Opinion ID: 583927
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: procedural posture and facts

Text: 2 On May 18, 1990 the United Mine Workers of America, AFL-CIO [UMWA] filed a representation petition with the NLRB seeking certification as the collective bargaining representative of Colquest's production and maintenance employees. On June 19, 1990 the NLRB conducted a secret ballot representation election. Of the 75 votes cast, 39 were for representation and 30 were against representation by the UMWA; six ballots were challenged. 3 Colquest filed with the Regional Director four objections to the conduct of the election. For the sake of clarity, we will discuss Colquest's specific factual allegations as we address the company's objections seriatim. Colquest claimed that UMWA agents interfered with the ability of Colquest's employees to make a free choice in the representation election: 1) by electioneering at the polls while employees were standing in line to vote; 2) by promising voters economic benefits in exchange for votes; 3) by threatening certain voters; and 4) by promising to waive union fees for those employees who were willing to acknowledge their support of the UMWA prior to the election. 4 The NLRB's Regional Director conducted a confidential investigation of Colquest's claims. On August 31, 1990 the Regional Director issued a report recommending that Colquest's objections be overruled. Colquest filed with the NLRB timely exceptions to the Regional Director's recommendations. On January 18, 1991 the NLRB issued an order adopting the Regional Director's recommendations, and certified the UMWA as the exclusive bargaining representative of Colquest's production and maintenance employees. 5 Colquest did not comply with the NLRB's order; the company refused to bargain with the UMWA. Colquest argued before the Board that the NLRB's certification of the UMWA was improper because the election was improperly conducted. Colquest demanded an evidentiary hearing in order to demonstrate that the conduct of certain individuals prevented a fair representation election. The UMWA filed an unfair labor practice charge against Colquest. On May 15, 1991 the NLRB issued a decision and order in which the Board found that Colquest had violated 29 U.S.C. §§ 158(a)(1) and (5) by refusing to bargain with the UMWA. Because the NLRB determined that Colquest neither presented special circumstances that would require the Board to reexamine its prior decision nor presented newly discovered evidence, the NLRB found for the UMWA and refused to grant Colquest an evidentiary hearing. Colquest petitions this Court to review the NLRB's decision; the NLRB cross-petitions for enforcement of its order. 6 At oral argument counsel for the NLRB was reminded of the fact that the Board had failed to file a portion of the record on appeal. Specifically, the NLRB had not filed employee affidavits that were attached to Colquest's exceptions to the Regional Director's Report on Objections. We invited counsel for the NLRB to move to furnish the previously omitted portions of the record; the NLRB's counsel made the motion which was granted on February 25, 1992.