Opinion ID: 1505488
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Federation's Election Observer

Text: The Federation's second contention is that the Board, after announcing that each organization might appoint an observer to oversee the election, failed to notify the proper Federation official of the election and the right to appoint an observer thereby rendering the election a nullity. Decision as to the merit of this contention requires a rather detailed consideration of certain facts of record respecting the conduct of the election in question. F. W. Washington, the Federation's general chairman of coach cleaners, was the official to whom the Board sent notice of the Brotherhood's application for a representation election and he replied in behalf of the Federation. At a committee meeting in June 1937, which one C. W. Rice, a Federation organizer, attended, Washington designated Rice to represent the Federation in the case. Washington also gave Rice a letter, under date of June 26, 1937, evidencing that authority and a copy thereof was sent the Secretary of the Board. Thereafter the Board's Secretary wired representatives of the Federation stating that Cole would be in Dallas, Texas, on November 29, 1937, to start his investigation. A committee of the Federation, including Rice and Washington, met with Cole in Dallas. At that meeting Cole directed most of his questions to Washington and Ed Carter, general chairman of the shop laborers, (application for an election had also been made in respect to the latter craft) since they were the men who lived right on the property and knew the answers to the questions. (Cole's testimony.) Rice talked generally about the desirability of a separate labor organization for colored workmen. Near the close of the meeting Cole stated that the Board would make the decision as to whether an election would be held. Concerning Cole's subsequent statements, there is a conflict in the testimony. Rice and two other witnesses stated that Cole told Rice that he would notify him as to whether an election would be held. Cole and Washington denied this and testified that he took the addresses and phone numbers of Rice, Washington and Carter, stating that he would get in touch with Rice if he needed him further, and that he would get in touch with the general chairman of both crafts if he needed further information or any further action. Shortly after this conference, Cole wired the result of his investigation to the Board and thereafter received instructions to proceed with an election in the craft of coach cleaners. Notice of the election was posted and Section 4 thereof provided in part as follows: Each organization    that is a party to this dispute, if it so desires, may appoint an observer to assist in distributing, collecting and counting of ballots, and in identifying voters. But observers must do no electioneering. Cole notified Washington and a representative of the Brotherhood that each association was entitled to appoint an observer, and both men stated that they would serve in that capacity, which they did. The Federation contends that Cole was bound to notify Rice of the election and the organization's right to appoint an observer, and that his failure to do so, in effect, deprived the Federation of the right to appoint an observer as provided by the rules announced to govern the election with the result that the election must be regarded as a legal nullity. In respect to this contention it should be observed at the outset that Section 2 of the Railway Labor Act, supra, provides that the Board may establish the rules to govern the election but contains no provision requiring the presence of observers at such elections. The district court held as a matter of law that the Board was not required to provide for election observers representing the contending associations. The Board's practice, however, and that followed in the instant case permitted the designation of such observers. Assuming, without deciding, that the rule as announced was binding on the Board in its conduct of the election, it is doubtful whether, as a matter of law, any notice to the Federation of the election and of its right to appoint an observer other than that contained in the posted notice of election was necessary in view of the finding of the district court that Actual notice of the election was given to practically every coach cleaner. Personal notice was given, however, to F. W. Washington, a coach cleaner in the employ of the carrier, and general chairman of the craft, for the Federation, rather than to Rice, a Federation organizer, neither a coach cleaner nor employed by the carrier. Section 4 of the notice of election makes it clear that the Board did not assume the responsibility of selecting an observer. That responsibility rested with the two associations. Any responsibility the Board may have in respect to giving personal notice of an election to a contending association must be limited to giving such notice to a proper official of the association. Washington's office was such that he appeared to be a proper person to receive notice for the Federation of an election in the coach cleaner's craft and of the right to appoint an election observer, [5] and the district court so found. Some testimony was adduced to the effect that ordinarily the general chairman was so regarded. [6] It is true that Rice had been designated in the month of June 1937, preceding the election of December 1937, as the Federation representative in respect to the dispute, but his authority came from Washington and the latter continued to hold the post of general chairman of the craft until after the election. [7] The record indicates that the Board from the outset addressed its Federation communications to Washington. [8] The record clearly shows, and the district court found, that the Board received no information before or during the election that there was any question as to Washington's status in the Federation, or his fitness to act as an observer. Under all these circumstances, we cannot say that Washington's designation of Rice in June 1937, to represent the Federation in the case, or the conflicting testimony as to whether Cole indicated to Rice that he would inform him in respect to an election, would justify this court in disturbing the finding of the district court that Washington was a proper person for the Board to notify concerning the election and of the right of the Federation to appoint an observer. It should be pointed out that even if the Board erred in permitting Washington to act as the Federation election observer, such error would not justify nullifying the election which was in all respects fairly and honestly conducted. [9] In System Federation v. Virginian Ry. Co., D.C., 11 F. Supp. 621, affirmed, 4 Cir., 84 F.2d 641, affirmed, 300 U.S. 515, 57 S.Ct. 592, 81 L.Ed. 789, it appeared that the observer for one contending association also belonged to and was active in the rival association. It was held that this dual membership on the part of the observer would not affect the validity of an otherwise fairly conducted election. We cannot but conclude that the district court properly rejected the Federation's contention respecting their election observer.