Court Opinion

ID: 9455603
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 19:26:49.477406+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:34:39.194588
License: Public Domain

(dissenting in part).
I concur in the majority’s denial of enforcement of the Board’s order requiring the respondents to bargain over the decision to close Drapery, but I respectfully dissent from that portion of the court’s decision granting enforcement of the back pay remedy.
The general counsel conceded that respondents had a lawful right to close the operations of Drapery as it was necessitated solely for economic reasons. Drapery had lost money in increasing amounts and its continuation was hopeless. Thus, there was no unfair labor practice stemming from Drapery’s' cessation of business.
Assuming arguendo that respondents were obligated to bargaining over the effects of the closing, they offered to do so, although belatedly, but prior to the hearing before the Board. It appears needless and vain to order the respondents to do something which they have *1030voluntarily agreed to do. Within the framework of the facts in this case, enforcement of the back pay remedy appears to be solely punitive and in no sense effectuates the policies of the Act. The Supreme Court in Republic Steel Corp. v. NLRB, 311 U.S. 7, 61 S.Ct. 77, 85 L.Ed. 6 (1940), points out that the National Labor Relations Act is essentially remedial and not in any sense punitive. Chief Justice Hughes also said in Republic, supra (311 U.S. at 11-12, 61 S.Ct. at 79):
“This language [§ 10(c) of the Act] should be construed in harmony with the spirit and remedial purposes of the Act. We do not think that Congress intended to vest in the Board a virtually unlimited discretion to devise punitive measures, and thus to prescribe penalties or fines which the Board may think would effectuate the policies of the Act. We have said that ‘this authority to order affirmative action does not go so far as to confer a punitive jurisdiction enabling the Board to inflict upon the employer any penalty it may choose because he is engaged in unfair labor practices, even though the Board be of the opinion that the policies of the Act might be effectuated by such an order.’ We have said that the power to command . affirmative action is remedial, not punitive. Consolidated Edison Company v. National Labor Relations Board, 305 U.S. 197, 235, 236, 59 S.Ct. 206, 219, 83 L.Ed. 126. See, also, National Labor Relations Board v. Pennsylvania Greyhound Lines, 303 U.S. 261, 267, 268, 58 S.Ct. 571, 574, 575, 82 L.Ed. 831, 115 A.L.R. 307. We adhere to that construction.”
There is not a great sum involved because the Board’s order involved only a few employees for a short period of time, and the amount, if any is due, would not be speculative but certainly punitive in nature and for that reason goes beyond authority of the Board.
For the reasons stated, I would deny enforcement of the back pay remedy.