Court Opinion

ID: 9464808
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 23:43:07.303598+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:38:49.608962
License: Public Domain

GODBOLD, Circuit Judge,
dissenting:
I respectfully dissent.
The ALJ did not find the required “unequivocal intention” to be bound by group collective bargaining, and I am not willing to join in patching up his findings at the appellate level to make them meet the correct legal standard. See note 2 of majority opinion and accompanying text. On the thin and equivocal evidence in this case it is pure speculation to assume that the ALJ meant “unequivocal” when he did not say so. Indeed, one could infer that he could not bring himself to make a finding so embarrassingly bereft of support.
The fulcrum of this case is the alleged evidence of a past history of group collective bargaining. First, a multi-employer bargaining unit may be established by unequivocal and express agreement of the parties to bind themselves to group bargaining or by a controlling history of collective bargaining on such basis. See footnote 3 of majority opinion. There being no express agreement, the majority stand on the alternative of “a controlling history of collective bargaining on such basis.”
Second, to meet the requirement of unequivocal intent to be bound by group action (based upon circumstances other than express agreement), the majority infer unequivocal intent and base that inference in part upon dealings of the parties prior to 1976.
Third, the unequivocal intent to engage in group bargaining must be manifested from the outset of the negotiations. The 1976 bargaining began with the submission of individual proposals from the various employers. This was not merely equivocal action but affirmatively tended to show *69intention not to engage in group bargaining. To get these embarrassing circumstances out of the case the majority lean again upon the reed of the alleged prior history of group bargaining.
Thus the thread of alleged history of prior group bargaining runs all through the case and props it up at every critical juncture. There is no substantial evidence of prior group bargaining. The majority cite none and the ALJ cited none. Rather the ALJ inferred from the single expression “Neon and Electrical Sign Companies of Dallas, Texas,” used in past contracts, that the parties thereto had agreed to negotiate jointly in making the past contracts, although the past contracts had been signed by individual employers each designating himself as “Employer.” One need not rely on the shibboleth of inference on an inference to see that what has been done here is impermissible. On the basis of the use of a single term, and no other evidence, the Board and the majority have drawn an inference with regard to the nature of unrevealed and undescribed bargaining negotiations conducted in 1968, 1971 and 1973, and then have used this inference to draw the critical inferences described above relating to 1976 negotiations. This attenuated bootstrapping is not substantial evidence.
In NLRB v. Beckham, Inc., 564 F.2d 190 (C.A.5, 1977), a divided Board and a divided panel of this court found sufficient evidence of unequivocal intention to participate in multi-employer bargaining. The flimsiness of the present case is demonstrated by comparing it with the facts which in Beckham were held sufficient by two divided review bodies. In Beckham the prior bargaining history was proved. Members of the employers’ association had bargained with the union as a group but with the purpose of signing individual contracts. Before the contract in issue was negotiated the association amended its bylaws to enable it to act as a multi-employer bargaining unit and negotiate a single contract for its members. At a meeting of the association it was announced that there would be group bargaining for a single contract. All members present including Beckham agreed. Negotiations began and the representative of the employers’ association told the union that the association was negotiating for members as a group instead of for individual contracts as in the past. Beckham was present and never indicated disagreement with the statement. The union agreed to negotiate with the association as a multiemployer unit. At the final negotiating session the employers reported that they agreed to the contract except that Beckham needed relief from one provision, and the union stated it would not object to Beck-ham’s getting a waiver from his employees on this provision. Beckham and all others shook hands and stated they had an agreement. After Beckham was unable to get a waiver he took the position he was not bound. In the present case there is no factual evidence of prior bargaining history, no' formal employers’ association, no evidence that an association even exists except for the descriptive term used in the preceding contracts, no pre-bargaining agreement among employers that the group was negotiating as a unit, no announcement at the meetings that the negotiations were group in nature, no agreement by the union that the negotiations were with employers as a group. The post-bargaining actions of McAx were equivocal, but they do not rise to the level of the implied recognition given by employer Beckham in asking for a waiver.
The Board order should not be enforced.