Opinion ID: 471757
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Nature of NLRB Activity

Text: 17 The fact that the University is not identical to a parochial school does not, however, end our inquiry. As we noted above, whether governmental activity engenders excessive entanglement with religion is the result of several related elements; apart from the character and purpose of the institution affected, we also look at the nature of the activity engaged in or mandated by the government, and the resulting relationship between government and the religious organization. Lemon, 403 U.S. at 615, 91 S.Ct. at 2112. In Catholic Bishop, the nature of the schools was so pervasively religious that the Court easily found a strong likelihood of entanglement. It is possible, however, that even in only partially sectarian institutions, a significant risk of entanglement could exist if the governmental activity involved was such that it directly affected the particular religious facets of the institution. We conclude, however, that NLRB involvement with the University would not be of the kind that would create an impermissible entanglement between government and religion. 18 First, the Board will become involved with the University only at the point that an unfair labor practice charge is filed. Radio Officers' Union v. NLRB, 347 U.S. 17, 53, 74 S.Ct. 323, 342, 98 L.Ed. 455 (1954) (without a charge, the Board has no authority to issue a complaint); NLRB v. Vernitron Electrical Components, 548 F.2d 24, 27 (1st Cir.1977) (Board can only proceed when charge is filed and employer named as respondent). After the filing of a complaint, the Board does have broad authority to make a full and complete investigation. NLRB v. Fant Milling Co., 360 U.S. 301, 308, 79 S.Ct. 1179, 1183, 3 L.Ed.2d 1243 (1959). But the Board does not have carte blanche to expand the charge as it wills; it is limited to  'practices which are related to those alleged in the charge and which grow out of them' . Id., quoting National Licorice Co. v. NLRB, 309 U.S. 350, 369, 60 S.Ct. 569, 579, 84 L.Ed. 799 (1940). 19 This activity on the part of the Board is quite different from the continuous auditing surveillance feared by the Supreme Court in Lemon, 403 U.S. at 619, 91 S.Ct. at 2114. (A comprehensive, discriminating, and continuing state surveillance will inevitably be required to ensure that these [government] restrictions are obeyed and the First Amendment otherwise respected.) This restricted involvement of a labor board has been recognized by other courts. In Catholic High School Ass'n v. Culvert, the Second Circuit held that New York State labor board jurisdiction over Catholic parochial schools would not create excessive entanglement between the religious schools and the government. Among other factors, the court noted that the State Board's supervision over the collective bargaining process is neither comprehensive nor continuing. 753 F.2d 1161, 1167 (2nd Cir.1985). The Ninth Circuit, in holding that the NLRB had jurisdiction over a religiously affiliated hospital, explained that Board jurisdiction will produce only incidental intrusion by requiring examination of [the hospital's] actions and conduct only with respect to specific charges which may be filed in the limited area of collective bargaining and labor relations. St. Elizabeth Community Hospital v. NLRB, 708 F.2d 1436, 1442 (9th Cir.1983). 7 20 Second, many of the unfair labor practices that will be presented to the Board will be entirely secular. For example, in the case before us, there is no assertion by the University that the promulgation of new academic requirements or the denial of reinstatement for the strikers was motivated by any religious considerations. Similarly, among the University's list of the various potential union demands that could implicate religious concerns, there are a number that are sufficiently secular to be a legitimate subject of union bargaining, with any relevant religious considerations taken into account when necessary. For example, the union could indeed bargain for contract provisions requiring that layoffs of clerical and lay faculty be implemented in some form of a seniority order or could bargain for contract rules requiring that course assignments be made on the basis of faculty preference, with seniority to govern in the event of competing preferences. The University, on its part, in maintaining its position on mandatory subjects of bargaining, would be free to take into account any religious concerns it may have. See NLRB v. Salvation Army of Massachusetts Dorchester Day Care Center, 763 F.2d 1, 8 & n. 9 (1st Cir.1985). 8 21 Finally, in a case where a union bargaining demand or a Board order would truly interfere with the University's religious freedom, the University is free to refuse to bargain with the union or to comply with the order, and to test its position before us. The fact that the University's religious character is not sufficient to insulate it from Board jurisdiction does not mean that it has completely lost the shield of the First Amendment. See Newspaper Guild v. NLRB, 636 F.2d 550 (D.C.Cir.1980) (although newspaper is not immune from NLRB jurisdiction merely because it is an agency of the press, certain of its activities are legitimately within the zone of First Amendment protection and must be protected in NLRB orders). The University lists a number of union demands that could potentially interfere with the University's admittedly religious facets. 9 We take quite seriously the University's concern that certain union demands could potentially interfere with its religious character. We expect, however, that the NLRB will also consider these claims seriously and will ensure that its orders are shaped so as to pass constitutional muster. For example, one of the University's main concerns appears to revolve around limitations on its freedom to discharge faculty for religious reasons. The law is clear, however, that even a discharge based in part on protected union activity will not be considered an unfair labor practice if the employer can show that the individual would have been discharged in any event for a non-union reason. NLRB v. Transportation Management Corp., 462 U.S. 393, 103 S.Ct. 2469, 76 L.Ed.2d 667 (1983). Such a reason could certainly be one based on religious considerations. Thus, the Board may not find that the University has engaged in an unfair labor practice if the University shows it has discharged an employee for religious reasons. See Catholic High School Ass'n v. Culvert, 753 F.2d at 1168-69. 22 Both in determining whether the University has engaged in an unfair labor practice, and in fashioning a remedial order, see Passaic Daily News v. NLRB, 736 F.2d 1543, 1556-59 (D.C.Cir.1984) (court ordered Board remedy tailored to accommodate newspaper's First Amendment rights), the Board is constitutionally required to consider and accommodate the University's legitimate First Amendment rights. In any instance in which the University feels the Board has failed, and that its First Amendment rights have indeed been violated, we stand ready to hear that claim. 23 Thus, given the form of NLRB jurisdiction over the University, and the safeguards that accompany that involvement, we do not find that a significant risk of entanglement between government and religion will occur as the result of this type of governmental involvement with a religiously affiliated institution. Jurisdiction may therefore be assumed under the National Labor Relations Act, and such jurisdiction is constitutional.