Document: 469 U.S. 490 105 S.Ct. 984 83 L.Ed.2d 986 NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD, Petitionerv.ACTION AUTOMOTIVE, INC. No. 83-1416. Argued Oct. 29, 1984. Decided Feb. 19, 1985. Rehearing Denied April 15, See 471 1049, 2041. Syllabus Respondent, a retail automobile parts and gasoline dealer, is closely held corporation owned equally by three brothers, who serve as officers are actively involved in running the business. In 1981, union filed with National Labor Relations Board petition requesting that representation election be among respondent's employees. Thereafter, an was received plurality of votes, but enough ballots were challenged on each side to place outcome doubt. Among those one owner's wife, works clerk at same location her husband occasionally takes coffee breaks his office, owners' mother, cashier stores lives owners. Concluding wife's interests different from other clerical employees mother's more aligned management than employees, without making finding wife mother enjoyed special job-related benefits, Board's hearing officer recommended union's challenge sustained. The adopted this recommendation and, after all qualified votes counted, certified exclusive bargaining representative. When respondent refused bargain, charges Board, which had violated §§ 8(a)(1) (5) Act (Act), ordered bargain. Court Appeals denied enforcement order, holding no authority under § 9(b) exclude unit based solely their close family relationship own operate business, employee's ties may factor justifying exclusion only when employee receives benefits flow relationship, case there insufficient evidence such benefits. Held: did not exceed its excluding collective-bargaining units relatives management, enjoy privileges. Pp. 494-499. (a) policy considering variety factors deciding whether familial sufficient align so warrant unit, reasonable application standard whereby, defining units, focus share "community interest." decision some members entitled deference inconsistent Act's fundamental structure or policies. Nor does showing run afoul mandate remain "wholly neutral" between contending parties election. 494-498. (b) On facts case, could reasonably conclude likely family's business employees' interests. 498-499. 717 F.2d 1033 (CA6 1983), reversed. Norton J. Come, Washington, D.C., for petitioner. Stewart Katz, Detroit, Mich., respondent. Chief Justice BURGER delivered opinion Court. 1 We granted certiorari decide owners employs them, receive 2 * Respondent Action Automotive, Inc., dealer number Michigan cities. Automotive Richard, Robert, James Sabo. Sabo brothers daily operations They corporation's officers, make decisions, retain ultimate supervision every department. 3 March Retail Store Employees Union, Local 40 (the Union), Automotive's Union agreed elections two units—one consisting company's nine stores, comprising headquarters. May unit;1 side, however, concerned Union's Diane Mildred 4 president one-third owner, Richard She general ledger headquarters Flint, Michigan. resides both work office. Unlike workers, she parttime salary. also allowed take pleases, often spends break husband's 5 manage Automotive. employed full-time store Barton, Sabo, secretary-treasurer corporation, regularly sees telephones sons families. earns 25 cents per hour any cashier, most experienced cashiers. 6 light these facts, concluded Sabo's headquarters, "interests Automotive." App. Pet. Cert. 36a. He reached conclusion Believing prerequisite women 7 officer's recommendations2 representative units. Board. relying earlier certification decision, found 61 Stat. 140, 141, 29 U.S.C. 158(a)(1) (5), company bargain Union. 262 N.L.R.B. 423 (1982). 8 United States Sixth Circuit order. (1983). panel, apparently feeling bound Circuit's prior see, e.g., NLRB v. Hubbard Co., 702 634 (1983), court "when receive[s] favorable working conditions relationship." F.2d, 1035. Under standard, erred them 9 conflicts decisions Circuits3 restricts statutory define certiorari, 466 970, 104 2341, 80 816 (1984), we reverse. II 10 Section vests determine "the appropriate purposes collective bargaining." 143, 159(b). discretion area broad, reflecting Congress' recognition "of need flexibility shaping [bargaining] particular case." Hearst Publications, 322 111, 134, 64 S.Ct 851, 862, 88 L.Ed. 1170 (1944). exercise aimlessly; South Prairie Construction Co. Operating Engineers, 425 800, 805, 96 1842, 1844, 48 382 (1976) (per curiam); 15 Ann.Rep. 39 (1950). A cohesive relatively free interest—serves purpose effective bargaining, Pittsburgh Plate Glass NLRB, 313 146, 165, 908, 918, 85 1251 (1941), prevents minority interest group being submerged overly large Chemical Workers 404 157, 172-173, 92 383, 393-394, 30 341 (1971). 11 has long hesitated include because "their sufficiently distinguished employees." Louis Weinberg Associates, 13 66, 69 (1939). From earliest days Wagner Act, ch. 372, 49 449 et seq., until 1953, automatically excluded manager owner company. See, Jerry Edythe Belanger, 32 1276, 1279, n. (1941). This bright-line approach abandoned, International Metal Products 107 65, 67 (1953), now considers thus unit.4 12 For instance, relevant consideration financially dependent relative owns manages business; typically unit. Pandick Press Midwest, 251 473, 473-474 (1980). greater involvement ownership company, employee-relative will viewed hence excluded.5 listed Caravelle Wood Products, 675, 679 (CA7 1972). course, always high wages conditions. Holthouse Furniture Corp., 242 414, 415-416 (1979). criteria satisfy employee-relative's he even though enjoys E.g., Marvin Witherow Trucking, 229 412, 412-413 (1977). Our review limited practice do "reasonable basis law." supra, U.S., 131, S.Ct., 861. reviewing consistently yield interpretations applications see City Disposal Systems, 465 822, 829-830, 1505, 1510-1511, 79 839 (1984); Sure-Tan, Inc. 467 883, 891, 2803, 2808, 81 732 (1984). Indeed, orders "rarely disturbed." Packard Motor Car 330 485, 491, 789, 793, 91 1040 (1947). 14 regarding members, although defined rules, interest" standard.6 Close particularly live manager, "get attentive sensitive ear day-to-day long-range concerns would Parisoff Drive-In Market, 201 813, 814 (1973). And it assume member significantly tend equate personal employer. Ibid. very presence meetings inhibit expression views threaten confidentiality attitudes voting. generally ibid.; Hendricks County Rural Electric Membership 454 170, 193-194, 102 216, 230, 70 323 (1981) (POWELL, J., concurring part dissenting part). It can argued overbroad—that adequately serves objectives. However, labor 9(b); Congress vested brings extensive experience administration bear questions determinations. 190, 228; 492-493, 793. require "mathematical precision," 133, 861, prepared second-guess informed judgment unit's community diluted circumstances divergent 16 policies Act. knows how limit example, 9(c)(5) states extent have organized shall controlling" determining appropriate. 159(c)(5). By contrast, express direction reference authorized bind ways mandated Congress. 17 reliance 2(3) misplaced. excludes definition "employee" "any individual parent spouse."7 138, 152(3). Such person completely outside scope statute invoke protection. Campbell-Harris Electric, 263 1143, 1143-1144, enf'd, 719 292 (CA8 1983). Family fall within broad "employee," right included 9(b). persons "employees" otherwise protected Act.8 228. 18 elections, Savair Mfg. 414 270, 278, 94 495, 499, 38 495 Strictly speaking, vote against union. Rather excluded, if all, determines objective lacks common fellow related. cases effect favoring representation; disparate impact violate principle neutrality. virtually concerning unit—e.g., proper size unit—favors other. 19 applying abuse discretion. husband, Automotive; owners, sons. All related basis. office coffeebreaks contacts Certainly participation suspicion 20 hold 21 Reversed. 22 STEVENS, whom REHNQUIST O'CONNOR join, dissenting. 23 my opinion, determinations should job characteristics about unions. Antiunion sentiment religious views, political convictions, respect hostility, considerations. If pro-union membership official wife. 24 majority's litigation participating choose reject relations indicates they pro-management hostile representation. Act,1 already offered view significance relationships federal policy. Except children spouses sole proprietors, partners, majority shareholders,2 personnel participate system established During period 1935 1947 might been consistent provisions emphasized organize.3 Since Taft-Hartley 1947,4 Act5 provided equal protection join support Manufacturing (1973), language: 26 "Any procedure requiring 'fair' must honor oppose well favor it. wholly neutral comes basic choice. 'form, assist' unions 'to refrain activities.' 157." Id., 499. 27 Although "discretion units," ante, 497, requires "assure fullest freedom exercising rights guaranteed [Act]." rationale today's fundamentally resist efforts unionize plant." 280, 500. 28 To sure, purports rely "objective factors" "lacks related," 8, "be identifiable probable opposition time." 504 1181, 1189 1974) (Stevens, concurring). ordinarily applied directed nature existing terms employment.6 Likewise, confidential "in course [their] employment" gain access information relations. 171, 219, (1981).7 Court's "expanded standard"8 relative's inquires into matters life eating recreational habits views. made ill-concealed indicators virtues representation,9 resulted privileges workplace.10 circumstances, I seriously doubt especially organization union—would "with suspicion," 498, inclusion here. contest Appeals' rejection factual "enjoyed status disqualify voting." 1033, 1036 1983) curiam ). Thus, legitimate reason respectfully dissent. 20-18; 4-3. disagreeing officer, set aside finding, Court, longer rests ground. H.M. Patterson & Son, 636 1014 (CA5 1981); Linn Gear 608 791 (CA9 1979); 1181 1974). undermined fact modified refined position; agency's problems lead adjustments. Bell Aerospace 416 267, 294-295, 1757, 1771-1772, 134 (1974). Compare 813 (1973) (excluding vice significant shareholder), Pargas Crescent City, 194 616 (1971) (including local interest). At least since 65 simply management. context corporations, 50% interest. Cerni Sales, 918 therefore, premised meaning 2(3). implicitly recognized much noting employee-relatives "The term 'employee' . spouse ." Construing 2(3), covered (1973); Foam Rubber # Florida, 167 623, 623-624 (1967). "insure full benefit self-organization 9(b), 453. interpreted language promote organization: "Wherever possible, obviously desirable that, determination render Company's immediate possibility." Botany Worsted Mills, 687, 690 (1940). Metropolitan Life Insurance 380 438, 441, 1061, 1063, 951 (1965). period, regular (1939) ("son daughter Company" "where, here, desires exclusion"). Management 1947, 101, 136. "Employees self-organization, form, assist organizations, collectively through representatives choosing, engage concerted activities mutual aid protection, 157 (emphasis added). (1971); Kalamazoo Paper Box 136 137 (1962). R. Gorman, Law 68-74 (1976). Cf. Yeshiva University, 444 672, 682, 100 856, 63 115 (1980) ("judicially implied [from Act] 'managerial developing enforcing employer policy"). Moreover, explicit instructions imply additional exclusions context. nn. 2, supra; Sexton, 203 940 1953) 1187 "Frequently, [unit] determinations, like drawing districts contexts, decisive plant enterprise. Unions employers sought gerrymander accordingly." B. Meltzer, 311 (2d ed. 1977). context, "virtually favors other," circumspect avoid illegitimate Administrative Judge explicitly relied relatives' sentiments over employer's objection. Trash Removers, 257 945, 946 ("The theory underlying boss shown, record, antimanagement prounion. That why requests exclusion"), order id., 945. (relatives' "lessens likelihood representation"). (1953) ("We convinced mere coincidence negate mutuality employment shares absent allies management"), overruled N.L.R.B., 624, 10. 634, 1983); Cherrin Corp. 349 1001, 1004 1965), cert. denied, 981, 86 557, (1966); 940.

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