Southland Container, Inc.

Southland Container, Inc. and United Paperworkers International Union, AFL-CIO. Case 26-CA- 16057 (formerly 15-CA-12506) June 10, 1994 DECISION AND ORDER BY MEMBERS STEPHENS, DEVANEY, AND COHEN On March 31, 1994, the General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint alleging that the Respondent has violated Section 8(a)(5) and (1) of the National Labor Relations Act by refusing the Union's request to bargain following the Union's certification in Case 15-RC-7726. (Official notice is taken of the "record" in the representation proceeding as defined in the Board's Rules and Regulations, Secs. 102.68 and 102.69(g); Frontier Hotel, 265 NLRB 343 (1982).) The Respondent filed an answer, with affirmative defenses, admitting in part and denying in part the allegations in the complaint. On April 25, 1994, the General Counsel filed a Motion to Transfer Case to Board and for Summary Judgment, with exhibits attached. On May 10, 1994, the Board issued an order transferring the proceeding to the Board and a Notice to Show Cause why the motion should not be granted. The Respondent filed a response. The National Labor Relations Board has delegated its authority in this proceeding to a three-member panel. Ruling on Motion for Summary Judgment In its answer the Respondent admits its refusal to bargain, but attacks the validity of the certification on the basis of its objections to the election and the appropriateness of the unit in the representation proceeding. All representation issues raised by the Respondent were or could have been litigated in the prior representation proceeding.¹ The Respondent does not offer to adduce at a hearing any newly discovered and previously unavailable evidence, nor does it allege any special circumstances that would require the Board to reexamine the decision made in the representation proceeding. We therefore find that the Respondent has not raised any representation issue that is properly litigable in this unfair labor practice proceeding. See Pittsburgh 1 The Respondent's denial of the appropriateness of the unit does not raise a litigable issue in this case. Under the Board's Rules and Regulations, the Respondent has the opportunity to litigate the unit issue, had it chosen to do so, before entering into a Stipulated Election Agreement in which, inter alia, it agreed that the unit described therein was appropriate. The unit's appropriateness, therefore, was fully litigated in the representation proceeding. Hospice of Alverne, 195 NLRB 313 (1972); see also, Equitable Life Assurance Society, 266 NLRB 732, 733 (1983); and Flair Molded Plastics, 250 NLRB 202, 203 (1980). Plate Glass Co. V. NLRB, 313 U.S. 146, 162 (1941). Accordingly, we grant the Motion for Summary Judgment. On the entire record, the Board makes the following FINDINGS OF FACT I. JURISDICTION At all material times, the Respondent, a corporation with an office and place of business in Flora, Mississippi, has been engaged in the manufacturing of corrugated boxes. During the 12-month period ending February 28, 1994, the Respondent sold and shipped from its facility goods valued in excess of $50,000 and purchased and received at its facility goods valued in excess of $50,000 directly to and from points located outside the State of Mississippi. We find that the Respondent is an employer engaged in commerce within the meaning of Section 2(6) and (7) of the Act and that the Union is a labor organization within the meaning of Section 2(5) of the Act. II. ALLEGED UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES A. The Certification Following the election held December 18, 1992, the Union was certified on October 29, 1993, as the collective-bargaining representative of the employees in the following appropriate unit: All full-time and regular part-time production and maintenance employees, including truck drivers, employed by Respondent at its Flora, Mississippi facility; excluding office clerical employees, guards, professional employees, and supervisors as defined in the Act. The Union continues to be the exclusive representative under Section 9(a) of the Act. B. Refusal to Bargain On December 29, 1993, and again on February 2, 1994, the Union requested, in writing, the Respondent to bargain, and, since January 2, 1994, the Respondent has refused. We find that this refusal constitutes an unlawful refusal to bargain in violation of Section 8(a)(5) and (1) of the Act. CONCLUSION OF LAW By refusing on and after January 2, 1994, to bargain with the Union as the exclusive collective-bargaining representative of employees in the appropriate unit, the Respondent has engaged in unfair labor practices affecting commerce within the meaning of Section 8(a)(5) and (1) and Section 2(6) and (7) of the Act. 314 NLRB No. 5 DECISIONS OF THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD REMEDY Having found that the Respondent has violated Section 8(a)(5) and (1) of the Act, we shall order it to cease and desist, to bargain on request with the Union, and, if an understanding is reached, to embody the understanding in a signed agreement. To ensure that the employees are accorded the services of their selected bargaining agent for the period provided by the law, we shall construe the initial period of the certification as beginning the date the Respondent begins to bargain in good faith with the Union. Mar-Jac Poultry Co., 136 NLRB 785 (1962); Lamar Hotel, 140 NLRB 226, 229 (1962), enfd. 328 F.2d 600 (5th Cir. 1964), cert. denied 379 U.S. 817 (1964); Burnett Construction Co., 149 NLRB 1419, 1421 (1964), enfd. 350 F.2d 57 (10th Cir. 1965). ORDER The National Labor Relations Board orders that the Respondent, Southland Container, Inc., Flora, Mississippi, its officers, agents, successors, and assigns, shall 1. Cease and desist from (a) Refusing to bargain with United Paperworkers International Union, AFL-CIO, as the exclusive bargaining representative of the employees in the bargaining unit. (b) In any like or related manner interfering with, restraining, or coercing employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed them by Section 7 of the Act. 2. Take the following affirmative action necessary to effectuate the policies of the Act. (a) On request, bargain with the Union as the exclusive representative of the employees in the following appropriate unit on terms and conditions of employment and, if an understanding is reached, embody the understanding in a signed agreement: All full-time and regular part-time production and maintenance employees, including truck drivers, employed by Respondent at its Flora, Mississippi facility; excluding office clerical employees, guards, professional employees, and supervisors as defined in the Act. (b) Post at its facility in Flora, Mississippi, copies of the attached notice marked "Appendix." Copies of the notice, on forms provided by the Regional Director for Region 26, after being signed by the Respondent's authorized representative, shall be posted by the Respondent immediately upon receipt and maintained for 60 consecutive days in conspicuous places including all places where notices to employees are customarily posted. Reasonable steps shall be taken by the Respondent to ensure that the notices are not altered, defaced, or covered by any other material. (c) Notify the Regional Director in writing within 20 days from the date of this Order what steps the Respondent has taken to comply. Dated, Washington, D.C. June 10, 1994 James M. Stephens, Member Dennis M. Devaney, Member Charles I. Cohen, Member (SEAL) NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD APPENDIX NOTICE To EMPLOYEES POSTED BY ORDER OF THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD An Agency of the United States Government The National Labor Relations Board has found that we violated the National Labor Relations Act and has ordered us to post and abide by this notice. WE WILL NOT refuse to bargain with United Paperworkers International Union, AFL-CIO, as the exclusive representative of the employees in the bargaining unit. WE WILL NOT in any like or related manner interfere with, restrain, or coerce you in the exercise of the rights guaranteed you by Section 7 of the Act. WE WILL, on request, bargain with the Union and put in writing and sign any agreement reached on terms and conditions of employment for our employees in the bargaining unit: All full-time and regular part-time production and maintenance employees, including truck drivers, employed by us at our Flora, Mississippi facility, excluding office clerical employees, guards, professional employees, and supervisors as defined in the Act. ²If this Order is enforced by a judgment of a United States court of appeals, the words in the notice reading "Posted by Order of the National Labor Relations Board" shall read "Posted Pursuant to a Judgment of the United States Court of Appeals Enforcing an Order of the National Labor Relations Board." SOUTHLAND CONTAINER, INC.