The Kilgore Manufacturing Co.

In the Matter of THE KILGORE MANUFACTURING ColhPANY and UNITED MINE WORKERS, DISTRICT 50, LOCAL NO. 12461 Case No. R-41248.-Decided November 9, 1914 Investigation and Certification of Representatives : election conducted pursuant to stipulation for certification upon consent election, set aside in view of violation of election rule Stanley and Smoyer, by Mr. Harry E: Smoyer, of Cleveland, Ohio, for the Company. Mr. Stanley Denlinger, of Akron, Ohio, for the Union. Mr. Seymoi&r Spelman, of counsel to the Board. DECISION ORDER AND DIRECTION OF ELECTION STATEDIENT OF THE CASE Upon petition duly filed by United Mine Workers, District 50, Local No. 12461, herein called the Union, alleging that a question affecting commerce had arisen concerning the representation of employees of The Kilgore Manufacturing Company, Westerville, Ohio, engaged in the manufacture of war materials at a plant in Westerville, Ohio, the National Labor Relations Board provided for an appropriate hearing upon due notice. On July 10, 1942, before a hearing was held, the Company, the Union, and the Regional Director for the Ninth Region (Cincinnati, Ohio), entered into a "STIPULATION FOR CERTIFICATION OF REPRESENTATIVES UPON CONSENT ELECTION." Pursuant to the stipulation an election by secret ballot was con- ducted on July 22, 1942, under the direction and supervision of the Regional Director among all production and maintenance employees of the Company, except foreman, assistant foreman, plant guards, salesmen, office and clerical employees, and all others having the right to hire or discharge, to determine whether or not they desired to be represented by the Union for the purposes of collective bargaining. 45 N. L. R B, No. 69. 468 THE KILGO'RE MANUFACTURING COMPANY 469 On July 24, 1942, 'the Regional Director issued and duly served.upon- the parties an Election Report on the ballot. As to the balloting and its results, the Regional Director reported as follows: Total on eligibilty list-------------------------------------- 560 Total ballots cast------------------------------------------ 527 Total ballots challenged---------------------- ------------------------------------- -14 Total blank ballotis----------------------------- _---------- 4 Total void ballots------------------------------------------ 2 Total valid votes counted----------------------------------- 507 Votes cast for United Mine Workers, District 50, Local No. 12461----------------------------------------------------- 286 Votes cast 'against United Mine Workers, District 50, Local No. 12461-------------------------------------------------- 221 Objections to the conduct of the election were thereafter filed season- ably by the Company, which claimed that there had been improper electioneering on the part of the Union and that the results of the election should be voided. Pursuant to notice, a hearing on the objec- tions was held before Philip G. Phillips, Regional Director. The Company and the Union appeared and participated. On September 1, 1942, the Regional, Director issued a Report on Objections, copies of which were served on the parties, in which he recommended that the election be voided and a new election ordered. On September 8, the • Union filed with the Board a Memorandum of Objections to the Regional Director's Report. Pursuant to a stipulation of the parties,, the Board has reviewed the entire record, including the evidence adduced at the hearing before the Regional Director, the objections, the Regional Director's Report on Objections, and the Union's Memorandum of Objections. Upon the basis of the stipulations and the entire record in the case, the Board makes the following:, FINDINGS OF FACT On the day of the election one Blackburn, business agent of the Union, stationed himself along the line of march of the voters imme- diately outside of the polling place. An agent of the Board requested Blackburn to leave, telling him that the usual rule in force in Ohio, namely, that there should be no electioneering within 200 feet of the polls, was to be observed. Blackburn left the scene but subsequently 'On September 25, 1942, piior to this stipulation, the Board issued an order, copies of which were served on the parties, diecting that a hearing on the objections to the election be held before a Trial Examiner Thee eafter, the parties agreed that a hearing before a Tiial Examiner was unnecessary and that the Board, on the basis of the record of the hearing before the Regional Director , could rendei a decision On October 9, the Company filed a motion to vacate the order The motion is granted and the order of September 25, directing a heaiing on objections , is hereby vacated. 470 DECISIONS OF NATIONAL LABOR, RELATIONS BOARD returned and seated himself in his automobile within 200 feet of the polls and directly adjacent to the line formed by the voters going to the polls. • While he remained there about half of the voters passed him. Blackburn admitted that lie sat in his car and, as the voters : passed, waved to those he knew. He was asked to move again by the Board agent and after some argument, did so. That Blackburn's conduct constituted a violation of the election rules is not disputed by the Union. The stipulation under which the elec- tion was conducted provided that the election should be subject to reasonable rules and regulations prescribed by the Regional Director. One of such rules, plainly stated in the Notice of Election, copies of which were posted in conspicuous places in and about the polls at least 3 days prior to the election, provided -that "Voters will be allowed to vote without interference, restraint, or coercion. Electioneering will not be permitted at or near the polling place." Moreover, on the first occasion when Blackburn made his appearance within the pro- scribed area, an agent of the Board informed him that his presence there was in violation of -the, election, rules and ordered him to leave. Blackburn left, but returned and; remained within the proscribed area' for a substantial length of time. The Union, while admitting that its agent's conduct violated the express provisions of the election rules, contends that the election should not be vitiated in the absence of a showing of fraud or such actual restraint or interference as would influence the results of the election. , We find no merit in this contention. We believe that the purposes of the Act will best be effectuated by a strict enforcement of elections rules and an equally strict observance of them by the repre- sentatives of the interested parties. To require, in each case, a nice, measurement of the actual coercive or intimidatory effort of mis- conduct on the results of the election,. would place an undue burden on the objecting party and the Board. It is sufficient that, as in the instant case, the evidence reveals- a wilful violation of a material and salutary election rule. We therefore shall set the election aside and shall direct that a new election be held. In the event that the Union does not desire a new election, we will entertain its motion to withdraw the petition. ORDER AND DIRECTION OF ELECTION By virtue of and pursuant to the power vested in the National- Labor Relations Board by Section 9 (c) of the National Labor Re- lations Act and pursuant to Article III, Sections 9 and 10, of National Labor Relations Board Rules and Regulations-Series 2, as amended, it ' is hereby THE KILGORE MANUFACTURING COMPANY 471 ORDERED that the election of July 22, 1942, conducted among the employees of The Kilgore Manufacturing Company, Westerville, Ohio, be and it hereby is set aside; and it is hereby DIRECTED that, as part of the investigation to ascertain representa- tives for the purposes of collective bargaining with, The Kilgore Manufacturing Company, Westerville, Ohio, an election by secret ballot shall be conducted as early as possible, but not -later than thirty (30) days from the date of this Direction of Election, under the direction and supervision of the Regional Director, for the Ninth Region,' acting in this matter as agent for the National Labor Re- lations Board, and:subject to Article III, Section 10, of said Rules and Regulations,' among all production and maintenance employees of the Company, excluding foremen, assistant foremen, plant guards, salesmen, office and clerical employees, and all others having the right to hire and discharge, who were employed during'the ,pay-roll period immediately preceding the date of this Direction, including employees who did not work during said pay-roll period because they were ill or on vacation or in the active military. service or train- ing of the. United States, or temporarily laid off, but excluding any who have since quit or been discharged for cause to determine whether or not they desire to be represented by United Mine Workers, District 50, Local No. 12461, for the purposes of collective bargaining. _