Opinion ID: 360904
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Inducement, Coercion and Threats

Text: 27 The Union erroneously contends that the trial court erred in determining that certain acts constituted threats, coercion or inducement within the meaning of § 303. 28 Two facts defeat the Union's contention respecting threats and coercion: (1) its request that Pickens use a union subcontractor and (2) its remark that dismissal of Morris would end all picketing. 29 The Union characterizes the latter remark as a simple restatement of the Moore Dry Dock standards, note 2 Supra, offered in response to Spillers' repeated inquiry, What do you want me to do, to get James Morris off the job? Selection among permissible inferences raised by the evidence is primarily a function of the trial court and findings thus made will stand unless clearly erroneous. See Dumas v. King, supra. We find no clear error in the trial court's characterization of the Union's remark. It was calculated to suggest to Pickens, a contractor deeply involved in a major construction project at the time, that cessation of relations with Morris was the easiest way to avoid further work interruptions. 30 The Union's contentions respecting inducement are defeated by its statements to Pickens and Horton employees during the picket. Induce or encourage, as used in the statute, is a phrase broad enough to include every form of influence and persuasion. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers v. NLRB, 341 U.S. 694, 71 S.Ct. 954, 95 L.Ed. 1299 (1951). Courts have recognized the naturally persuasive effects of picket lines and have imposed on unions the duty of taking some steps to overcome them. Vulcan Materials Co. v. United Steelworkers, 430 F.2d 446 (5th Cir. 1970), Cert. denied, 401 U.S. 963, 91 S.Ct. 974, 28 L.Ed.2d 247 (1971) (Vulcan); Wagner Electric Corp. v. Local 1104, International Union of Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers, 496 F.2d 954 (8th Cir. 1974) (citing Vulcan, supra, with approval). The record reflects the Union's complete disinterest in diminishing the probable secondary effects of the picket. The Union's statements, 7 though couched in language having a surface neutrality, were calculated to reinforce and had the necessary effect of reinforcing, the naturally persuasive effects of the picket. 31