New Bedford Defense Products Division of Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. v. Local No. 1113 of International Union

160 F. Supp. 103, 41 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2850, 1958 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2455
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedFebruary 27, 1958
DocketCiv. A. 58-70
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 160 F. Supp. 103 (New Bedford Defense Products Division of Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. v. Local No. 1113 of International Union) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
New Bedford Defense Products Division of Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. v. Local No. 1113 of International Union, 160 F. Supp. 103, 41 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2850, 1958 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2455 (D. Mass. 1958).

Opinion

WYZANSKI, District Judge.

In most general terms, the present controversy is whether under § 301 (a) of the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947, 61 Stat. 156, 29 U.S.C.A. § 185 and the Declaratory Judgments Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2201 this Court (1) should declare that a grievance claim now being presented for arbitration by two labor organizations is outside the scope of arbitration clauses in a collective bargaining agreement they made with an employer, or alternatively, (2) should order the employer to submit to arbitration of that claim. Basic to both questions is the issue whether the arbitration would involve something more than an interpretation or application of a collective bargaining agreement.

From an agreed statement of facts, supplemented by exhibits received in evidence and also by admissions of counsel in open court, this Court finds the facts set forth in the following numbered paragraphs.

1. The Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. is an Ohio corporation. It operates in Massachusetts the New Bedford Defense Products Division, where it is engaged in industry “affecting commerce”, within the meaning of § 2(7) of the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947, 29 U.S.C.A. § 152(7). Although that Division is not a corporate entity, it is the name through which the corporation has sometimes done business, made contracts, and even, as in this case, brought suit. Whenever the Division has acted in making agreements or taking action in court, the corporation has either authorized or ratified that conduct of the Division. [See Defendant’s Counterclaim, Count I, Par. A., and the Answer filed not by the Division but by “The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company”, Par. 1.]

2. International Union United Automobile, Aircraft, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America is a voluntary, unincorporated labor association. Local 1113 is a “part” of that International, has a “charter” from it, and is also a voluntary, unincorporated labor association. Both the International and the Local are “labor organizations”, within the meaning of § 2(5) of the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947, 29 U.S. C.A. § 152(5). Members of Local 1113 are employed by Firestone at its New Bedford Division. And the National Labor Relations Board has certified the International (not, be it observed, the Local) as the exclusive bargaining representative of an appropriate unit of employees of Firestone at the New Bedford *105 Division. [See Defendant’s Counterclaim, Count I, Par. B., and Firestone’s Answer, Par. 1.]

3. All parties to this litigation agree that as of April 9,1956 Firestone and the International entered into a collective bargaining agreement.' [Defendant’s Counterclaim, Count I, Par. D., and Firestone’s Answer, Par. I.] However, the preliminary recitals in and the signatures to the agreement itself indicate some confusion as to whether the Division and the Local were also parties. Despite the language of the contract, the Division clearly was not, and, (not being a voluntary association or a legal personality) could not be, a party. As to the Local the question is more doubtful. But, on the basis of the recital in the contract, the agreed statement of facts, the exhibits, and the trial brief of Firestone, this Court finds that the Local as well as the International is a party to the collective bargaining agreement.

4. The following are relevant provisions of that agreement:

“Article I

“Recognition, Union Security and Check-off

“Section 1

“The Union, [meaning thereby the International] having been certified by the National Labor Relations Board as the representative of employees in the appropriate bargaining unit, the Company recognizes the Union as the exclusive representative of all employees in such unit for the purposes of collective bargaining with respect to rates of pay, wages, hours of employment and other conditions of employment.”

“Section 4

“Any laid-off employee on the recall list, who was a member of the Union at the time he was laid off, and who is later recalled and reinstated on the active payroll shall, as a condition of employment, maintain his membership in the Union to the extent of paying Union dues, including initiation and reinstatement fees and monthly dues.

“Article II “Grievance Procedure

“Any employee who believes he has a justifiable request or complaint shall first refer the request or complaint to his supervision, with or without his Union steward being present; provided, however, that the Union steward will have the opportunity to be present if the adjustment, if any, shall not be inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement.

“Section 2

“If, after the discussions required in Section 1 above, the problem is not settled and is to be processed through the grievance procedure, then the first step shall be:

“(a) The employee and/or the Union steward shall present the grievance to the foreman of the affected department. If the matter has not been satisfactorily settled, the next step shall be:

“(b) The Union steward either directly or through the foreman may make an appointment with the department manager for a meeting during which a further attempt will be made to settle the grievance. At the time of making the appointment the Union steward either directly or through the foreman will submit to the department manager the grievance in writing signed by the employee and the Union steward. If the matter is not satisfactorily settled, the next step shall be:

“(c) The grievance may be submitted to a meeting of the Grievance Committee and the Industrial Relations Department, during which ai further attempt will be made to' settle the grievance.

“(d) It is understood that the Local Union President or an International Representative of the Union» *106 may be present at this step and such representative should consult with the parties before submission of a grievance to arbitration.

“Section 3

“(a) In the event any grievance concerning the interpretation or application of this Agreement, excepting such grievances as are not ar-bitrable hereunder, is not satisfactorily settled through the procedure outlined above, it may be submitted to arbitration upon the written request by the aggrieved party to the other party, with a copy to the impartial arbitrator. The grievance to be arbitrated shall be identified and described in said written request.

“(b) A representative of the Company and a representative of the Union shall select an impartial arbitrator for a term mutually agreed upon by the representatives.

“ (c) The decision of the impartial arbitrator shall be final and conclusive upon the Company, the Union and the affected employee or employees.

“(d) The impartial arbitrator shall have no power to add to, subtract from, or modify any provision of this Agreement.

“(e) Matters involving the general wage scale or differentials in the maximum hourly rates which are established at the effective date of this Agreement shall not be a subject for arbitration.”

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Bluebook (online)
160 F. Supp. 103, 41 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2850, 1958 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2455, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/new-bedford-defense-products-division-of-firestone-tire-rubber-co-v-mad-1958.