Document: 429 U.S. 298 97 S.Ct. 576 50 L.Ed.2d 494 BAYSIDE ENTERPRISES, INC., et al., Petitioners,v.NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD. No. 75-1267. Argued Nov. 10, 1976. Decided Jan. 11, 1977. Syllabus Petitioners, operating a large, vertically integrated poultry business (including breeding farms, chicken hatcheries, slaughtering and processing plant, mill for producing feed), contract with 119 independently owned operated farms the raising of chickens which are hatched in petitioners' hatcheries. Petitioners supply one-day-old chicks, their feed, medicine supplies, fuel, pick up chicks about nine weeks later when ready processing. retain title to at all times pay farmers guaranteed sum plus bonus based on weight exchange farmers' services caring housing chicks. The fed feed from feedmill delivered by truck drivers employed petitioners specifically this purpose. refused bargain collectively union representing these drivers, contending that were not employees as defined § 2(3) National Labor Relations Act but exempted protections agricultural laborers related definition 3(f) Fair Standards Act. union's resulting unfair labor practice charge was sustained Board Court Appeals ground because duties incidental activities. Held : "employees" within coverage NLRA, laborers, status being determined character work they perform employer, is any employer's (petitioners') activities, feed-mill operation nonagricultural storage use independent activity performed petitioners. NLRB's conclusion reasonable interpretation comports prior holdings, supported Secretary Labor's construction 3(f). Pp. 299-304. 527 F.2d 436, affirmed. Alan J. Levenson, Portland, Maine, Harriet S. Shapiro, Washington, D. C., respondent. Mr. Justice STEVENS opinion Court. 1 petitioners, described "Bayside," three affiliated corporations Maine.1 question present whether six employees, who raised, "agricultural laborers" therefore covered 2 After few preliminary talks, Bayside meaning Act.2 First Circuit.3 An apparent conflict decisions Fifth Ninth Circuits4 led us grant certiorari, 425 970, 96 2165, 48 793. We now affirm. 3 Act5 extend only "employees." Section Act, 29 U.S.C. 152(3) provides "term 'employee' . shall include individual an laborer ." Congress has further provided term laborer" NLRA have specified Act.6 It therefore, section construing it relevant even though proceeding arose under NLRA. provides, part: 4 " 'Agriculture' includes farming its branches (including) poultry, practices farmer or farm incident conjunction such operations 52 Stat. 1060, 203(f). 5 This statutory both primary secondary sense.7 farming, hauling products farming. Such may, however, be if "by Since there no claim "on farm," should regarded farmer." answer depends 6 may Thus, most sugar plantation agricultural, persons plantation's sugar-processing plant employees." Maneja v. Waialua Agricultural Co., 349 254, 264-270, 75 719, 725-728, 99 L.Ed. 1040. In case, parties agree some Bayside's not. 7 produces slaughters dresses operations.8 On other hand, hatching eggs, activities clearly character. dispute respect chickens. 8 raised separate contractors. Pursuant standard contractual arrangement, each medicine, litter, vaccine. retains pays sum, bird grown, farmer's delivers one day old picks them later. During nine-week period, feedbins drivers. 9 argues part operation. argument pervasive control over ownership assumption risks casualty loss market fluctuations, source destination poultry. response, owners contractors rather than locations attributable Bayside. 10 squarely consistently rejected Bayside.9 we must issue might "with nearly equal reason resolved way another."10 11 Even regard hybrid where owner farm, would nevertheless compelled sustain Board's order. For storing then using own cannot make laborers. And activity.11 properly concluded behalf employer farmer" attention focused origin delivery. 12 statute, consistent holdings,12 3(f).13 Moreover, applies specific instance "(m)yriad forms service relationship, infinite subtle variations terms employment, (which) blanket nation's economy,"14 confront daily basis. Accordingly, regardless how initial matter, appropriate given judgment agency whose special duty apply broad language varying fact patterns requires enforcement order.15 13 Affirmed. Enterprises, Inc., wholly subsidiary Poultry Processing, corporations; Penobscot Co. apparently inactive. represented Truck Drivers, Warehousemen Helpers Union, Local 340, International Brotherhood Teamsters, Chauffeurs, America. That local Amalgamated Meatcutters 385 jointly represent plant. 216 N.L.R.B. 502, enf'd, 436 (1975). order union. NLRB Strain Farms, 405 1025 (CA5 1969); Ryckebosch, 471 20 (CA9 1972). 49 449, amended, 151 seq. Annually since 1946, Congress, riders Appropriations Acts Board, tied FLSA. latest rider (90 23) follows: "Provided, appropriation available organize assist organizing used connection investigations, hearings, directives, orders concerning bargaining units composed referred July 5, 1935 (29 152), amended Labor-Management 1947, June 25, 1938 203) "First, meaning. Agriculture branches. Certain cultivation tillage soil, dairying, etc., listed included Second, broader things so illustrated. practices, themselves either incidentally 'such' operations." Farmers Reservoir & Irrigation McComb, 337 755, 762-763, 69 1274, 1278, 93 1672. These conducted subsidiary, employs workers 380 Belfast, Me. held "when contracts growers care feeding engaged ends those chicks." Imco Poultry, 202 259, 260 (1973), citing 160 236 (1966); 163 972 (1967), enf. denied, Victor 189 40 (1971), Cf. Norton McElroy Produce, 133 104 (1961). kind contemplated Frankfurter his concurrence supra, 770, 1282: "Both employments covers exemptions makes cast upon courts making distinctions often bound nice appear arbitrary relation other. A situation, like presented presents problem another." found comparable situations delivery activity. McElrath 206 354, 355 518 1974); Samuel B. Gass, 154 728, 732-733 (1965), 377 438 (CA1 1967). supra ; Abbott 199 472 (1972), 487 904 1973); supra. 1961 Wage Hour Division Department issued interpretative bulletin remains effective today. reads, pertinent "Contract arrangements "Feed dealers processors sometimes enter into latter raise marketable size baby supplied former also undertake furnish required possibly additional items. Typically, dealer processor until sold. Under processor, 'raising poultry' considered ground. Employees 'secondary' agriculture (see §§ 780.137 seq., (explaining farmer-employer's qualify farmer) Johnston Cotton Producers Assn., 244 553)." CFR 780.126 14 Hearst Publications, 322 111, 126, 64 851, 858. opinion, id., 131, S.Ct., 860, stated: "But application administering statute determine initially, reviewing court's function limited. Like commissioner's determination Longshoremen's Harbor Workers' man 'member crew' (South Chicago Coal Dock Bassett, 309 251, 60 544, 547, 84 732) he injured 'in course employment' (Parker Motor Boat Sales, 314 244, 62 221, 222, 86 184) Federal Communications Commission's company 'control' another (Rochester Telephone Corp. United States, 307 125, 59 754, 83 1147), 'employees' accepted 'warrant record' basis law." (Footnotes omitted.) 15 Insurance 390 260, 88 988, 991, 19 1083; Universal Camera NLRB, 340 474, 488, 71 456, 464, 95 456; Coca-Cola Bottling 350 264, 269, 76 383, 386, 100 285.

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