Shore ex rel. National Labor Relations Board v. General Teamsters, Local No. 249

169 F. Supp. 817, 43 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2537, 1959 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3879
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedFebruary 6, 1959
DocketCiv. A. No. 17586
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 169 F. Supp. 817 (Shore ex rel. National Labor Relations Board v. General Teamsters, Local No. 249) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Shore ex rel. National Labor Relations Board v. General Teamsters, Local No. 249, 169 F. Supp. 817, 43 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2537, 1959 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3879 (W.D. Pa. 1959).

Opinion

GOURLEY, Chief Judge.

In this proceeding, Henry Shore, Regional Director of the Sixth Region of the National Labor Relations Board (herein called the Board), petitions the court for a temporary injunction pursuant to Section 10(l) of the National Labor Relations Act, as amended 29 U.S.C.A. § 160(l) (herein called the Act), pending the final disposition of the matters involved which are to be heard by the Board on February 24,1959.

The matter before the Board relates to whether or not the respondent has engaged in unfair labor practices in picketing the plant facilities of management under circumstances which it is contended constitute a secondary boycott on the part of the respondent.

The jurisdiction of the court stems from the provisions of Section 10(l) of the Act, and under the provisions of law it is the duty of the District Court to determine whether or not reasonable cause exists to believe that the charges of a secondary boycott are true. It must be kept in mind the District Court is not [818]*818required to find the charges made to be true or untrue, but to determine whether reasonable cause exists to believe the charges to be true.

Fried & Reineman Packing Company (hereinafter referred to as F & R) has been engaged in the meat packing business in the City of Pittsburgh for a number of years and had employed its own truck drivers and helpers to haul its meat products. The bargaining agreement between F & R and the respondent expired September 30, 1958, and after extended negotiations with the help of a state and federal conciliator, a satisfactory agreement between the respondent and F & R could not be effectuated. As a result thereof, F & R through the actions of appropriate corporate officials determined that the services heretofore performed by the truck drivers and helpers represented by the respondent would no longer be carried on by the company. For economic reasons it was decided that arrangements would be made with the Kenny Motor Express, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as Kenny), a holder of a certificate from the Interstate Commerce Commission and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, which was engaged in the hauling of meats and similar products, to perform the services formerly carried on by the truck drivers and helpers represented by the respondent. When Kenny notified the respondent that it intended to perform the services for F & R, the respondent engaged in the picketing of the premises of F & R.

Counsel have not submitted to the court any authority or proceeding of a similar nature and it appears that the facts as they exist in the instant case are matters of first impression.

However, in my considered judgment, from a review of the proceeding identified as International Brotherhood of Teamsters et al. v. Polar Water Company, Case No. 6-CC-143, 120 NLRB No. 25, the Board indicates that where services heretofore performed by employees of management are discontinued and said services are to be administered by an independent contractor, that a secondary boycott would exist where the former employees of management picket the premises of their former employer.

All parties have been afforded a full and complete opportunity to be heard, to examine and cross-examine witnesses, to present evidence bearing on the issues and to act and submit briefs on the evidence and the law, and I conclude that reasonable cause exists in the instant proceeding to believe the charges to be true and that a duty and obligation exists on the part of the court to grant the temporary injunction pending the disposition of the proceeding before the Board. Shore, for and on behalf of National Labor Relations Board v. Building & Construction Trades Council of Pittsburgh, Pa., 3 Cir., 173 F.2d 678, 8 A.L.R.2d 731.

Upon the entire record the Court enters the following findings of fact and conclusions of law:

Findings of Fact

1. Petitioner is Regional Director of the Sixth Region of the Board, an agency of the United States, and filed this petition for and on behalf of the Board.

2. Respondent, General Teamsters, Chauffeurs and Helpers Local No. 249, affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Ware-housemen and Helpers of America, an unincorporated association, is a labor organization within the meaning of Sections 2(5), 8(b) and 10(l) of the Act, 29 U.S.C.A. §§ 152(5), 158(b), 160(l), has its principal office in this judicial district and is engaged within this judicial district in transacting business and in promoting and protecting the interests of its employee members.

3. On or about December 19, 1958, F & R, pursuant to the provisions of the Act, filed with the Board, a charge alleging that respondent has engaged in, and is engaging in, unfair labor practices within the meaning of Section 8(b) (4) (A) of the Act.

4. Said charge was referred to petitioner as Regional Director of the Sixth Region of the Board for investigation [819]*819and was investigated by petitioner and under his supervision.

5. The court must consider the public interest in connection with the dispute which exists, the interests of F & R, the interests of the respondent and the interests of Kenny, all of whom are involved to one degree or another in the determination of the conclusion as to whether or not reasonable cause exists to believe that the charges of the petitioner that a secondary boycott exists are true.

6. There is, and petitioner has, reasonable cause to believe that:

(a) F & R, a Pennsylvania corporation, is engaged in the meat packing business and maintains offices and a processing plant at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In the conduct of said business, F & R annually receives livestock, shipped to its Pittsburgh plant from points and places outside the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, valued at more than $7,000,000.

(b) Prior to November 10, 1958, F & R employed truck drivers, who v/ere represented by respondent, to haul its products. On or about November 10, 1958, F & R decided that for economic reasons it would engage an independent trucking contractor to perform its hauling and, on or about November 12, 1958, notified respondent that it intended to do so and intended to contract with Kenny to perform such services.

(c) Thereupon, respondent arranged to confer with Kenny for the purpose of negotiating with respect to the terms and conditions of employment, by Kenny, of the former employees of F & R who had performed said hauling; and, thereafter, respondent held several conferences and discussions in an effort to determine if any or all of the thirty-eight former employees of F & R could be absorbed or hired by Kenny in the performance of Kenny’s independent contract with F & R.

(d) The efforts extended by Kenny and respondent failed to materialize to the satisfaction of said parties, since no assurance would be given by Kenny as to when, how or the number of the former employees of F & R that would be absorbed or used by Kenny. Kenny would only say that he would use such number of said employees in rendering the services required for F & R that his regular employees would be unable to perform. This was not found satisfactory or acceptable to the respondent.

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169 F. Supp. 817, 43 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2537, 1959 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3879, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/shore-ex-rel-national-labor-relations-board-v-general-teamsters-local-pawd-1959.