LAW.coLAW.co

NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD v. WESTEX BOOT & SHOE CO.

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit1951-06-25No. No. 13402
190 F.2d 12

Summary

Holding. The Board's charge is a jurisdictional prerequisite but not a restrictive pleading; a complaint that elaborates on the charge with greater particularity does not exceed the Board's jurisdiction. The court granted the Board's petition to enforce its order.

The National Labor Relations Board charged Westex Boot & Shoe Co. with unfair labor practices, including discriminatory discharge of employees for union membership and activities, as well as interrogation and coercion regarding union affiliation. The company argued that the Board lacked jurisdiction to pursue allegations beyond the specific unfair labor practices named in the initial charge filed with the Board.

The court rejected the company's jurisdictional argument. While a charge is a necessary prerequisite to the Board issuing a complaint, the charge itself is not a pleading with rigid limits. Rather, it initiates an investigation, and the Board's complaint may elaborate on the charge with greater specificity and detail. The court found that the complaint here merely expanded upon the factual allegations in the charge without introducing wholly new categories of misconduct.

The court also reviewed the Board's factual findings and determined they were supported by substantial evidence in the record. Accordingly, the court granted the Board's petition to enforce its order against the company.

Summary generated by law.co from the public-domain opinion. The opinion text itself is public domain.

Key issues

  • Whether a charge filed with the NLRB is a jurisdictional prerequisite to a complaint
  • Whether a complaint must be limited to the exact unfair labor practices stated in the charge or may elaborate with particularity
  • Whether the American Federation of Labor qualifies as a labor organization under the Act
  • Whether Board factual findings are supported by substantial evidence

Procedural posture

The court reviewed the National Labor Relations Board's order finding unfair labor practices and considered the company's petition challenging the Board's jurisdiction over allegations not explicitly stated in the initial charge.

Authorities cited

No cited authorities resolved to law.co cases yet.

Opinion

majority opinion

RIVES, Circuit Judge.

The findings of fact, conclusions of law, and order of the Board are reported at 82 N.L.R.B. 497.

The Company contends that the American Federation of Labor (referred to as A.F.L.) was not a labor organization as that term is defined in section 2(5) of the Labor-Management Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. § 152(5), 29 U.S.C.A. § 152(5). It may well be said of the A.F.L., as was said of the C.I.O. in National Labor Relations Board v. Postex Cotton Mills, 5 Cir., 181 F.2d 919, 921, that so to determine “would require us to overlook the realities and substance of its objectives and operations.” See also National Labor Relations Board v. Highland Park Mfg. Co., 341 U.S. 322, 71 S.Ct. 758.

The first charge filed with the Board stated that the Company had violated section 8(a)(1) and (3) of the Act by discharging four named employees on December 4, 1947, because of their membership and activities in behalf of A.F.L. It further stated that by such discharges and “by other acts and conduct” the Company “interfered with, restrained, and coerced its employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed in Section 7 of the Act.” The second amended charge was identical with the original charge except that it alleged three additional discriminatory discharges. The Company contends that “the only unfair labor practices ever charged to the Board were the discharges of the seven employees for their Union activities,” and that the Board was, therefore, without power to include in its complaint an allegation based on discharges of those employees for concerted activities other than union activity, and further that the Board lacked jurisdiction to charge that the Company has interrogated its employees concerning their Union affiliations and activities, and has urged, persuaded, threatened and warned its employees to refrain from assisting, becoming members of or remaining members of, a Union.

The Company’s contention is that the charge is a jurisdictional prerequisite to the complaint and subsequent proceedings and that they are restricted to the specific unfair labor practices alleged in the charge. Sec. 10(b) of the Act, U.S.C. Tit. 29 Sec. 160(b), 29 U.S.C.A. § 160(b), provides in part: “Whenever it is charged that any person has engaged in or is engaging in any such unfair labor practice, the Board, or any agent or agency designated by the Board for such purposes, shall have power to issue and cause to be served upon such person a complaint stating the charges in that respect, and containing a notice of hearing • * * (Emphasis added.)

For the antecedent of “such” we must go back to the phrase in Section 10(a) “any unfair labor practice (listed in section 158) affecting commerce”. “The charges in that respect” mean the charges in respect to any such unfair labor practice.

A charge is a condition precedent to the Board’s power to issue a complaint. Nat. Licorice Company v. N.L.R.B., 309 U.S. 350, 368, 60 S.Ct. 569, 84 L.Ed. 799. However, “The charge is not proof. It merely sets in motion the machinery of an inquiry. When a Board complaint issues, the question is only the truth of its accusations. The charge does not even serve the purpose of a pleading.” National Labor Relations Board v. Indiana & M. Elec. Co., 318 U.S. 9, 18, 63 S.Ct. 394, 400, 87 L.Ed. 579. As said by Judge Sibley speaking for this court in National Labor Relations Board v. Tex-O-Kan Flour Mills Co., 5 Cir., 122 F.2d 433, 437, “The charges are addressed to the Board and are not cases at all. The case between the Board and the employer begins with the complaint prepared by the Board.”

It seems to us that in this case, the complaint merely “elaborated the charge with particularity,” Nat. Licorice Co. v. Labor Board, 309 U.S. 350, 368, 60 S.Ct. 569, 84 L.Ed. 799, and that the respondent’s contention that the Board lacked ju risdiction because the complaint included alleged unfair labor practices not stated in the charge is not well .founded.

After careful review, we conclude that the findings of the Board with respect to questions of fact are supported by substantial evidence on the record considered as a whole, and hence are conclusive. Universal Camera Corp. v. Labor Board, 340 U.S. 474, 71 S.Ct. 456; National Labor Relations Board v. Pittsburg S.S. Co., 340 U. S. 498, 71 S.Ct. 453.

The petition for enforcement of the Board’s order should be, and the same hereby is, granted.