Opinion ID: 779933
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: History of Plaintiffs' Labor Relations

Text: 10 In many cases, the existence of an instrument that provides for union participation in a training program is obvious. Often, it takes the form of a collective bargaining agreement between the employer and the union that contains a clause regarding program sponsorship. The issue is complicated in the present case because of the particular status of the relations between the plaintiffs and the labor union representing the electricians and other bargaining unit employees. 11 With the exception of plaintiff Walton Electrical Construction Corp., all of the plaintiff contractors were members of the United Construction Contractors Association (now known as the United Electrical Contractors Association) (Association), a multi-employer association that engaged in collective bargaining on behalf of the member employers. For years the Association was party to a series of bargaining agreements with Local 363, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs and Warehousemen (Local 363), the union representing the contractors' electricians and bargaining unit employees. The terms of those agreements provided for joint sponsorship of training programs. Thus, before the state could register any Association-sponsored program, the union had to approve it. 12 This situation changed when Local Union No. 3, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, AFL-CIO (Local 3) won a representation election among Association bargaining unit employees in October 1989 and was certified by the Board as the exclusive bargaining representative of those employees in February 1993. Even though a new union represented plaintiffs' employees, a year remained on the collective bargaining agreement between the Association and Local 363. Hence, until 1994, all of the terms of the Local 363 agreement — including the joint training program provision — were still in effect. 13 In late 1994 after the Local 363 agreement expired, Local 3 and the Association began negotiating for a new collective bargaining agreement. In June 1998 with no agreement having been reached, the Association backed out of the negotiations on behalf of its member contractors. It informed Local 3 that further discussions would have to proceed with each member contractor individually. In response, Local 3 filed an unfair labor practice claim with the Board, alleging that the Association and certain member contractors had failed to bargain in good faith. The Board issued a complaint, and administrative proceedings are currently underway in that federal administrative agency.