Norway Needlecraft Corp.

In the Matter of NORWAY NEEDLECRAFT CORPORATION, EMPLOYER and AMALGAMATED CLOTHING WORKE RS of AMER[CA, CIO, PETITIONER Case No. 18-R-1886.-Decided January 7, 194.8 Howard Pielmn,etti, Esq., of Norway, Mich., for the Employer. Messrs. Ivan Brown and Peter Vranich, of Detroit, Mich., for the Petitioner. DECISION AND DIRECTION OF ELECTION Upon a petition drily filed, hearing in this case was held at Iron Mountain, Michigan, on July 8, 1947, before Clarence A. Meter, hearing officer. The hearing officer's rulings made at the hearing are free from prejudicial error and are hereby affirmed. Upon the entire record in the case, the National Labor Relations Board makes the following : FINDINGS OF FACT 1. THE BUSINESS OF TIIE EMPLOYER Norway Needlecraft Corporation, a Michigan corporation, is en- gaged in the manufacture of clothing at Norway, Michigan. During the current year, the Employer purchased materials valued in excess of $30,000, all of which were received front points outside the State of Michigan. During the same period, the Employer sold finished products valued in excess of $30,000, all of which were shipped to points outside the State of Michigan. The Employer admits, and we find, that it is engaged in commerce within the meaning of the National Labor Relations Act. II. THE ORGANIZATION INVOLVED The Petitioner is a labor organization, affiliated with the Congress of Industrial Organizations , claiming to represent employees of the Employer. X75 N. L R. B., No. 87. 738 NORWAY NEEDLECRAFT CORPORATION ilI. THE QUESTION CONCERNING REPRESENTATION 739, The Employer refuses to recognize the Petitioner as the exclusive- bargaining representative of the employees of the Employer until the Petitioner has been certified by the Board in an appropriate unit. We find that a question affecting commerce exists concerning the representation of employees of the Employer, within the meaning of Section 9 (c) (1) and Section 2 (6) and (7) of the Act. IV. THE APPROPRIATE UNIT We find, in accordance with the agreement of the parties, that all production and maintenance employees at the Employer's Norway,. Michigan, plant, excluding office and clerical employees, mechanic-c foreman, and all other supervisors as defined in the Act, constitute a unit appropriate for the purposes of collective bargaining within the- meaning of Section 9 (b) of the Act. V. THE DETERi1IINAT1ON OF REPRESENTATIVES At the hearing, the Employer contended that an election should not be directed at that time because the number of employees in the unit, found appropriate, suupra, would be increased substantially within approximately 6 months from the date of the hearing. The-Employer testified that it had 37 employees at the time of the- hearing, and it expected its full complement of approximately 125- workers to be reached within 6 months. Since an election in this case- would not be held until sometime in January 1948, which is approxi-- nlately 6 months from the date of the hearing, and the eligibility date' is current, we find no obstacles to a direction of election at this time. We shall direct that the question concerning representation which has arisen be resolved by an election by secret ballot, subject to the limitations and additions set forth in the direction. DIRECTION OF ELECTION As part of the investigation to ascertain representatives for the. purposes of collective bargaining with Norway Needlecraft Corpora- tion, Norway, Michigan, 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, under the direction and supervision of the Regional Di- rector for the Eighteenth Region, acting in this matter as the agent for the National Labor Relations Board, and subject to Sections 203.61 and 203.62, of National Labor Relations Board Rules and Regulations- 766972-48-vol 75-48 740 DECISIONS OF NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD Series 5, among the employees in the unit found appropriate in Sec- tion IV, above, who were employed during the pay-roll period immedi- ately 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 temporarily laid off, but excluding those employees who have since quit or been discharged for cause and have not been rehired or reinstated prior to the time of the election, to determine whether or not they desire to be represented by Amalgamated Clothing Work- ers of America, CIO, for the purposes of collective bargaining.