Opinion ID: 269384
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Participation of the Union

Text: 33 Long after this cause went to the Master the Union moved to intervene. We referred this motion to the Master, who denied it. He thought party status for the Union inconsistent with Amalgamated Utility Workers v. Consolidated Edison Co., 309 U.S. 261, 60 S.Ct. 561 (1940). In any event, he thought the Union motion so late as to threaten substantial interference with the hearings before him. We affirmed. The Union seeks reconsideration. 34 In Amalgamated Utility Workers, the Supreme Court found a union without standing to bring contempt proceedings on an enforced Board decree. The decision to seek an adjudication of contempt, it said, was as much a question of public policy as any enforcement decision before the Labor Board. Consequently, only the Board was competent to make it. With less force, this reasoning applies to a union's motion to intervene in contempt proceedings already brought by the Board. The Board must prevail if there is conflict between it and the union on the extent to which findings of contempt should be sought, the remedy desired, or the legal theories to be advanced. And the possibility of conflict is the major prop to party status. 24 Moreover, the Union's delay in seeking intervention supports a denial of that status, even if Amalgamated does not apply. We confirm our view that the Master did not err. 35 In this opinion, however, we have intended to resolve the fundamental questions of policy and law on which Board-Union conflict might arise. What remains is particular inquiry into factual questions: which employees fall into what categories for which relief may be ordered. It would appear that the Union could make a substantial contribution to this inquiry, and would be entitled to participate were these proceedings before the Board. Moreover, it does not seem that Union participation will markedly delay or hinder the proceedings. Accordingly, we suggest to the Master that it would be appropriate for him to permit the Union to participate in the forthcoming proceedings.