363 NLRB 193
International Union of Operating Engineers Local 18 (Nerone & Sons Inc)
OPERATING ENGINEERS, LOCAL 18
193
363 NLRB No. 19
International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 18
and Nerone & Sons, Inc. and R. G. Smith Com-
pany, Inc. and Laborers’ International Union of
North America, Local 310. Cases 08–CD–
135243, 08–CD–143412, 08–CD–135244, and 08–
CD–143415
October 1, 2015
DECISION AND DETERMINATION OF DISPUTE
BY CHAIRMAN PEARCE AND MEMBERS HIROZAWA
AND MCFERRAN
This is a consolidated jurisdictional dispute proceeding
under Section 10(k) of the National Labor Relations Act.
Employer Nerone & Sons (Nerone) filed a charge on
August 21, 2014,1 as amended on October 29, 2014, in
Case 08–CD–135243. Nerone filed a second charge on
August 21, 2014, as amended October 29, 2014, in Case
08–CD–135244. Employer R.G. Smith Company (R.G.
Smith) filed charges on December 23, 2014, in Cases
08–CD–143412 and 08–CD–143415. In Cases 08–CD–
143412 and 08–CD–135243, the Employers allege that
International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 18
(Operating Engineers) violated Section 8(b)(4)(D) of the
Act by engaging in proscribed activity with an object of
forcing the Employers to assign certain work to employ-
ees represented by Operating Engineers rather than to
employees represented by Laborers’ International Union
of North America, Local 310 (Laborers). In Cases 08–
CD–135244 and 08–CD–143415, the Employers allege
that Laborers violated Section 8(b)(4)(D) of the Act by
engaging in proscribed activity with an object of forcing
or requiring the Employers to assign certain work to em-
ployees represented by Laborers rather than to employees
represented by Operating Engineers. An order consoli-
dating cases and notice of hearing subsequently issued
and a hearing was held on February 9, 2015, and March
27, 2015, before Hearing Officer Aaron B. Sukert.2
Thereafter, the Employers, Laborers, and Operating En-
gineers filed posthearing briefs.3 Operating Engineers
also filed a motion to quash the order consolidating cases
1 All dates are in 2014 unless otherwise indicated.
2 In three recent, related cases, Laborers’ Local 894 (Donley’s Inc.)
(Donley’s I), 360 NLRB 104 (2014); Operating Engineers, Local 18
(Donley’s II), 360 NLRB 903 (2014); and Laborers’ Local 310 (KMU
Trucking & Excavating) (Donley’s III), 361 NLRB 381 (2014), the
Board found reasonable cause to believe that Sec. 8(b)(4)(D) of the Act
had been violated with respect to Operating Engineers Local 18 and
various Laborers’ local unions. Donley’s I involved Laborers’ Locals
310 and 894; Donley’s II and Donley’s III involved Laborers’ Local
310. Pursuant to a motion filed by the Employers and Laborers, the
hearing officer incorporated the records in those cases into the instant
proceedings.
3 Laborers’ posthearing brief incorporates the Employers’ posthear-
ing brief and adopts the Employers’ arguments as its own.
and notice of 10(k) hearing, which was deferred by the
hearing officer to the Board for resolution.4
The National Labor Relations Board has delegated its
authority in this matter to a three-member panel.
The Board affirms the hearing officer’s rulings, find-
ing them free from prejudicial error. On the entire rec-
ord, we make the following.
I. JURISDICTION
The parties stipulated that, in the 12-month period pri-
or to the hearing, Employers Nerone and R.G. Smith
each purchased and received materials valued in excess
of $50,000 directly from points located outside the State
of Ohio. The parties further stipulated, and we find, that
the Employers are engaged in commerce within the
meaning of Section 2(6) and (7) of the Act and that La-
borers and Operating Engineers are labor organizations
within the meaning of Section 2(5) of the Act.
II. THE DISPUTE
A. Background and Facts of the Dispute
The Employers in this case are construction contrac-
tors performing work in various locales in northeastern
Ohio. Nerone’s work includes excavation, water treat-
ment, sewer and water work, and certain building trades
work. R.G. Smith’s work involves steel and sheet metal
work, mill maintenance, refractory work, piping, and
roofing work. Both Employers have employed employ-
ees represented by Operating Engineers and Laborers and
are members of the Construction Employer’s Association
of Greater Cleveland (CEA), a multiemployer bargaining
association for construction companies operating in the
4 In its motion to quash, Operating Engineers contends that it was
denied procedural and substantive due process because the statement of
issues set forth in the January 28, 2015 notice of hearing (which Oper-
ating Engineers incorrectly refers to as having issued on February 12,
2015) includes whether the Board should grant an area-wide award
covering “similar work being done by all employers.” Operating Engi-
neers argues that the references to “all employers” and “similar work”
are not sufficiently specific to allow it to prepare for the hearing be-
cause the underlying charge specifies forklift and skid steer work per-
formed at only two jobsites. Operating Engineers argues that under
Ross Stores v. NLRB, 235 F.3d 669, 677 (D.C. Cir. 2001), Sec. 10(b) of
the Act provides that the Board may only investigate and prosecute
conduct encompassed within a charge.
We note that Operating Engineers presented similar arguments in its
Special Appeal to the Board to postpone the hearing. The Board reject-
ed Operating Engineers’ Special Appeal on the merits. Moreover, the
Board addressed and rejected similar arguments by Operating Engi-
neers in Donley’s II, supra, 360 NLRB 903, 903 fn 5. In short, while
the Board has found that, in certain instances, generalized language in
an unfair labor practice charge cannot support a particularized com-
plaint allegation under Sec. 8(b), the Board has not extended this ra-
tionale to 10(k) cases. In any event, the Board has rejected arguments
that a notice of hearing that includes jobsites not listed in the charge is
invalid. See Bay Counties Carpenters (Northern California Drywall
Contractors Assn.), 265 NLRB 646, 647–648 (1982).
DECISIONS OF THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD
194
Cleveland, Ohio area. CEA has negotiated the collec-
tive-bargaining agreements between the Employers and
the Unions for many years. Those collective-bargaining
agreements include work performed in Cuyahoga County
where the jobsites at issue in these cases are located and
have effective terms running from 2012 to 2015.5
The work of both Employers includes the operation of
forklifts and skid steers (a small front-end loader) that
both Employers have traditionally assigned to employees
represented by Laborers. Nerone President Thomas
Nerone and Field Superintendent Michael Griffin both
testified that employees represented by Laborers operate
forklifts and skid steers and that an employee represented
by Operating Engineers may have operated such equip-
ment on the very rare occasions where there was no other
work for him. Griffin further testified that he was aware
that Nerone assigned skid steer work to employees repre-
sented by Operating Engineers once or twice during the
previous 20 years. R. G. Smith CEO Geoffrey Nicely
and Industrial Division Manager Michael Black similarly
testified that employees represented by Laborers typical-
ly ran the forklifts and skid steers, with employees repre-
sented by Operating Engineers doing so only when there
was no other work for them to perform.6 The testimony
of the Employers’ managers was corroborated by Labor-
ers’ representatives Michael Kearney and Kevin Clegg,
who testified that they observed employees represented
by Laborers performing forklift and skid steer work on
all of their jobsites for at least 20 years (Kearney) and 16
years (Clegg).7 Operating Engineers offered no witness
to contradict this testimony.
On August 4, Operating Engineers faxed a grievance
to Nerone alleging that, since July 30, Nerone had violat-
ed the CEA Agreement-Local 18 by assigning “bobcat
and/or skid steer loader with any and all attachments” at
5 The term of the most recent CEA Agreement—Local 18 runs from
May 1, 2012—April 30, 2015, and the CEA Agreement—Local 310
runs from 2012 through 2015. R.G. Smith and Operating Engineers are
also signatories to letters of agreement with the Associated General
Contractors of Ohio, which cover all areas of Ohio except those areas
covered by the CEA Agreement—Local 18. Although R.G. Smith has
been a party to several letters of acceptance to the AGC agreement,
most recently on November 15, 2013, neither of the projects in this case
is within the geographic jurisdiction of that agreement.
6 Prior to the present dispute, Nicely recalled one other instance
when Operating Engineers claimed forklift work, but that involved a
jobsite outside the jurisdiction of Laborers Local 310. Operating Engi-
neers filed a grievance over the work, which was settled by an agree-
ment that R.G. Smith make a charitable contribution and “use [its] best
efforts to comply with assignments in the future.”
7 Kearney’s and Clegg’s jurisdiction as field representatives covered
the areas in dispute in this case, discussed infra. Kearney’s jurisdiction
included R.G. Smith’s Strongsville site, and Clegg’s jurisdiction in-
cluded downtown Cleveland where Nerone’s Hilton Hotel site was
located.
its Hilton Hotel project in downtown Cleveland to some-
one other than an Operating Engineer-represented em-
ployee. Nerone had been performing plumbing work at
that project using employees represented by Laborers to
operate the skid steers. The grievance requested that
Nerone “pay the first qualified [Operating Engineers’]
applicant the applicable wages and fringe benefits from
the first day of violation until project completion.” In
response, on August 18, Tom Nerone wrote Laborers,
informing it of the grievance, and stating that, as a result,
Nerone might be compelled to assign skid steer work to
employees represented by Operating Engineers. Labor-
ers responded the same day with a letter stating that La-
borers “will take any action to protect the work jurisdic-
tion of our members, including, striking the Downtown
Hilton Hotel job, and any and all other jobs on which
Nerone & Sons Inc. assigns the operation of skid steer to
members of [Operating Engineers].”
Similarly, R.G. Smith had been utilizing employees
represented by Laborers on its Foltz project in Strongs-
ville Ohio. On November 6, Operating Engineers filed a
pay-in-lieu grievance alleging that beginning November
3, R. G. Smith assigned someone other than an employee
represented by Operating Engineers to perform forklift
work at the Foltz project. In response, on November 19,
Nicely wrote to Laborers, informing them of the griev-
ance, and explaining that there was a possibility that arbi-
tration of the grievance could result in assignment of
forklift work to Operating Engineers. On that same date,
Laborers responded by letter stating that “we will take
any action to protect the work jurisdiction of our mem-
bers, including, striking the job site located at 15900
Foltz Industrial Parkway, Strongsville Ohio, and any and
all other jobs on which R. G. Smith Co., Inc. assigns the
operation of skid-steer to members of [Operating Engi-
neers].” Nicely testified that he attempted to arrange a
meeting with representatives of Operating Engineers and
Laborers to resolve the dispute but Operating Engineers
stated that it was not interested in meeting.
B. Work in Dispute
The work in dispute in Cases 08–CD–143412 and 08–
CD–143415 (Foltz) is the operation of forklifts and/or
skid steers used at the Foltz Industrial Parkway construc-
tion site in Strongsville Ohio. The work in dispute in
Cases 08–CD–135243 and 08–CD–135244 (Hilton) is
the operation of forklifts, bobcats, and/or skid steer load-
ers with any and all attachments used at the Hilton Hotel
construction site.8
8 A bobcat is a type of skid steer. Throughout the record, witnesses
used the terms “bobcat,” “skid steer,” and “bobcat skid steer” inter-
changeably.
OPERATING ENGINEERS, LOCAL 18
195
C. Contentions of the Parties
The Employers and Laborers contend that there are
competing claims for the work in dispute, that there is
reasonable cause to believe that Section 8(b)(4)(D) of the
Act has been violated by the threats to picket and strike
over the assignment of forklift, bobcat, and skid steer
work at the Foltz and Hilton projects,9 and the parties
have not agreed on a method for voluntary adjustment of
the dispute. The Employers and Laborers contend that
the work in dispute should be awarded to employees rep-
resented by Laborers based on the factors of past practice
and employer preference, area and industry practice, rela-
tive skills and training, and economy and efficiency of
operations. Finally, the Employers and Laborers argue
that the broad areawide award granted by the Board in
Donley’s II and Donley’s III covers the dispute in this
case, as those decisions awarded to Laborers’—
represented employees forklift, bobcat, and skid steer
work on jobsites where Laborers’ and Operating Engi-
neers’ jurisdictions overlap.
Operating Engineers argues that the notice of hearing
should be quashed because it has not claimed the work at
issue.10 Operating Engineers explains that it did not seek
a change in assignment of the work but instead sought
damages to remedy the Employers’ violation of the work
preservation clause in the CEA Agreement. As such, the
current dispute is not appropriate for resolution under
Section 10(k). Operating Engineers further argues that
Laborers’ threat to strike was the product of a “sham
jurisdictional dispute” and collusion between Laborers
and the Employers. Operating Engineers argues that
should the Board reach the merits of the dispute, the
10(k) factors of collective-bargaining agreements, area
and industry practice, economy and efficiency of opera-
tions, employer preference, and relative skills and train-
ing support an award of the work to employees repre-
sented by Operating Engineers. Finally, Operating Engi-
neers argues that a broad award is not appropriate and the
Board should limit its award only to the jobsites that
were the subject of its grievances.
9 The Employers and Laborers also cite threats to strike by Operat-
ing Engineers at other Cleveland-area jobsites over forklift and skid
steer work, as set forth in Donley’s I and Donley’s II.
10 Operating Engineers also argues that while the unfair labor prac-
tice charges filed by the Employers includes claims to operate both
forklifts and skid steers at the Foltz and Hilton projects, Operating
Engineers did not claim forklift work at the Hilton project and did not
claim skid steer work at the Foltz project. We note, however, that the
notice of hearing lists the work claimed at both sites as “forklifts and/or
skid steers.”
D. Applicability of the Statute
The Board may proceed with a determination of a dis-
pute under Section 10(k) of the Act only if there is rea-
sonable cause to believe that Section 8(b)(4)(D) has been
violated. Operating Engineers Local 150 (R&D Thiel),
345 NLRB 1137, 1139 (2005). This standard requires
finding that there is cause to believe that there are com-
peting claims for the disputed work between rival groups
of employees, and that a party has used proscribed means
to enforce its claim to that work. Additionally, there
must be a finding that the parties have not agreed on a
method of voluntary adjustment of the dispute. Id. On
this record, we find that this standard has been met.
1. Competing claims for work
We find reasonable cause to believe that both Unions
have claimed the work in dispute for the employees they
respectively represent. Laborers has claimed the work by
its August 18 and November 9 letters to each Employer
objecting to the assignment of forklift and skid steer
work to Operating Engineers-represented employees.
Furthermore, pursuant to well-established authority, the
performance of this work by Laborers-represented em-
ployees evidences a claim to the work at issue. See
Sheet Metal Workers Local 54 (Goodyear Tire & Rubber
Co.), 203 NLRB 74, 76 (1973); Operating Engineers
Local 513 (Thomas Industrial Coatings), 345 NLRB
990, 992 fn. 6 (2005) (same) citing Laborers Local 79
(DNA Contracting), 338 NLRB 997, 998 fn. 6 (2003)
(same).
We also find that Operating Engineers has claimed the
disputed work by virtue of its pay-in-lieu grievances
against both Employers alleging contract violations ema-
nating from the Employers’ assignment of forklift and/or
skid steer work to employees represented by Laborers.
The Board has long found that such pay-in-lieu grievanc-
es are essentially demands for disputed work. Donley’s
III, supra, 361 NLRB 381, 383; Donley’s II, supra, 360
NLRB 903, 906, citing Laborers Local 265 (AMS Con-
struction),
356
NLRB
306, 308
(2010); Laborers
(Eshbach Bros., LP), 344 NLRB 201, 202 (2005).
Additionally, we reject Operating Engineers’ argument
that its pay-in-lieu grievances against the Employers do
not constitute claims to disputed work but are instead
work preservation claims. The record shows that Labor-
ers-represented employees have been performing forklift
and/or skid steer work at both projects and the Employ-
ers have consistently assigned the type of work in dispute
here to employees represented by Laborers. Thus, the
grievances do not seek work preservation but instead
seek work acquisition. The Board has found that these
types of claims are appropriately resolved through a
DECISIONS OF THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD
196
10(k) proceeding. Donley’s III, supra, 2277, 2279; Elec-
trical Workers Local 48 (Kinder Morgan Terminals), 357
NLRB 2217, 2219 (2011), and cases cited therein.
2. Use of proscribed means
We find reasonable cause to believe that Laborers used
proscribed means to enforce its claims to the work in
dispute. As noted above, Laborers sent letters to R.G.
Smith and Nerone stating that members of Laborers
would picket and strike any projects where forklift and/or
skid steer work was assigned to employees other than
those represented by Laborers. These statements consti-
tute threats to strike over the assignments of forklift and
skid steer work, and the Board has long considered those
types of threats to be a proscribed means of enforcing
claims to disputed work. Operating Engineers Local 150
(Patten Industries), 348 NLRB 672, 674 (2006).
We reject Operating Engineers’ argument that the Em-
ployers colluded with Laborers to create a sham jurisdic-
tional dispute. Where there is no affirmative evidence
that a threat of proscribed action is a sham or product of
collusion, the Board will reject this argument. R&D
Thiel, supra, 345 NLRB at 1140. Here, there is no evi-
dence that the Employers or Laborers colluded to issue a
sham threat to picket or strike.
3. No voluntary method for adjustment of dispute
We also find no agreed-upon method for the voluntary
adjustment of the dispute to which all parties are bound.
The Employers and Laborers agree that there is no vol-
untary adjustment procedure in place between the parties
to resolve the current work dispute. Operating Engineers
would not so stipulate but proffered no evidence or ar-
gument to the contrary.
Based on the foregoing, we find that there are compet-
ing claims for the work in dispute, reasonable cause to
believe that Section 8(b)(4)(D) has been violated, and no
agreed-upon method for the voluntary adjustment of the
dispute. We accordingly find that the dispute is properly
before the Board for determination, and we deny Operat-
ing Engineers’ motion to quash the notice of hearing.
E. Merits of the Dispute
Section 10(k) requires the Board to make an affirma-
tive award of disputed work after considering various
factors. NLRB v. Electrical Workers IBEW Local 1212
(Columbia
Broadcasting),
364
U.S.
573,
577–579
(1961).
The Board has held that its determination in a
jurisdictional dispute is “an act of judgment based on
common sense and experience,” reached by balancing
the factors involved in a particular case.
Machinists
Lodge 1743 (J.A. Jones Construction), 135 NLRB 1402,
1410–1411 (1962).
The following factors are relevant in making the de-
termination of dispute.
1. Certifications and collective-bargaining agreements
As set forth above, as members of CEA, the Employ-
ers are parties to multiemployer collective-bargaining
agreements with Operating Engineers and Laborers.
Operating Engineers’ work jurisdiction is set forth in
Article II, paragraph 10 of the CEA Agreement—Local
18 and provides that:
In accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the
Employer shall employ Operating Engineers for the
erection, operation, assembly and disassembly, and
maintenance and repair of the following construction
equipment regardless of motive power: . . . Forklifts,
Skidsteers, . . .
The relevant portion of the Laborers’ collective-
bargaining agreement is set forth in Article 1, Section 7,
CEA Agreement—Laborers Local 301 and lists specific
construction tasks, such as excavating and foundations,
shafts and tunnels, and landscaping, as well as many oth-
ers. The language regarding many of these tasks specifi-
cally covers the operation of forklifts and skid steers,
stating the following:
The operation of forklifts, all-terrain forklifts, skid steer
loaders, and all or other machines of similar or like
characteristics, whether driven by gas, diesel or electric
power when used in the performance of the aforemen-
tioned jurisdiction shall be the work of the laborers.
We find that the language in both contracts covers the
work in dispute.
Therefore, the factors of certifications and collective-
bargaining agreements do not favor an award to either group
of employees.11
2. Employer preference and past practice
As set forth above, the Employers’ representatives tes-
tified that they have assigned the disputed work to their
Laborers-represented employees for decades. During
these periods, representatives for both Employers testi-
fied that Laborers-represented employees consistently
performed the disputed work, with employees represent-
ed by Operating Engineers performing such work on
extremely rare occasions where there was no other work
to do or, in the case of R.G. Smith, when the jobsite fell
outside Laborers’ jurisdiction. Representatives of both
Employers testified that, consistent with this past and
current practice, they prefer to continue assigning the
disputed forklift and skid steer work to employees repre-
11 The parties stipulated that there are no Board certifications con-
cerning the employees involved in the instant dispute.
OPERATING ENGINEERS, LOCAL 18
197
sented by Laborers. We find, therefore, that the factor of
employer preference and past practice weighs in favor of
awarding the work to employees represented by Labor-
ers.12
3. Area and industry practice
The Employers and Laborers assert that area and in-
dustry practice support an award of the disputed work to
Laborers-represented employees. In the previous related
proceedings, the Board relied upon testimony of Tim
Linville, executive vice president of the CEA, who stated
that Laborers-represented employees consistently per-
form forklift and skid steer work. See Donley’s III, su-
pra, 361 NLRB 903, 907. Similarly, in Donley’s II, Ed
Deaton testified that, as a field representative and Busi-
ness Manager of Laborers for the previous 10 years, he
has seen Laborers-represented employees performing the
disputed work on the jobsites that he visited. See Don-
ley’s II, supra, 360 NLRB 903, 908. In the instant case,
Michael Kearney, Laborers’ field representative, testified
that in his 16 years in the field, he has seen employees
represented by Laborers operating forklifts and skid
steers at the jobsites he has visited.
Operating Engineers argues that this factor favors the
employees that it represents by citing letters of assign-
ment listing forklift and skid steer operations at various
jobsites. As the Board has previously found, however,
these letters are inconclusive because they do not de-
scribe the actual work involved or the facts and circum-
stances surrounding the work. See Donley’s I, supra, 360
NLRB 104, 109. Operating Engineers also cites testimo-
ny by representatives of Nerone and R. G. Smith that
they have utilized employees represented by Operating
Engineers to perform forklift and skid steer work. The
cited testimony is consistent with other testimony by
these managers that the Employers have, on rare occa-
sion, assigned the disputed work to employees represent-
ed by Operating Engineers, and does not contradict the
Employers’ testimony that the vast majority of the dis-
12 Operating Engineers argues that the Board should treat this factor
with skepticism because the Employers’ preference is not “representa-
tive of a free and unencumbered choice,” but is instead motivated by
the Employers’ desire to avoid damages under the work preservation
clauses contained in both the CEA and AGC agreements. We reject
this argument and note that the case cited by Operating Engineers,
ILWU Local 50 (Brady Hamilton Stevedore Co.), 223 NLRB 1034,
1037 (1976), reconsideration granted and decision rescinded on other
grounds 244 NLRB 275 (1979), is readily distinguishable. There, the
Board declined to rely on an employer’s stated preference because that
preference changed upon initiation of a work action. In the present
cases, the evidence is clear that both Employers have consistently as-
signed the disputed work to employees represented by Laborers and
have stated their preference to continue to use Laborers-represented
employees to perform the disputed work.
puted work has been performed by employees represent-
ed by Laborers.
Based on the foregoing evidence, we find that this fac-
tor favors an award of the work in dispute to employees
represented by Laborers.
4. Relative skills and training
Both Unions introduced evidence showing that they
provide training in the operation of forklifts and skid
steers and that the employees they represent are certified
to operate this equipment. Additionally, representatives
of the Employers testified that they provide training in
the operation of forklifts and skid steers to their Labor-
ers-represented employees. We therefore find that this
factor does not favor an award of the disputed work to
either group of employees.
5. Economy and efficiency of operations
Representatives of the Employers testified that it is
more efficient and economical to assign the operation of
forklifts and skid steers to employees represented by La-
borers because the disputed work is required for only
small segments of time sporadically throughout the day.
Employees represented by Laborers use forklifts and skid
steers as “tools of the trade” to move materials and then
return to their regular duties. The disputed work consti-
tutes only a small portion of employees’ daily work with
the remainder of the employees’ work time spent per-
forming tasks that employees represented by Operating
Engineers are not qualified to perform. As such, if the
Employers were to use employees represented by Operat-
ing Engineers for the forklift or skid steer work, there
would be a contingent of employees standing idle
throughout the day and the Employers would still have to
employ Laborers-represented employees to perform the
majority of the work on the jobsites. Therefore, it is
more economical to assign forklift and skid steer work to
employees represented by Laborers who can perform
other work throughout the day, thereby minimizing the
potential that the Employers would be required to pay
employees for idle time. See Seafarers District NMU
(Luedtke Engineering Co.), 355 NLRB 302, 305 (2010);
Eshbach Bros., supra, 344 NLRB at 204. Under these
circumstances, the factor of economy and efficiency of
operations favors the award of the disputed work to La-
borers-represented employees.13
13 Operating Engineers argues that an award of the disputed work to
Laborers-represented employees would result in the Employers breach-
ing the work preservation clauses contained in the CEA Agreement,
thereby exposing the Employers to liability for damages. As a result,
Operating Engineers argues that assignment of the work to employees
represented by Laborers would require the Employers to incur two sets
of labor costs. We reject this argument and note that Operating Engi-
neers’ filing of pay-in-lieu grievances after the Board ordered the work
DECISIONS OF THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD
198
Conclusion
After considering all of the relevant factors, we con-
clude that employees represented by Laborers are entitled
to perform the work in dispute. We reach this conclusion
based on the factors of employer preference and past
practice, area and industry practice, and economy and
efficiency of operations. In making this determination,
we award the work to employees represented by Labor-
ers, not to that labor organization or to its members.
Scope of Award
The Employers and Laborers request a broad areawide
award, covering the geographic jurisdiction of Operating
Engineers. In support, they argue that the evidence in
prior Board cases (Donley’s I, Donley’s II, and Don-
ley’s III) shows that Operating Engineers has a proclivi-
ty to violate Section 8(b)(4)(D) and that the dispute
here is likely to recur.
in dispute to Laborers violates Sec. 8(b)(4)(ii)(D). Iron Workers Local
433 (Otis Elevator), 309 NLRB 273, 274 (1992), enfd. 46 F.3d 1143
(9th Cir. 1995).
In Donley’s II and Donley’s III, the Board granted
broad areawide awards to employees represented by La-
borers for work of the kind in dispute. See Donley’s II,
supra, 360 NLRB 908; Donley’s III, supra, 361 NLRB
381, 386. Those awards cover the area where the juris-
dictions of Laborers Local 310 and Operating Engineers
Local 18 overlap, which encompasses the present dis-
putes in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Our award in the in-
stant cases restates and applies that areawide order.
DETERMINATION OF DISPUTE
The National Labor Relations Board makes the follow-
ing Determination of Dispute.
Employees of Nerone & Sons, Inc. and R.G. Smith
Company, Inc., who are represented by Laborers’ Inter-
national Union of North America, Local 310, are entitled
to perform forklift and skid steer work in the area where
their employers operate and the jurisdictions of Laborers
International Union of North America, Local 310 and the
International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 18
overlap.