Document: 349 U.S. 427 75 S.Ct. 860 99 L.Ed. 1196 James P. MITCHELL, Secretary of Labor, United States Department Petitioner,v.C. W. VOLLMER & COMPANY, Inc. No. 387. Argued March 3, 1955. Decided June 6, Mr. Stuart Rothman, Washington, D.C., for petitioner. Eberhard Deutsch, New Orleans, La., respondent. Justice DOUGLAS delivered the opinion Court. 1 Petitioner brought this suit under § 17 Fair Labor Standards Act, 52 Stat. 1060, as amended, 63 910, 29 U.S.C. 201 et seq., U.S.C.A. to enjoin respondent from violating 15(a)(2) and 15(a)(5) Act. Those sections make unlawful violation 7 11(c) Section requires one a half times regular rate pay work in excess 40 hours week; keeping records that are prescribed by regulations. CFR, 1954 Cum.Supp., 516.1 seq. The contention is respondent's violations relate performed construction an earthwork embankment concrete platform Algiers Lock Orleans Parish, Louisiana, unit Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, extending Florida Mexican border. designed furnish better passage into across Mississippi than provided present Harvey Canal. 2 Respondent concedes some its employees on were employed more per week without payment overtime. Its defense working not engaged interstate commerce, thus covered Act.1 3 evidence at trial was primarily directed question whether those commerce within meaning As already noted, will form part Waterway. It serve alternate route Relying our decision Raymond v. Chicago, M. St. P.R. Co., 243 43, 37 268, 61 583, District Court held denied injunctive relief. 113 F.Supp. 235. Appears Fifth Circuit affirmed curiam. 214 F.2d 132. To resolve apparent conflict with Tobin Pennington-Winter Const. 10 Cir., 198 334, we granted certiorari. Mitchell C. Vollmer Inc., 348 886, 207. 4 Act makes 40-hour overtime provisions applicable Canal project if it 'engaged commerce.' argued they 'in commerce,' since new therefore category tunnel being constructed supra. In latter case, employee carrier subject Federal Employers' Liability 45 51 even though tunnel, when completed, would be facility. 5 We do think case should control one. dealing different another vintage—one has been given liberal Kirschbaum Co. Walling, 316 517, 62 1116, 86 1638, Alstate Construction Durkin, 345 13, 73 565, 97 745. commerce' determined practical considerations, technical conceptions. See Walling Jacksonville Paper 317 564, 570, 332, 336, 87 460; Overstreet North Shore Corp., 318 125, 128, 130, 494, 496, 497, 656. test so directly vitally related functioning instrumentality or facility be, effect, it, rather isolated local activity. McLeod Threlkeld, 319 491, 1248, 1251, 1538. Repair facilities activity Fitzgerald Pedersen, 324 720, 65 892, 89 1316. And improving existing involved falls same category.2 6 Waterway commerce. Without Lock, proved inadequate where crosses Mississippi. cannot handle traffic. Use entails travel through five miles harbor, heavy impractical widen because located highly developed industriat section Orleans. conceived alternative relieving congestion point. S. Doc. 188, 78th Cong., 2d Sess., pp. 1—4. seems us have intimate relation improvement navigation dredging have. redesigning Reversed. 8 HARLAN took no consideration case. 9 MINTON, whom FRANKFURTER joins, dissenting. Only relief sought here prevent §§ which require employers extra them. 207(a), provides: 11 '* * (N)o employer shall employ any his who production goods workweek longer forty hours, unless such receives compensation employment above specified less one-half he employed.' 12 contended constructing cutoff canal If engaged, injunction lie. This presents statutory light legislative, administrative, judicial considerations. 13 provides every railway common while liable damages suffers injury resulting negligence carrier. himself there can recovery 14 company operation railroad between Chicago Seattle. went around mountains, mountains. While injured sued claiming railroad's negligence. use only contemplated after completion. That exact situation reference canal. 15 York Central R. White, 247, 667, station alongside line. White night watchman site killed. His representative but about duties construction. 16 interpretation application federal courts adopted rule cases, arose A prerequisite either came known 'new rule' applied Murphey Reed, 335 865, 69 105, 93 410. also First Nieves Standard Dredging 152 719, channel previously nonnavigable stream. Second Scholl McWilliams 169 729, air base Greenland had yet used foreign Third Kelly Ford, Bacon Davis, 162 555, building plant aircraft engines later additional work. Circuit, beside consideration, expressway which, routed over several highways. Van Klaveren Killian-House 210 510. Sixth Koepfle Garavaglia, 200 191, integrated highway system. Eighth Crabb Welden Bros., 164 797, Alcan Highway. Tenth Moss Gillioz 206 819, similarly bridge 51st Street, south Tulsa, Oklahoma, traffic then using 11th Street Bridge could routed. agencies responsible administration interpreted applying Wage Hour Interpretative Bulletin 5, 12, Dec. 2, 1938; BNA, 1944—1945 WH Man. 23: 18 'The arises builders contractors entitled benefits generally produce shipped sold State lines. Thus, original buildings scope completed *.' 19 Manual, Bureau National Affairs Relations Reporter, Vol. 10:237, follows: 20 'In interpreting Act's industry, Division drawn distinction their repair reconstruction.' 21 repairing never 22 seems, therefore, quite recently changed mind integral change law. Court, may law, time saying why does so, except foregoing cases vintage. I am unable distinguish vintage test. overruling Raymond, decisions number decided Courts, brushes them off 23 Reliance upon Court's opinions becomes hazardous business lawyers judges, mention contractors, familiar presented concerns 410, Navy base,

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