National Labor Relations Board v. Pacific Gas & Electric Co.

118 F.2d 780, 8 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 848, 1941 U.S. App. LEXIS 4695
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
DecidedMarch 28, 1941
Docket9424
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 118 F.2d 780 (National Labor Relations Board v. Pacific Gas & Electric Co.) 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. Pacific Gas & Electric Co., 118 F.2d 780, 8 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 848, 1941 U.S. App. LEXIS 4695 (9th Cir. 1941).

Opinions

HANEY, Circuit Judge.

The National Labor Relations Board seeks enforcement of its order issued against respondent, and the latter seeks to have the order set aside.

In 1933, the Utility Gas and Electric Employees of California, a non-profit corporation, was organized as an independent labor organization, membership in which was limited to respondent’s employees. In April, 1937, that organization became a part of the United Electrical & Radio Workers of America, a labor organization affiliated with the Congress for Industrial Organization, which organization is hereafter called “United”. United claims jurisdiction over employees in the whole of the electrical and radio industry. Ten locals of District 14 of United cover the geographical area served by respondent, the membership of which locals is composed solely of respondent’s employees.

On May 1, 1937, the California Gas and Electric Employees Union, a labor organization, hereafter called the “California Union” was incorporated under the laws of California, the membership in which was limited to respondent’s employees.

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, a labor organization affiliated with the American Federation of Labor, (hereafter called the “Brotherhood”), also claimed membership of some of respondent’s employees.

The Amalgamated Association of Street, Electric Railway and Motor Coach Employees of America, Local Division 256, a labor organization affiliated with the American Federation of Labor, hereafter called “Amalgamated”, also claimed membership of some of respondent’s employees.

On May 19, 1937, United filed with the Board a petition alleging that a question affecting commerce had arisen concerning the representation of respondent’s employees, and requesting an investigation and certification of representatives pursuant to § 9(c) of the National Labor Relations Act, 29 U.S.C.A. § 159(c). On June 26, 1937, the Board authorized an investigation. On October 16, 1937, the Board made its decision directing an election to be held within 60 days to determine whether the employees in a particular unit specified desired to be represented by United, the California Union, or the Brotherhood, and also directed an election to be held to determine whether the employees engaged in the operation of the street car and motor bus system in Sacramento, California, desired to be represented by Amalgamated, United, the California Union, or the Brotherhood. 3 N.L.R.B. 835. On November 5, 1937, the Brotherhood requested the Board to withdraw its name from the ballot in the elections, which request the Board granted on November 20, 1937. 4 N.L.R.B. 180.

Election by secret ballot was conducted during the period from December 6, 1937, to December 14, 1937. On December 21, 1937, an intermediate report was issued by a regional director of the National Labor Relations Board, showing the following results:

Number of votes for the California Union......................... 3,550-

Number of votes for United....... 2,254

Number of challenged votes....... 982

Number of votes for neither union mentioned ..................... 126

Number of void ballots........... 101

Total ballots counted.............. 5,930-

On December 20,, 1937, United filed a charge with the Board alleging that respondent had engaged in and was engaging in unfair labor practices.

On December 21, 1937, United filed objections to the intermediate report above mentioned regarding the results of the election, and later supplemented them. In effect it was alleged that the election was unfair and not free because employees [783]*783were coerced by respondent to vote for the California Union.

On August 12, 1938, the Board ordered the representation case and the unfair labor practice case to be consolidated for hearing. In the meantime several amended charges had been filed by United, and the complaint was not issued until August 13, 1938.

The complaint alleged violation by respondent of § 8(1) of the act, 29 U.S.C.A. § 158(1) “by various and sundry acts, including, but without limitation, the following” : (a) by making known to its employees its disapproval of and hostility to United; (b) by making known to such employees its opposition to membership in or assistance to United; (c) by making known to such employees its preference for some labor organization as the representative of its employees for the purposes of collective bargaining, other than United or any other national labor organization; (d) by making known to such employees its approval of and friendliness toward California Gas and Electric Employees Union, an independent union, herein called the California Union, and its preference thereof as a representative of its employees for the purpose of collective bargaining; (e) by lending advice, assistance and counsel to certain of its employees in the formation and organization of the California Union; (f) by engaging in or acquiescing in or approving the solicitation of members for the California Union, among its employees on company property, during company time, or with the use of company equipment and facilities; and (g) by sponsoring, assisting or instigating meetings of its employees for the purpose, in whole or in part, of influencing said employees to join or assist the California Union and not to join or assist United.

On August 20, 1938, respondent, United and the Board stipulated that the record of the proceedings in the representation case should be considered as a part of the record in the consolidated hearing. On August 26, 1938, respondent filed an answer denying that it had engaged in or was engaging in any unfair labor practice. As a further defense, respondent alleged that the Board lacked jurisdiction of the proceeding because the unfair labor practices are not shown to affect commerce as defined in the act. For a further defense, respondent alleged that if any of the acts alleged in the complaint were held to be unfair labor practices, then the act abridged the right of free speech contrary to the first amendment of the Constitution.1 On the same day, respondent filed: a motion for a bill of particulars; a motion to dismiss the proceedings; a motion to strike certain allegations of the complaint; and a motion to make the complaint more definite and certain.

Hearings before a trial examiner commenced on August 29, 1938. The trial examiner denied the motions above mentioned and granted the request of the California Union to intervene. Hearings were held on August 29 and 31, and on September 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13 and 14, 1938.

During the hearings and on September 12, 1938, respondent’s counsel requested that the records of the Labor Board in connection with the election be produced. The trial examiner replied that such an application must be made “in formal form by way of an application or a petition”.

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118 F.2d 780, 8 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 848, 1941 U.S. App. LEXIS 4695, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/national-labor-relations-board-v-pacific-gas-electric-co-ca9-1941.