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ELECTRICAL WORKERS V. LABOR BOARD, 341 U. S. 694 (1951) - US SUPREME COURT DECISIONS ON-LINE
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5. The prohibition of inducement or encouragement of secondary pressure by § 8(b)(4)(A) carries no unconstitutional abridgment of free speech. P. 341 U. S. 705. chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
The principal question here is whether a labor organization and its agent committed an unfair labor practice, within the meaning of § 8(b)(4)(A) of the National Labor Relations Act, 49 Stat. 449, 29 U.S.C. § 151, as chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
Langer in the past had employed union men but, prior to this project, had become involved in a dispute with petitioner, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 501, A.F. of L., here called the Electricians Union, because of his employment of nonunion men. By the middle of April, 1948, Langer's two electricians, neither of whom was a member of the Electricians Union, had completed the roughing in of the electrical work which was necessary before the walls of the house could be completed. At that point, on two days when no employees of Langer were present on the project, but before the completion of Langer's subcontract, William Patterson, the other petitioner herein, visited the project in his capacity of agent and business representative chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
On a charge filed by Langer, based upon these events, the Regional Director of the National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint against the Electricians Union and Patterson. It alleged that they had induced and encouraged the employees of Deltorto to engage in a strike or a concerted refusal in the course of their employment to perform services for him, an object thereof chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
2. The secondary character of the activities here complained of and their objectives also come within the pattern of the Denver case. In the instant case, a labor dispute had been pending for some time between Langer and the Electricians Union, but no demands were made upon him directly by either of petitioners in connection with this project. There are no findings that the picketing was aimed at Langer to force him to employ union workmen on this job. On the contrary, the findings demonstrate that the picketing was directed at Deltorto's employees to induce them to strike, and thus force Deltorto, chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
While, in the Denver case, we have held that § 8(c) [Footnote 5] had no application to a strike signal, there are other considerations that enter into the decision here. The question here is what effect, if any, shall be given to § 8(c) in its application to peaceful picketing conducted by a labor organization or its agents merely as an inducement chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
a. To exempt peaceful picketing from the condemnation of § 8(b)(4)(A) as a means of bringing about a secondary boycott is contrary to the language and purpose of that section. The words "induce or encourage" are broad enough to include in them every form of influence chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
"Induce or encourage" appear in like context in § 303. The action proscribed by the terms of § 8(b)(4) is made in § 303 the basis for the recovery of damages in a civil action. Because § 8(c) is in terms limited to unfair labor practice proceedings and § 303 refers only to civil actions for damages, [Footnote 8] it seems clear that § 8(c) does not apply to an action under § 303. That section does not mention unfair labor practices through which alone the chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
d. We find no indication that Congress thought that the kind of picketing and related conduct which was used in this case to induce or encourage a strike for an unlawful object was any less objectionable than engaging directly in that strike. The court below, after finding that there was "bare instigation" here, rather than an appeal to reason by "the expressing of any views, argument, or opinion," traced the development of the doctrine that he who provokes or instigates a wrong makes himself a party to it. That court then reached the conclusion that it is "highly unlikely that, by § 8(c), Congress meant to abolish a doctrine so deeply embedded in our civil and criminal law." 181 F.2d 39.
e. The remedial function of § 8(c) is to protect noncoercive speech by employer and labor organization alike in furtherance of a lawful object. It serves that purpose adequately without extending its protection to speech or picketing in furtherance of unfair labor practices such as are defined in § 8(b)(4). The general terms of § 8(c) chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
6. Petitioners object to the breadth of the Board's order as stated in 82 N.L.R.B. at 1030, supra, pp. 341 U. S. 698-699. They contend that its language prohibits inducement not only of employees of Deltorto, but also the inducement of employees of any other employer to strike, where an object thereof is to force Giorgi or any other employer or person to cease doing business with Langer. To confine the order solely to secondary pressure through Giorgi or Deltorto would leave Langer and other employers who chanroblesvirtualawlibrary