Opinion ID: 444416
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the union's authority to object to the withdrawal of the citation.

Text: 26 Although the Commission had the authority to review the Secretary's withdrawal of the citation, it does not follow necessarily that the Union also had the right under the Act to object to its withdrawal. The resolution of whether the Union had authority to object to the withdrawal of the citation turns upon the interpretation given to Section 10(c) of the Act, 29 U.S.C. Sec. 659(c). Section 10(c) provides: 27 If an employer notifies the Secretary that he intends to contest a citation issued under section 658(a) of this title or notification issued under subsection (a) or (b) of this section, or if, within fifteen working days of the issuance of a citation under section 658(a) of this title, any employee or representative of employees files a notice with the Secretary alleging that the period of time fixed in the citation for the abatement of the violation is unreasonable, the Secretary shall immediately advise the Commission of such notification, and the Commission shall afford an opportunity for a hearing (in accordance with section 554 of Title 5 but without regard to subsection (a)(3) of such section). The Commission shall thereafter issue an order, based on findings of fact, affirming, modifying, or vacating the Secretary's citation or proposed penalty, or directing other appropriate relief, and such order shall become final thirty days after its issuance. Upon a showing by an employer of a good faith effort to comply with the abatement requirements of a citation, and that abatement has not been completed because of factors beyond his reasonable control, the Secretary, after an opportunity for a hearing as provided in this subsection, shall issue an order affirming or modifying the abatement requirements in such citation. The rules of procedure prescribed by the Commission shall provide affected employees or representatives of affected employees an opportunity to participate as parties to hearings under this subsection. 28 (emphasis added). Rule 20(a) of the Commission's Rules of Procedure was adopted pursuant to the mandate stated in the last sentence of Section 10(c). It provides: 29 Affected employees may elect to participate as parties at any time before the commencement of the hearing before the Judge, unless, for good cause shown, the Commission or the Judge allows such election at a later time. 30 The key issue here is whether the Union, having elected party status, can fully participate in this litigation or whether an employee representative is limited to challenging the reasonableness of an abatement period. Section 10(c) provides for two kinds of proceedings. First, an employer may initiate a proceeding by filing a notice of contest to a citation. Second, employees may commence a proceeding to contest the period set in a citation for abatement of a violation. The dispute in this case concerns the extent of employee participation in employer-initiated proceedings once the employee representative has been afforded an opportunity to elect a party status. The Secretary contends that employee participation is limited to challenging the reasonableness of the period for abatement of the violation in both kinds of proceedings. The Union and the Commission read the statute as providing for plenary participation by employees in employer-initiated proceedings, but concede that in employee-initiated proceedings, the union may only object to the reasonableness of the abatement period. 31 In Mobil Oil Corp., 10 OSHRC (BNA) 1905, CCH OSHD p 26,187 (1982), the Commission held that an authorized employee representative, who has elected party status in a timely manner, is not restricted to contesting the reasonableness of the abatement period, but has the full rights that any party to a lawsuit would have. This case, however, was reversed recently by the Second Circuit in Donovan v. OSHRC, 713 F.2d 918 (2d Cir.1983) (Donovan). The Second Circuit adopted the interpretation of Section 10(c) which the Secretary espouses in this case, i.e. that employees may contest only the abatement period set by the Secretary. The Third and Fourth Circuits have taken similar positions. Donovan v. United Steelworkers, 722 F.2d 1158 (4th Cir.1983); Marshall v. Sun Petroleum Products Co., 622 F.2d 1176, 1185-88 (3d Cir.), cert. denied, 449 U.S. 1061, 101 S.Ct. 784, 66 L.Ed.2d 604 (1980) (Sun Petroleum ) and this Court's decision in Marshall might appear to be consistent with the Second and Third Circuits. 32 As stated before, however, Marshall dealt with the prosecutorial authority vested in the Secretary which is almost unlimited. It did not address the issue presented by this case, i.e., what Union rights arise at the adjudicatory stage, the administration of which falls within the Commission's baliwick. Since Marshall does not address employee rights once the adjudicatory process is fully in place, it does not control the case at bar. We hold that under Section 10(c) the Union has full rights, as parties, to contest the withdrawal of this citation. This interpretation of Section 10(c) is consistent with the Fifth, Eighth, and District of Columbia Circuits. See Donovan v. International Union, Allied Industrial Workers, 722 F.2d 1415 (8th Cir.1983); Donovan v. Oil Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union, 718 F.2d 1341 (5th Cir.1983), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 104 S.Ct. 2344, 80 L.Ed.2d 818 (1984) (Atomic Workers International); Oil, Chemical & Atomic Workers v. OSHRC, 671 F.2d 643 (D.C.Cir.), cert. denied, 456 U.S. 969, 102 S.Ct. 2230, 72 L.Ed.2d 843 (1982). 33 The Second, Third, and Fourth Circuits, which have adopted the more restrictive interpretation of section 10(c), support their positions by citing a portion of the Senate Committee Report, which states that Section 10(c)  'gives an employee or representative of employees a right, whenever he believes that the period of time provided in a citation ... is unreasonably long, to challenge the citation on that ground.'  Sun Petroleum, 622 F.2d at 1186. The District of Columbia Circuit, on the other hand, which gave Section 10(c) a more liberal reading, quoted the aforestated legislative history in a more accurate context: 34 If the employer decides to contest a citation or notification or proposed assessment of penalty, the Secretary must afford an opportunity for a formal hearing under the Administrative Procedure Act. Based upon the hearing record the Secretary shall issue an order confirming, denying, or modifying the citation, notification, or proposed penalty assessment. The procedural rules prescribed by the Secretary for the conduct of such hearings must make provision for affected employees or other representatives to participate as parties. 35 Section 10(c) also gives an employee or representative of employees a right, whenever he believes that the period of time provided in a citation for abatement of a violation is unreasonably long, to challenge the citation on that ground. Such challenges must be filed within 15 days of the issuance of the citation and an opportunity for a hearing must be provided in similar fashion to hearings when an employer contests. The employer is to be given an opportunity to participate as a party. Id. (Emphasis added). 36 Oil, Chemical & Atomic Workers v. OSHRC, 671 F.2d at 648. The Fifth Circuit expressly adopted the interpretation of the District of Columbia Circuit in determining whether Section 10(c) permits employees to challenge the terms of a settlement agreement between the Secretary and the employer has withdrawn its contest to the citation. Atomic Workers International, 718 F.2d at 1349. The Fifth Circuit reasoned: 37 The word parties usually connotes persons entitled to participate fully in litigation. This view is buttressed by the more complete account of the legislative history quoted by the District of Columbia Circuit, which suggests that Congress contemplated two different applications of the parties provision. The ultimate sentence of Sec. 10(c) instructs the Commission to provide for employee participation as parties to hearings under this subsection.  The subsection, as we have seen, plainly envisions two kinds of hearings--employee-initiated and employer-initiated--and it contains no language limiting the employee's participation in the employer-initiated hearings to debate over the reasonableness of the abatement period. 38 Id. (emphasis in original). We adopt the interpretation of the Fifth and District of Columbia Circuits. Not only does the statutory language of Section 10(c) support this interpretation, the Commission itself espouses this interpretation. Donovan, 713 F.2d at 1348. 39 Interpretations of the statute by the Commission should be treated with deference and should not be overturned if reasonable and consistent with the purposes of this chapter. Electric Smith, Inc. v. Secretary of Labor, 666 F.2d 1267, 1270 (9th Cir.1982). Furthermore, this Court has held that administrative interpretation of an agency's own regulations must be given great deference by a reviewing court. Concrete Construction Co., Inc. v. OSHRC, 598 F.2d 1031, 1032 (6th Cir.1979). This Court has also held that where the Secretary and the Commission differ over the construction of this chapter, the Commission's construction is entitled to great deference. Usery v. Hermitage Concrete Pipe Co., 584 F.2d 127, 132 (6th Cir.1978). While there is concededly a dispute among the circuits with respect to the proper interpretation of Section 10(c) the Commission's adjudicatory conclusion is not arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with the law. Empire-Detroit Steel Division v. OSHRC, 579 F.2d at 378. Accordingly, we adopt it. 40