Sheet Metal v. Local Union No. 28 of Sheet Metal Workers International Ass'n

301 F. Supp. 553, 71 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2836, 1969 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9345
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedJune 25, 1969
DocketNo. 69 Civ. 2437
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 301 F. Supp. 553 (Sheet Metal v. Local Union No. 28 of Sheet Metal Workers International Ass'n) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sheet Metal v. Local Union No. 28 of Sheet Metal Workers International Ass'n, 301 F. Supp. 553, 71 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2836, 1969 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9345 (S.D.N.Y. 1969).

Opinion

MOTLEY, District Judge.

DECISION ON MOTION TO CONFIRM AND ORDER

Petitioners move this court for an order confirming two awards made by an impartial arbitrator pursuant to the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (the agreement) between petitioners (the employer associations) and the respondent (the union).1 The motion is granted and the awards are confirmed.

The union opposed confirmation of the awards on three grounds: 1) the arbitrator exceeded his power in making the awards; 2) the arbitrator so imperfectly executed his power that a final and definite award upon the subject matter submitted was not made; and 3) the awards and the proceedings were contrary to the applicable provisions of the [555]*555agreement. The court concludes that the first and third grounds are essentially the same since they go to the power of the arbitrator under the agreement. The union asks that the awards be vacated and modified.

This court has jurisdiction and power upon this motion to confirm, vacate, or modify these awards. In exercising its power, this court is barred from ruling upon the merits of the awards and from substituting its interpretation or construction of the agreement for that of the arbitrator. The court is limited to determining: 1) whether the opinions rendered and the awards made were within the authority granted the arbitrator by the terms of the agreement; 2) whether the arbitrator’s opinions and awards draw their essence from the agreement; and. 3) whether the awards are definite enough to be enforceable. United Steelworkers of America v. Enterprise Wheel & Car Corp., 363 U.S. 593, 80 S.Ct. 1358, 4 L.Ed.2d 1424 (1960); Textile Workers Union of America v. Lincoln Mills, 353 U.S. 448, 77 S.Ct. 912, 1 L.Ed.2d 972 (1957); Torrington Co. v. Metal Products Workers Union Local 1645 UAW, AFL-CIO, etc., 362 F.2d 677 (2d Cir. 1966); Medo Photo Supply Corp. v. Livingston, 274 F.Supp. 209 (S.D.N.Y. 1967), aff’d 386 F.2d 451 (2d Cir. 1967); Newark Stereotypers’ Union No. 18 v. Newark Morning Ledger Co., 261 F. Supp. 832 (D.N J.1966); 29 U.S.C. § 185 (a).

The court holds that each of the foregoing questions must be answered in the affirmative upon the record and briefs before it.

The arbitrator’s authority under the terms of the agreement is defined in Article IX. This Article provides for a reference, in the first instance, to a Joint Adjustment Board of “all matters of controversy or dispute arising out of the operation of [the] agreement or affecting relations between the parties thereto which cannot be settled by the duly authorized representative of the Union and the employer directly involved.” (Article IX, Sec. 1). If the Board is “unable to adjust or settle any such controversy or dispute by conference or negotiation after one meeting, such controversy or dispute shall be immediately referred to a representative chosen by the Employer Associations, parties to the agreement, and one representative chosen by the Sheet Metal Workers International Association for adjustment or settlement by conference.” (Article IX, Sec. 2). If such representatives shall fail “successfully to adjust or to settle the controversy or dispute within 24 hours” after its meeting, then the employer associations or the union may demand arbitration. (Article IX, Sec. 2). The arbitration is to be held before an impartial arbitrator named in the agreement. He is empowered to “hold hearings and reach a determination with all due speed, but not later than 48 hours after completion of the submission of the issue to him. (Article IX, Sec. 2, ¶ 2). He is specifically empowered to determine “whether or not the Employer or the Union violated the Agreement.” (Article IX, Sec. 2, ¶ 3). Moreover, the arbitrator is granted the authority to determine “what steps shall be taken to remedy the violation” if he shall find that either the employer association or the union violated the agreement (Article IX, Sec. 2, ¶ 3). The employer associations or the union- “shall have five days to comply or to start to comply with the award.” (Article IX, Sec. 2, ¶ 3). In the event a question arises with respect to compliance with the award of the impartial arbitrator, the question of compliance shall be, according to the agreement, referred back to the arbitrator. In such event, the arbitrator’s power is limited. He has power to determine “solely whether or not the Employer has complied; if not, what still remains to be done to comply and to direct the Union to terminate a strike, if compliance has been found; or to instruct the Union to furnish manpower to enable the Employer to complete compliance.” (Article IX, Sec. 2, ¶ 7). The [556]*556union’s right to strike arises upon the employer association’s failure to comply within five days of an award in favor of the union. (Article IX, Sec. 2, ¶ 4). The employer associations apparently have the right to lock out the union upon an award in its favor with which the union has failed to comply. (Article IX, Sec. 3). Under Article IX, the exclusive remedy available to the employer association or the union in the event of a dispute involving compliance by either party with the terms of the agreement is the remedy set forth therein. (Article IX, Sec. 2, ¶ 5).

In this case, two disputes were referred to the arbitrator when the Joint Adjustment Board deadlocked with respect to each issue. The first dispute related to the critical manpower shortage in the construction industry. The manpower dispute was referred to the arbitrator when the Sheet Metal Workers International Association refused to accept jurisdiction to sit in on any dispute arising under the agreement as provided in the agreement. (Article IX, Sec. 2, ¶ 1). On September 25, 1968 and again on October 10, 1968, the impartial arbitrator held the required hearings relating to the manpower dispute. This dispute arose under Article III of the agreement which provides as follows:

“Section 1. The Union agrees to furnish at all times to the Employer, duly qualified journeymen sheet metal workers and registered apprentices in sufficient numbers as may be necessary to properly execute work contracted for by the Employer in the manner and under conditions specified in this Agreement.”

At the conclusion of the hearing held on September 25, the arbitrator proposed: 1) that the union undertake immediately to bring into its membership 100 new journeymen sheet metal workers; 2) that these 100 journeymen be brought into the industry through the established procedures of the union’s Constitution which calls for qualification of such new journeymen by a Board of Examiners; 3) that there be established an advisory committee to the union and the Board of Examiners; and 4) that he continue his jurisdiction of the dispute because, in his words, “the solution to this dispute has to be worked out rather than resolved by directive.” The arbitrator then requested a report on the extent of the existing and anticipated shortage and set October 10, 1968 as the hearing date for a progress report on the new journeymen. (Opinion and Award, 10/10/68, pp. 1-2).

On October 10, 1968 a further hearing was held.

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301 F. Supp. 553, 71 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2836, 1969 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9345, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sheet-metal-v-local-union-no-28-of-sheet-metal-workers-international-nysd-1969.