National Labor Relations Board v. Q-T Shoe Manufacturing Co.

279 F. Supp. 1, 67 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2356, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8526
District Court, D. New Jersey·Decided January 19, 1968·No. Civ. No. 140-67·Published·Cited by 5 cases

Opinion

OPINION

COOLAHAN, District Judge:

This matter came before the court upon the complaint of the National Labor Relations Board (hereinafter referred to as “Board”), seeking enforcement of a subpoena duces tecum, directed to defendant Martin S. Nadler as President of Q-T Shoe Manufacturing Company, Inc., (hereinafter referred to as “Q-T Shoe”), or, in the alternative a mandatory injunction compelling defendant Q-T Shoe to produce the same material sought under the subpoena duces tecum. Jurisdiction of this court is invoked under 28 U.S.C. § 1337 and Sections 9(c) and 11(2) of the National Labor Relations Act (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”), 29 U.S.C. §§ 159(c), 161(2).

The material facts are as follows: The Board is an administrative agency created under the Act and empowered and directed to administer the provisions of that statute, including investigation of questions pertaining to employee representation and representation elections under Section 9 of the Act, 29 U.S.C. § 159. Q-T Shoe is an employer engaged in the manufacture of shoes in interstate commerce within the meaning of the Act, 29 U.S.C. § 152(6), (7). The company’s plant in question is located within this judicial district, at Paterson, New Jersey.

On September 20, 1966, Joint Council No. 3 of the United Shoe Workers of America AFL-CIO (hereinafter referred to as “Union”), petitioned the Board’s regional office at Newark, New Jersey for a representation election to establish its alleged majority support by the employees at the Paterson plant, and to obtain certification as their collective bargaining representative. The regional office conducted an investigation of the petition and a hearing was held on the question of representation. Thereafter, on November 25, 1966, the Regional Director issued a Decision and Direction of Election pursuant to Section 9(c) (1) of the Act, 29 U.S.C. § 159(c) (1), which directed that an election be held for a unit of approximately 250 production and maintenance employees at the plant. The election was to be conducted by the Board and in accordance with the National Labor Relations Act, the Board’s Rules and Regulations, and the applicable procedure and policies of the Board.

Pursuant to the Board’s rule in Excelsior Underwear, Inc., 156 N.L.R.B. No. 111 (1966), the Board ordered Q-T Shoe to furnish it with a list of names and addresses of all employees eligible tó vote in the election. On December [3]*32, 1966, Q-T Shoe notified the Board’s Regional Director that it would not comply. By letter of December 5, 1966, the Union notified the Director that it did not want to proceed to election until the information was furnished. Thereafter, the Regional Director issued the instant subpoena duces tecum, on December 19, 1966, pursuant to Section 11(1) of the Act, 29 U.S.C. § 161 (1).1

The subpoena directed the defendant Martin Nadler, President of Q-T Shoe, to produce and make available to the Board’s regional office the company’s personnel and payroll records, or alternatively a list of all employees eligible to vote in the election. It was personally served upon Mr. Nadler on December 19, 1966.

Although Section 11(1) of the Act, supra, and Section 102.31(b) of the Board’s Rules and Regulations, 29 C.F.R. 102.31(b), provide for a period of 5 days after service of the subpoena within which any person served who wishes to object may petition the Board to revoke the subpoena, Nadler did not file such revocation petition within five days. Further, Nadler did not appear on December 28, 1966, the return date of the subpoena, and has at all times refused to produce the materials called for therein. Consequently, the Board seeks judicial enforcement by this court of the subpoena duces tecum, pursuant to Section 11(2) of the Act, 29 U.S.C. § 161 (2).2 The Board alleges that the information sought by the subpoena constitutes evidence relevant to a Board investigation within the meaning of Sections 11(1) and 11(2) and that therefore this court should direct the defendants’ compliance.

As an alternative to the requested subpoena enforcement, the Board seeks a mandatory injunction directing divulgence of the names and addresses, on the ground that under 28 U.S.C. § 1337 this court has jurisdiction over actions brought by the Board to enforce valid election rules in effectuation of the policies of the Act.3 It is the Board’s [4] position that this provision vests this court with the power to grant it injunctive assistance in the Board’s effort to carry out its authorized duty of supervising elections, despite the absence of any express grant of power to the Board to request injunctive relief for this purpose under the Board’s enabling legislation.

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National Labor Relations Board v. Q-T Shoe Manufacturing Co., 279 F. Supp. 1, 67 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2356, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8526 (D.N.J. 1968).

279 F. Supp. 1 (National Labor Relations Board v. Q-T Shoe Manufacturing Co.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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