Ryan Aeronautical Co. v. International Union, United Automobile, Local 506

343 P.2d 356, 173 Cal. App. 2d 463, 1959 Cal. App. LEXIS 1607
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedAugust 28, 1959
DocketCiv. 6115
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 343 P.2d 356 (Ryan Aeronautical Co. v. International Union, United Automobile, Local 506) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ryan Aeronautical Co. v. International Union, United Automobile, Local 506, 343 P.2d 356, 173 Cal. App. 2d 463, 1959 Cal. App. LEXIS 1607 (Cal. Ct. App. 1959).

Opinion

SHEPARD, J.

July 6, 1956, appellant and respondent entered into a collective bargaining agreement wherein it was agreed, inter alia, that respondent is recognized as the sole bargaining agent for all employees of appellant with certain exceptions; that any grievance not satisfactorily settled by the parties will be submitted to arbitration and that the “decision of such arbitration shall be final and binding upon both parties” to said agreement; that there shall be no strike or “Lock-Out”; that the normal work week shall consist of 40 hours with the normal work day, eight hours; and that time and a half shall be paid on Saturday and double time on Sunday and certain holidays.

Sometime during the first week in December, 1957, appellant notified respondent that the appellant proposed to close its plant on Tuesday, December 24, 1957, and on Tuesday, December 31, 1957. Appellant made alternative offers to make up the time thus lost, including the offer that said lost time be made up on Saturday at straight time. Counter suggestions were made by respondent but the parties were unable *465 to reach an agreement. On December 11, 1957, appellant posted a notice that appellant’s plant would be closed on the days above mentioned. On December 13, 1957, respondent filed a notice of grievance claiming violation of the agreement and ending with the words “We demand that each employee be compensated for all time lost for non-compliance with the provisions of the agreement.” Later on the same day, appellant posted an “Information Bulletin” on the plant bulletin boards denying violation of the contract and in effect blaming respondent for the failure of the parties to come to an agreement. Likewise on the same day, respondent published to the employees represented by it a statement of its position. Respondent’s grievance was heard and denied by appellant on December 18, 1957. On December 20, 1957, in the plant newspaper the appellant caused to be published an article which again stated appellant’s position and blaming respondent for failing to accept one of the alternative proposals, particularly that of waiving premium time on Saturdays. On December 24th and 31st, 1957, appellant actually did close its plant and a large number of employees represented by respondent were denied work and pay for those days.

January 7, 1958, in a commendable effort to avoid the difficulties, disruption and loss to both parties and to the community that always attends a strike and in direct accord with the collective bargaining agreement, respondent union appealed the grievance to arbitration. On the same day appellant and respondent signed an agreement to submit the dispute to arbitration, using the following words:

“We mutually agree to appeal the above grievance to arbitration, including the loss of pay for all employees covered by the agreement for December 24, 1957, and December 31, 1957. ”

Three arbitrators were chosen. The matter was submitted to arbitration and the question was proposed to the arbitrators in the following words: “Was there a violation of the contract, and, if so, what is the remedy?” Evidence was heard from both sides by the arbitrators and on April 24, 1958, the arbitrators rendered their award ordering that:

“F. The Company (appellant herein) shall compensate all employees for the straight time lost by them when the Company wrongfully shut down the plant on Tuesday, December 24, 1957, and Tuesday, December 31, 1957.

*466 “G. The Company shall post this Award on all plant bulletin boards for a period commencing with the issuance of this Award and ceasing at midnight, May 31, 1958 as an affirmance to its employees of its desire and intent to observe in good faith the provisions of the Agreement recognizing the Union as ‘the sole and exclusive bargaining agency’ of its employees in the bargaining unit as required by Articles I, II and III thereof.”

May 16, 1958, appellant filed its petition in the superior court for an order vacating the award. In support of and in response to this petition each party sought to bring to the attention of the superior court many matters of evidentiary material as to why the award should be vacated or affirmed. The superior court on June 10, 1958, rendered its judgment confirming the award, and appellant has appealed from the judgment and from the order confirming arbitration award and denying motion to vacate award.

Appellant’s first contention on appeal is that the arbitrators exceeded their powers and awarded on matters not submitted to them. In support of this contention appellant points to finding ‘‘D”, which says: ‘‘The Company was not entitled in its bulletin and newspaper to attack the Union for its reliance upon the plain meaning of the Agreement in its provision for premium Saturday pay and to do so constituted a violation of the recognition provision of the Agreement, Article III.”

This statement is not an award. It is nothing more than a preliminary finding. The award as such is contained in Paragraphs F and G hereinbefore quoted, which relate to restoring lost time pay and the posting of a statement of intent. The other findings (A, B, C and E) are in the same category as said Paragraph D.

We agree with the trial court in its opinion, as quoted in respondent’s brief: “. . . the real question submitted for arbitration was .whether or not the closing of the plant on the days in question constituted a ‘Lock-Out’ in violation of the existing contract. Whether or not the closing of the plant constituted a ‘Lock-Out’ was largely a matter of intent and motive, and it appears to the court that the arbitrators might properly consider any statements by management, written or oral, made before or after the filing of the Grievance, as bearing on intent and motive.”

“ Lock-Out” is defined by Webster’s New Inter *467 national Dictionary, second edition, as “To withhold employment from (a body of employees) as a means of bringing them to accept the employers’ terms.” This definition is in accord with that used in Jeffery-DeWitt Insulator Co. v. National Labor Relations Board, 91 F.2d 134, 137 [112 A.L.R 948] ; Restful Slipper Co. v. United Shoe & Leather Union, 116 N.J.Eq. 521 [174 A. 543, 545] ; Iron Holders’ Union No. 125 v. Allis-Chalmers Co., 166 F. 45, 52 [91 C.C.A. 631, 20 L.R.A.N.S. 315],

While the findings do not go into as great detail as might be desired, we think they are susceptible of no other reasonable interpretation. Furthermore, “It is of course well settled that arbitrators do not exceed their powers merely because they assign an erroneous reason for their decision.” (O’Malley v. Petroleum Maintenance Co., 48 Cal.2d 107, 111 [4] [308 P.2d 9]. This same thought is expressed in McKay v. Coca Cola Bottling Co., 110 Cal.App.2d 672, 677 [2b] [243 P.2d 35

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343 P.2d 356, 173 Cal. App. 2d 463, 1959 Cal. App. LEXIS 1607, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ryan-aeronautical-co-v-international-union-united-automobile-local-506-calctapp-1959.