The Lummus Company v. National Labor Relations Board, National Labor Relations Board v. Local 80, United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada, Afl-Cio

339 F.2d 728, 119 U.S. App. D.C. 229, 56 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2425, 1964 U.S. App. LEXIS 5100
CourtCourt of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
DecidedJune 11, 1964
Docket17981_1
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 339 F.2d 728 (The Lummus Company v. National Labor Relations Board, National Labor Relations Board v. Local 80, United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada, Afl-Cio) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
The Lummus Company v. National Labor Relations Board, National Labor Relations Board v. Local 80, United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada, Afl-Cio, 339 F.2d 728, 119 U.S. App. D.C. 229, 56 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2425, 1964 U.S. App. LEXIS 5100 (D.C. Cir. 1964).

Opinion

339 F.2d 728

119 U.S.App.D.C. 229

The LUMMUS COMPANY, Petitioner,
v.
NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD, Respondent.
NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD, Petitioner,
v.
LOCAL 80, UNITED ASSOCIATION OF JOURNEYMEN AND APPRENTICES
OF the PLUMBING AND PIPE FITTING INDUSTRY OF the
UNITED STATES AND CANADA, AFL-CIO, Respondent.

Nos. 17943, 17981.

United States Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit.

Argued Dec. 13, 1963.
Decided June 11, 1964.

Mr. John J. Donovan, with whom Miss betty Jane Southard, Washington, D.C., was on the brief, for petitioner in No. 17943. Mr. Roger H. Muzzall, Washington, D.C., also entered an appearance for petitioner in No. 17943.

Mr. Hans J. Lehmann, Attorney, National Labor Relations Board, with whom Mr. Arnold Ordman, General Counsel, Mr. Dominick L. Manoli, Associate General Counsel, Mr. Marcel Mallet-Prevost, Asst. General Counsel, and Mr. Allison W. Brown, Jr., attorney, National Labor Relations Board, were on the brief, for respondent in No. 17943 and petition in No. 17981.

Mr. Patrick C. O'Donoghue, Washington, D.C., with with Mr. Martin F. O'Donoghue, Washington, D.C., was on the brief, for respondent in No. 17981.

Mr. Question O. Young, Washington, D.C., filed a brief on behalf of National Constructors Association and the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America, Inc., as amici curiae.

Before BAZELON, Chief Judge, PRETTYMAN, Senior Circuit Judge, and WASHINGTON, Circuit Judge.

PRETTYMAN, Senior Circuit Judge:

The Lummus Company petitions for court review of a decision and order of the National Labor Relations Board, which held the Company to have violated Section 8(a)(3) and (1) of the National Labor Relations Act.1 The Board in the same decision held respondent Local 80 to have violated Sections 8(b)(2) and 8(b)(1)(A).2 The Board has petitioned for enforcement of its order against the Union and cross-petitioned for enforcement against the Company. The several petitions were consolidated here.

The controversy revolves around a hiring hall agreement, two brothers named Kivlin, and a business agent of our respondent Union, Local 80. This Union has a collective bargaining agreement with the Delaware Mechanical Contractors Association, which provides for an exclusive hiring hall for a designated territory. The Lummus Company is not a member of this Association, nor is it a signatory to the contract; but during the relevant period it considered itself bound by the hiring provisions by virtue of an agreement with the International with which Local 80 is affiliated.

James and John Kivlin are welders and members of Local 420, a sister Local to respondent Local 80. Three dates material to the controversy are February 22, March 14 or 15, and May 22, 1961. Versions of all the material incidents differ, and the examiner was compelled to resolve acute questions of credibility. He did so with long and careful discussions of the evidence. His findings are ample supported, and we follow them in our recitation of the facts. On or about amply supported, and we follow them in referred by Local 80 to a jobsite of the Bechtel Corporation at Newcastle, Delaware. This company was in no way related to Lummus. Kivlin was there given a welding test by one Baffone, an employee of Bechtel, who happened to be a member of Local 80. Kivlin did not pass the test. Embittered over this failure, and feeling that Baffone had not been fair to him, Kivlin went to the Bechtel office to lodge a complaint but was unsuccessful. He then returned to the Local 80 hall, where he engaged in a 'heated' discussion with Charles Kennedy, the business agent for Local 80. Some weeks later, on March 15th,3 the two Kivlins went back to the Local 80 hall seeking referral. Upon arrival they reported to Kennedy. James Kivlin told Kennedy that they had been sent by their own business agent, to which Kennedy remarked, 'I remember you from before. You had a fight with one of my executive board members. You gave him a hard time.' Although James Kivlin denied such an incident Kennedy told him, 'You ain't working here.' Kennedy then inquired as to the identity of John Kivlin and, upon learning that he was a brother to James, stated, 'You ain't working here either.'4 James then asked about the hiring list and was told, 'I told you, you weren't working here.' A bitter argument ensued between James Kivlin and Kennedy, and Kennedy ordered the Kivlins to leave his office.

John Kivlin subsequently obtained work through another local. He did not thereafter have any contact with Local 80. So far as the record shows, he at no time had contact with Lummus. It will be noted that the Kivlins had no dealing or contact whatever with Lummus on February 22nd or March 14th-15th.

Some two months later, on or about May 22nd, James Kivlin returned to the hiring hall for the express purpose of making amends with Kennedy. The latter met him outside the hall and remarked, 'There is no use you hanging around here, you are going to get hurt.' With that Kivlin left and did not thereafter return to the hall.

Kivlin then went, that same day, to the Lummus Company's jobsite at Claymont, Delaware, and was there approached by Local 80's job steward, who asked for his referral slip. Kivlin said he did not have one because Kennedy would not refer him. The job steward told him to leave the site. He also told Lummus's timekeeper not to give Kivlin an application. Kivlin was however allowed to fill out an application, but it was then set aside. Kivlin was sent to the manager of the Company's employment office, one Gibson. Gibson explained that the was required to obtain all his men from Local 80, and Kivlin asked, 'What if you can't get a ticket out of Local 80?'. Gibson started to explain when the steward burst in and shouted that Kivlin was not going to work. Gibson then told Kivlin that the requird number of welders had already been hired and that if Kivlin would obtain a referral from Local 80 he would be considered for future employment.

In respect to the Company (Lummus) the trial examiner concluded that the complaint should be dismissed, noting that John Kivlin had never applied for work with Lummus and that at the time Local 80 refused to refer James Kivlin, i.e., on March 14th-15th, Lummus was not using the hiring hall. He further found that on May 22nd Lummus had in fact hired the required number of welders and consequently had not violated the Act by turning James Kivlin away. The Board, one member dissenting, reversed the examiner in respect to the Company, holding that the Local was acting as agent for Lummus by virtue of the agreement.

In respect to the liability of Local 80 the Board said:

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Bluebook (online)
339 F.2d 728, 119 U.S. App. D.C. 229, 56 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2425, 1964 U.S. App. LEXIS 5100, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/the-lummus-company-v-national-labor-relations-board-national-labor-cadc-1964.