Opinion ID: 252998
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The United Brotherhood.

Text: 25 A majority of the Board found the United Brotherhood responsible for all the conduct described above and for further violations of §§ 8(b) (1) (A) and 8(b) (2) through conduct of local and council officials for which the locals and councils were not charged. 26 The Brotherhood's General Laws require that by-laws and trade rules of locals and district councils shall not conflict with the Constitution and Laws of the United Brotherhood, and must be approved by the First General Vice-President before becoming law. The Board's theory seems to be that the Brotherhood's approval of local and district rules makes the Brotherhood responsible for whatever is done, either legally or illegally, in carrying them out. The Board does not contend that the local and district work rules involved here are incapable of lawful application; in fact, counsel conceded in oral argument that in some situations compliance would be lawful. An example would be an individual union man's choosing not to apply for a job where he would have to work with nonunion men. Since not all compliance is unlawful, there can be no presumption that the Brotherhood endorsed unlawful conduct. We cannot accept the Board's implicit assumption that approval of the rules extends to their enforcement by illegal means or for an illegal purpose. Cf. National Labor Relations Board v. Millwrights' Local 2232, 5 Cir., 277 F.2d 217. The record does not show that the Brotherhood required or authorized the conduct to which, according to the Board's findings, the rules gave rise. It is not clear that Brotherhood approval of the rules imposed any requirement or mandate whatever. The rules were not always followed. At some union projects, Endicott crews worked without incidents. The Board expressly found that the evidence did not show a nationwide compaign to compel Endicott to recognize the union. 27 No part of the Board's order should run against the United Brotherhood. 28