of fact. Hearings were held before the Special Master on October 13, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, 1953, and the Special Master’s Report was filed on December 16, 1953. His “Final Recommended Finding of Fact” reads:

“By reason of the foregoing recommended findings of fact, the Special Master makes the further rec *561 ommended finding of fact that since the entry of said decree of this court on January 23, 1952, respondent has failed, and is failing, to bargain collectively with the International Association of Machinists, Local Lodge No. 1831, within the meaning of the said decree.”

We have for decision: (1) whether the proposed findings of the Special Master should be adopted by this court; and (2) if adopted, the form of the contempt decree.

(A) The Special Master’s Report: The proposed findings of fact submitted by the Special Master reveal the following:

Respondent, an individual, operates an automobile dealership and automobile repair shop in Oxnard, California. Prior to the entry of the decree of this court, on October 24, 1951, he appointed the Tri-County Employers’ Association as his bargaining agent. No cancellation of this appointment was made prior to August 25, 1953, when this petition was filed. Thomas B. Flynn was manager of the Association and acted on its behalf in representing respondent.

On February 8, 1952, the Union sent a letter to respondent in which it requested a meeting. Flynn suggested a meeting between him and Hemme (the Union representative), but the latter objected to proceeding without the presence of respondent. 1 2On March 12, 1952. the first meeting between the parties was held, with inconclusive results. On April 9, 1952, a second meeting was held. At both these meetings, respondent was present and Flynn stated that he was representing respondent and had the authority to act for him. Respondent did not deny Flynn’s authority at either meeting. At the meeting of April 9, the parties reached an agreement on all terms of the proposed contract with the exception of wage rates and the union security clauses. 2

During the period from April 9 to June 9, 1952, several inconclusive conferences were held. At a meeting on the latter date, Flynn stated that he would suggest that respondent accept the modified union security clause, that he had no authority to go further. On July 8, the Union requested that respondent send it a counter-proposal embodying the terms already agreed upon, and on July 26, Flynn sent such a document to the Union on behalf of respondent. This document contained respondent’s offer of a $1.65 per hour minimum wage and a modified union shop plan.

On August 15, the Union sent Flynn a proposed contract signed by it with a request that Flynn have respondent sign it. This document differed from the document sent the Union by Flynn in the following particulars: (1) it contained an effective date of August 15, 1952, where the Flynn document was blank; (2) it provided dates during which union members might resign in the future as from August 1 to August 15 of each succeeding year, where the Flynn document was blank; (3) it contained an antidiscrimination clause (couched in the language of Section 8(a) (3) of the Act), which the Flynn document did not; and (4) it provided for paid holidays, which the Flynn document did not; and (5) it provided that employees should be paid 50% of the established hourly customer charge while the Flynn document provided they should be paid 50'% of the customer labor charge where such charge was based upon a flat rate to the customer (so-called “discount work”). Changes (3), (4) and (5) were made upon a statement by Randall, a state labor conciliator, to the Union that he had consulted with respondent concerning them and that they were acceptable to respondent. 3 Later Flynn *562 discussed the Union proposal with respondent. The latter objected to the provisions for (1) paid holidays; (2) overtime pay; (3) shift differentials; (4) rate of pay on discount work; and (5) the maintenance of membership clause. The overtime pay, shift differential, and maintenance of membership clauses were identical with those contained in the Flynn document of July 26. Neither Flynn nor respondent notified the Union of these objections, nor did respondent ever notify the Union that Flynn’s proposal of' July 26 was not authorized by him.

On September 8, Martin Zimring, field examiner for the Board, wrote Flynn and inquired as to the status of negotiations. Flynn answered on September 19, informing Zimring that the contract had been signed and that he would send copies of the contract to the Board. This was never done, indeed it could not be done since the contract had never been signed. Flynn did not reply to further inquiries by Zimring until November 12, when, after respondent had been threatened with further legal action, Flynn wrote Zimring that he had only meant that the contract was “set” to be •signed after a ¡few “kinks” had been worked out. In the meantime, the Union wrote to Flynn on October 14, 1952, sending a copy of the letter to respondent stating that it had been informed by Zimring that the contract had been signed and requested the return of three signed copies. Neither Flynn nor respondent ever acknowledged this letter.

However, on November 4, Flynn did write the Union that the contract submitted by it was acceptable to respondent except in the following particulars: (1) respondent would pay a minimum wage of no more than $1.55 per hour (the Flynn July 26 proposal contained a minimum wage of $1.65 per hour); (2) respondent would not consent to premium pay for overtime (the Flynn July 26 proposal contained such a provision) ; (3) the seniority clause would have to be rewritten for purposes of clarity (the language in the Union proposal was the same as in the Flynn July 26 proposal); and (4) the maintenance of membership clause would have to be eliminated (this clause, too, was in the language of the Flynn July 26 proposal with the exception of an added sentence on non-discrimination couched in the language of Section 8(a) (3) of the Act), 29 U.S.C.A. § 151 et seq. No mention was made in this letter of the sick leave or shift differential provisions contained in the Union proposal.

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

Related

National Labor Relations Board v. Mrs. Fay's Pies
341 F.2d 489 (Ninth Circuit, 1965)
National Labor Relations Board v. Jay Co., Inc
227 F.2d 416 (Ninth Circuit, 1955)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
211 F.2d 559, 33 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2773, 1954 U.S. App. LEXIS 3750, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/national-labor-relations-board-v-nesen-ca9-1954.