National Labor Relations Board v. Swinerton

202 F.2d 511, 31 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2384, 1953 U.S. App. LEXIS 3518
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
DecidedFebruary 17, 1953
Docket13303_1
StatusPublished
Cited by33 cases

This text of 202 F.2d 511 (National Labor Relations Board v. Swinerton) 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. Swinerton, 202 F.2d 511, 31 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2384, 1953 U.S. App. LEXIS 3518 (9th Cir. 1953).

Opinion

ORR, Circuit Judge:

The National Labor Relations Board seeks enforcement of an order requiring respondents to cease and desist from certain unfair labor practices and to take certain affirmative action which the Board found would effectuate the policies of the National Labor Relations Act, 29 U.S.C.A. § 151 et seq., as amended by the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947, 29 U. S.C.A. § 141 et seq. The order is based upon the conclusions of the Board and the Trial Examiner that respondents refused to hire certain specified workmen because of lack of membership in or referral by Local 102, .United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners of America, herein called the Millwrights ; that respondents by their discriminatory hiring policy discouraged membership in the International Association of *513 Machinists, herein called the Machinists; that such conduct was in violation of § 8(a) (3) of the Act, 29 U.S.C.A. § 158(a)(3), and also interfered with, restrained, and coerced employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed in § 7 of the Act, 29 U.S.C.A. § 157, thereby violating § 8(a)(1), 29 U.S.C.A. § 158(a)(1). Respondents raise no jurisdictional question.

Respondent Swinerton and Walberg Company, herein called Swinerton, was general contractor for the installation of machinery in a processing plant being constructed for General Foods Company at San Leandro, California. Respondent Jabez Burns & Sons, Inc., herein called Burns, was a subcontractor for the delivery and installation of a portion of the machinery to be used in the plant. The machinery installation work involved was of a type with respect to which the Millwrights and Machinists have a long-standing jurisdictional dispute.

The Board’s conclusions as to respondent Swinerton are supported by the following facts as disclosed by the evidence.

On October 29, 1949 Amos W. Doane, a Machinists’ representative, talked to Arnold Thomas, respondent Swinerton’s general superintendent, at the site of the project concerning the possibility of employing Machinists on the job. Thomas told Doane that since Swinerton was a member of the Associated General Contractors of America, herein called the A.G.C., all employees hired would have to receive clearance from the Millwrights. Upon being asked by Doane whether it would do any good to send some men out to be interviewed, Thomas repeated that in order for them to get jobs clearance from the Millwrights would first be necessary.

On or about October 25, 1949 Albert Nelson and A. C. Eakle separately came to Thomas and told him they were seeking work. Both men were at that time unemployed. Each man was questioned concerning his union affiliation and, upon answering that he was a member of the Machinists, was told he could not have a job. Nelson was told that Swinerton was a member of the A.G.C., and that A.G.C.’s contractual relations with the Building Trades Department of the American Federation of Labor required that Swinerton use only Millwrights on the job. Eakle’s request for a work application was denied by Thomas, who said that they were all tied up with the Millwrights.

On or about November 15, 1949, Emmet Callaway, Albert Stake, and a third man who is not involved in the present litigation came to Thomas at the job site and asked if respondent Swinerton was installing machinery. Upon an affirmative answer, the men asked Thomas whether there was any work for Machinists. Thomas responded with a “big wink,” saying, “I’m wise to you guys,” and that was the end of the conversation.

Respondents Swinerton and Burns were bound by a contract executed in 1948 by the A.G.C., of which Swinerton was a member, and the Bay Counties District Council of Carpenters, A.F.L., herein called the Carpenters’ Council, of which the Millwrights were a member. However, Thomas was not correct in stating that this contract required affiliation with or clearance from the Millwrights as a condition to original employment. The pertinent clause of the contract stated: “There shall be no limitation of the employer as to whom he shall employ * *

The Board and the Trial Examiner further found that respondent Swinerton’s subforeman, James Curry, a member of the Millwrights, notified the Millwrights when men were hired by him, and that no one was hired by respondent Swinerton for the installation project who to its knowledge was not a member of the Millwrights or one of the unions affiliated with it. Curry’s testimony supports this finding.

The Board’s conclusions as to respondent Burns are supported by the following facts as disclosed by the evidence.

On October 24, 1949 Doane spoke to respondent Burns’ foreman, John Turk, and subforeman, Aliso Sabrowske, concerning the employment of Machinists on the installation job. Doane was told that Burns’ labor contract required them to hire Millwrights with Millwright clearance.

*514 On’or about November 14, 1949 A. E.. Witaschek, A. C. Gustaveson, R. W. Lord and J. M. Gilbert, all unemployed at the time, came to the job site and asked Sa-browske whether he was hiring any men. Sabrowske told them that he would be hiring in a couple of days. Upon being told in reply to his question that the men were not members of the Millwrights, Sabrow-ske said that they would have to clear through the Millwrights before they could be employed.

Lord and Gilbert thereupon visited the Millwrights’ office and asked for working permits. They were told that the Millwrights did not give working permits and that they would have to take an examination and pay fifty dollars.

As in the case of respondent Swinerton, the Board and the Trial Examiner found that respondent Burns’ subforeman, Sa-browske, a member of the Millwrights, reported to the Millwrights when men were hired by him, and that no one was hired for the job who to Burns’ knowledge was not a member of the Millwrights or one of its affiliates. This finding is supported by Sabrowske’s testimony.

The primary question raised by respondents is whether the finding of the Board that they refused to consider the named claimants for employment because they were not affiliated with nor cleared by the Millwrights is supported by substantial evidence on the record' considered as a whole. We have considered the entire record and find therein the requisite substantial support. Although respondents’ officials denied that it was their practice to discriminate against applicants who were not Millwrights, or affiliates thereof, the Trial Examiner discredited this testimony. Questions of credibility are generally for the Trial Examiner, who has the opportunity to observe the demeanor of the witnesses. N.L.R.B. v. State Center Warehouse & Cold Storage Co., 9 Cir., 1951, 193 F.2d 156; N.L.R.B. v. Dinion Coil Co., 2 Cir., 1952, 201 F.2d 484; Cf. Universal Camera Corp. v. N.L.R.B., 1951, 340 U.S. 474, 492-497, 71 S.Ct. 456, 95 L.Ed. 456.

An employer violates § 8(a) (3) and (1) of the Act if he requires membership in a labor organization as a condition precedent to employment. N.L.R.B. v.

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Bluebook (online)
202 F.2d 511, 31 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2384, 1953 U.S. App. LEXIS 3518, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/national-labor-relations-board-v-swinerton-ca9-1953.