Source: http://www.chanrobles.com/usa/us_supremecourt/373/734/case.php
Timestamp: 2018-07-23 17:40:38
Document Index: 773030988

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 7', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 8']

LABOR BOARD V. GENERAL MOTORS CORP., 373 U. S. 734 (1963) - US SUPREME COURT DECISIONS ON-LINE
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LABOR BOARD V. GENERAL MOTORS CORP., 373 U. S. 734 (1963)
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The issue here is whether an employer commits an unfair labor practice, National Labor Relations Act chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
Respondent's employees are represented by the United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, UAW, in a single, multi-plant companywide unit. The 1958 agreement between union and company provides for maintenance of membership and the union shop. [Footnote 3] These provisions were not operative, chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
In June, 1959, the Indiana intermediate appellate court held that an agency shop arrangement would not violate the state "right to work" law. Meade Elec. Co. v. Hagberg, 129 Ind.App. 631, 159 N.E.2d 408. As defined in that opinion, the term "agency shop" applies to an arrangement under which all employees are required as a condition of employment to pay dues to the union and pay the union's initiation fee, but they need not actually become union members. The union thereafter sent respondent a letter proposing the negotiation of a contractual provision covering Indiana plants "generally similar to that set forth" in the Meade case. Continued employment in the Indiana plants would be conditioned upon the payment of sums equal to the initiation fee and regular monthly dues paid by the union members. The intent of the proposal, the National Labor Relations chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
since the proposal contemplated an arrangement in which "all employees are given the option of becoming, or refraining from becoming, members of the Union." Proceeding on this basis and putting aside the consequences of a closed union policy upon the legality of the agency shop, the Board assessed the union's proposal as comporting fully with the congressional declaration of policy in favor of union security contracts, and therefore a mandatory subject as to which the Act obliged respondent to chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
Section 8(3) under the Wagner Act was the predecessor to § 8(a)(3) of the present law. Like § 8(a)(3), § 8(3) forbade employers to discriminate against employees to compel them to join a union. Because it was feared that § 8(3) and § 7, if nothing were added to qualify them, might be held to outlaw union security arrangements such as the closed shop, see 79 Cong.Rec. chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
The prevailing administrative and judicial view under the Wagner Act was or came to be that the proviso to § 8(3) covered both the closed and union shop, as well as less onerous union security arrangements, if they were otherwise legal. The National Labor Relations Board construed the proviso as shielding from an unfair labor practice charge less severe forms of union security arrangements than the closed or the union shop, [Footnote 6] including an arrangement in Public Service Co. of Colorado, 89 N.L.R.B. 418, [Footnote 7] requiring nonunion members to pay to chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
Respondent, however, relies upon the express words of the proviso which allow employment to be conditioned upon "membership": since the union's proposal here does not require actual membership, but demands only initiation fees and monthly dues, it is not saved by the proviso. chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
We are therefore confident that the proposal made by the union here conditioned employment upon the practical equivalent of union "membership," as Congress used that term in the proviso to § 8(a)(3). [Footnote 9] The proposal for requiring the payment of dues and fees imposes no burdens not imposed by a permissible union shop contract, and compels the performance of only those duties of membership which are enforceable by discharge under a union shop arrangement. If an employee in a union shop unit refuses to respect any union-imposed obligations other than the duty to pay dues and fees, and membership in the union is therefore denied or terminated, the condition of "membership" for § 8(a)(3) purposes is nevertheless satisfied, and the employee may not be discharged for nonmembership even though he is not a formal member. [Footnote 10] Of course, if the union chooses to extend membership chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
In short, the employer categorically refused to bargain with the union over a proposal for an agreement within the proviso to § 8(a)(3), and, as such, lawful for the purposes chanroblesvirtualawlibrary