Western Massachusetts Electric Co.

In the Matter of WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC COMPANY and INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS, LOCAL UNION #761 (AFL) Case No. R-18-23.-Decided June 6, 1940 Electric Utility Industry-Investigation of Representatives : controversy con- cerning representation of employees : employer's refusal to recognize petitioning union as exclusive bargaining agent-Unit Appropriate for Collective Bargain- ing: line and meter departments including linemen, groundmen , truck drivers, cable splicers and helpers , lamp trimmers , meter readers, meter installers, meter testers , operators and helpers and excluding executives , supervisory employees , line foremen , meter department foremen, meter district employees, radio interference employees , garage employees , line department clerks, and meter department clerks-Election Ordered Mr. Edward Schneider, for the Board. Peabody, Brown, Rowley & Storey, by Mr. David R. Pokross and Mr. John C. Storey, of Boston, Mass., for the Company. Mr. Walter J. Kenefick, of Boston, Mass., for the Union. Mr. Willard Young Morris, of counsel to the Board. DECISION AND DIRECTION OF ELECTION STATEMENT OF THE CASE On October 9, 1939, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union #761, herein called the Union, filed with the Regional Director for the First Region (Boston, Massachusetts) a petition and on October 13, 1939, December 14, 1939, and April 11, 1940, amended petitions alleging that a question affecting commerce had arisen concerning the representation of employees of Western Massachusetts Electric Company, Greenfield, Massachusetts, herein called the Company, and requesting an investigation and certification of representatives pursuant to Section 9 (c) of the National Labor Relations Act, 49 Stat. 449, herein called the Act. On April 15, 1940, . the National Labor Relations Board, herein called the Board, acting pursuant to Section 9 (c) of the Act and Article III, Sec- 24-N. L. R. B., No. 40. 433 434 DECISIONS OF NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD tion 3, of National Labor Relations Board Rules and Regulations- Series 2, as amended, ordered an investigation and authorized the Regional Director to conduct it and to provide for an appropriate hearing upon due notice. On April 17, 1940, the Regional Director issued a notice of hearing, copies of which were served upon the Company and the Union. Pursuant to notice a hearing was held at Greenfield, Massachusetts, on May 2 and 3, 1940, before C. W. Whittemore, the Trial Examiner duly designated by•the Board. The Company was represented by counsel and the Union by its representative. All participated in the hearing. Full opportunity to be heard, to examine and cross- examine witnesses, and to introduce evidence bearing on the issues was afforded all parties. During the course of the hearing the Trial Examiner made several rulings on motions and on objections to the admission of evidence. The Board has reviewed these rulings and finds that no prejudicial errors were committed. The rulings are hereby affirmed. At the close of the hearing the Board's attorney, on behalf of the Union, made a motion further to amend the petition. The Trial Examiner did not rule on this motion. It is hereby granted.' Upon the entire record in the case, the Board makes the following : FINDINGS OF FACT 1. THE BUSINESS OF THE COMPANY Western Massachusetts Electric Company is a Massachusetts corporation with its general offices at Greenfield, Massachusetts. It is engaged in the purchase, exchange, manufacture, sale, and distri- bution of electric light and electric power in that part of Massa- chusetts which includes the towns. listed in the margin.2 The Com- pany generates electrical energy at its hydro-electric station located on the Deerfield River at Gardners Falls, Massachusetts, and to a limited extent, at an automatic station which is located on the Green River at Greenfield, Massachusetts. All other power which the Company distributes is purchased from the Turners Falls Power & Electric Company, herein called the Turners Falls Company, a co- 'On May 10, 1940, all the parties entered into a stipulation which provided, among other things, that a Fourth Amended Petition, dated May 9, 1940, might be filed with the Board, marked for identification, and considered as having been offered in evidence as Part of the motion to amend which was made at the hearing . On May 15, 1940, the Board issued an order, approving said stipulation and ordering that said Fourth Amended Petition be marked for identification and considered as having been offered in evidence. . 2 Greenfield, Northfield, Bernardston, Shelburne, Deerfield, Colrain, Chesterfield , Pelham, Southampton, Sunderland , Buckland , Conway, Ashfield, Gill, Cummington , Easthampton, Hadley, Amherst, Westhampton, Worthington, Leyden, Turners Falls, Millers Fall, Mon- tague, Hatfield, Lake Pleasant, Leverett, Plainfield, Whately, Erving. WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC COMPANY 435 subsidiary, all the stock of which, like that of the Company, is owned by Western Massachusetts Companies, herein called the Parent Com- pany, a Massachusetts voluntary association organized under a declaration of trust.3 During 1939 the Company sold 38,030,824 kilowatt hours of electricity, the revenue from which amounted to $1,460,667. Purchases of electric energy in interstate commerce During 1939 the Company purchased 27,296,867 kilowatt-hours of electricity from the Turners Falls Company. The latter company ob- tains electrical energy from its own generating plants located in Massachusetts, from Connecticut Valley Power Exchange, herein called the Exchange, and from New England Power Company.4 The Exchange is composed of the Turners Falls Company, Connecticut Power Company, and New England Power Company. These three companies have an arrangement whereby they exchange surplus power so that the lowest available increment cost sources will be used in supplying the combined load. During 1939 the Turners Falls Com- pany purchased 119,504;854 kilowatt-hours of electricity from- the. Exchange, which is slightly less than one-third the total amount sold by the Turners Falls Company. The Connecticut Power Company's connection with the Exchange comes from one of its substations in Connecticut. The New England Power Company has sources of energy in Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont. The record does not show the relative amounts emanating from the three sources. Purchases of materials in interstate commerce The Company, in the course of its operations during 1938,. pur- chased materials, supplies, and equipment valued at approximately $174,800 and consisting principally of wire, transformers, trucks, cars, poles, meters, gasoline, and station and line supplies. The Com- pany estimates that approximately 40 per cent of such purchases were made from sellers located outside the State of Massachusetts.5 8 The Parent Company also owns approximately all the outstanding stock of United Electric Light Company, Pittsfield Electric Company, utilities which generate, purchase, and distribute electricity, the Quinnehtuk Company, a land-holding concern, and Western Massachusetts Agency , Inc., a non-profit organization which services the other subsidiaries of the Parent Company with engineers and other technicians. 4 During an average year the Turners Falls Company purchases approximately 24,152,000 kilowatt hours of electricity from New England Power Company. This transaction appears to be independent of. the Exchange. 5 The Company . stipulated that according to its own estimate the purchases of raw materials , supplies , and equipment during 1939 were similar in amount , nature, and place of origin to those of the preceding year. 436 DECISIONS OF NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD Types of consumers dependent on electrical energy supplied by the Company The different classifications of the Company's customers and the respective amounts of electricity sold to them during 1939 are shown in the margin.6 1. Manufacturers. Of the total sales of electricity to manufac- turers, which during 1939 amounted to 12,167,683 kilowatt-hours, 8,579,805 kilowatt-hours of electricity were sold to 17 of the Company's 25 largest customers, bringing to the Company a revenue of $275,6817 These concerns are engaged in the manufacture, sale, and distribu- tion of various products. The identity and location of the manu- facturers and the nature of the products and percentage thereof shipped outside the State of Massachusetts are shown by the following break-down : Customer Location Product Percentage shipped outside of Mass. Greenfield Tap & Die Corporation ---- Greenfield, Mass -------- Tools & Gauges ___________ 98 Millers Falls Tool Company-_________ Montague, Mass -------- Tools______________________ 98A United Elastic Company------------- Easthampton, Mass_____ Elastic Webbing -------- __ 97 Kendall Manufacturing Company---- Colrain, Mass----------- Cotton Cloth _____________ 95 Millers Falls Paper Company -------- Erving, Mass ----------- Writing Paper ------------ 80 Massachusetts Broken Stone Co ------ Deerfield , Mass ----- ---- Crushed Stone ------------ 17% J. S. Lane & Son---------------------- Amherst, Mass --------- Crushed Stone ------------ None Montague Rod & Reel Company--_-_ Montague, Mass -------- Fishing Equipment -----__ 931 Rogers, Lunt & Bowlen-------------- Greenfield, Mass -------- Silverware (Sterling)----_- 98Y2 Threadwell Tool Company ----------- Greenfield, Mass -------- Tools _____ -____-_ 90 Montague Machine Company -------- Montague , Mass -- ------ Machinery---------------- 90 T. Morey & Son---------------------- Greenfield , Mass ------- - Printing __________________ 1 100 Rugg Manufacturing Company ------- Greenfield, Mass -------- Wood Novelties ----------- 70 Snows Ice Cream Company ---------- Greenfield , Mass -------- Ice Cream ----------------- 8 Advertising Corporation of America -- Easthampton, Mass----- Advertising Novelties----_ 95 H. P. Hood &.,Son-------------------- Shelburne, Mass ---- ---- Dairy Products ----------- (') Amherst Creamery Company --------- Amherst, Mass --------- Dairy Products ----------- 17 Porter McLeod Tool Company_______ Hatfield, Mass ---------- Tools --------------------- 95 Information not forthcoming but it is estimated 100% is shipped outside of Massachusetts. 7 According to Company, information immediately unobtainable. See the following table: Class of service Domestic sales----------------------------------------------- Commercialsa les -------------------------------------------- Commercial power sales ______________________________________ Street lighting sales ------------------------------------------- Other utilities ------------------------------------------------- No. of cus- tomers as per bills rendered 16, 021 2,412 590 25 5 Kilowatt hrs. 14,637,735 5,739,684 12,167. 683 1,456,420 4,029,302 Revenue $738,278 297, 756 305,315 91,809 27, 507 4 The Company designates such sales as "commercial power sales," indicating a rate available for stores, factories , or other places where electrical energy is used through motors for power purposes . Service is generally supplied - at 3 phase, 60 cycles , 220 volts. Incidental lighting up to 10 per cent of the total consumption is also furnished under this rate, provided the customer equips himself with transforming and regulating equipment. WESTERN • MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC COMPANY 437 • 2. Railroad. During 1939 the Company sold 618,493 kilowatt- hours of electricity to the Boston & Maine Railroad at a cost of $13,577. Although the power sold by the Company to the railroad is delivered within Massachusetts, the section serviced is an integral part of the so-called Fitchburg Division which is engaged in trans- porting passengers and freight in interstate commerce and has lines running from points in Massachusetts to points in New York, New Hampshire, and Vermont. This power is used for the operation of switches, automatic signals, and station lighting. It is conceded that a complete interruption of power, if sustained, would disrupt the service of the railroad .8 3. Radio Station. The Company provides power to Radio Station WHAI in Greenfield, Massachusetts, for both illumination and broad- casting purposes. This radio station receives and broadcasts daily programs originating outside Massachusetts in the New England Broadcasting Company and Mutual Broadcasting System, Incor- porated. Although Station WHAI has a relatively* low signal strength, during the daytime it broadcasts successfully to parts of New Hampshire and Vermont. Interruption of the Company's power service would cause a complete cessation of broadcasting from this radio station. 4. Newspaper. The Greenfield Recorder-Gazette, a newspaper published in Greenfield, Massachusetts, relies on the Company for both illumination and power. This newspaper prints syndicated news and columns of national and international origin. It also runs advertisements for nationally known products, an estimated 75 per cent of which accounts are received from outside the State of Massa- chusetts. The edition of September 29, 1939, termed at the hearing a "sample edition," had a distribution of 7,675 copies, 316 of which were sent outside Massachusetts. ' Interruption of the Company's power service would make impossible publication of said newspaper unless arrangements wholly different from those now relied on could be effected. 5. Telegraph companies. The Company furnishes illumination and power to Western Union Telegraph Company and Postal Tele- graph Company at Greenfield, Massachusetts. The power purchased by the Western Union and Postal Telegraph offices is used to operate automatic telegraph machines8 6. Telephone company. The Company furnishes light and power to New England Telephone and Telegraph Company at Amherst, 8 The Boston & Maine Railroad is equipped with storage batteries upon which it could rely for several hours in case of failure of the Company to supply power . It is also in a position to take power from other sources. 9 The Western Union office has available Morse code operators who could , in the event of failure of the Company 's power, transmit messages . The Postal Telegraph office, however, has no Morse operators immediately available. 283025-42-vol. 24-29 438 DECISIONS OF NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD Easthampton, Greenfield, Hatfield, Millers Falls, Turners. Falls, Bernardston, Cummington, Northfield, and South Deerfield, Massa- chusetts. -The power Js used at most, of the above-named places to charge batteries which, in turn, furnish the current required for transmission of telephonic messages. The Company's power is also used at all the above-named places for operating the ringing machines. Messages are received from and sent to all parts of the United States and foreign countries by subscribers to the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company in the aforesaid towns in Massa- chusetts."' 7. Post Office. The Company furnishes electric power to the United States Post Office for light and power to operate automatic stamp-cancelling and adding machines. Conclusions concerning the Company's relation to commerce It is clear .from the findings above (1) that the Company receives from outside Massachusetts a large quantity of the materials, sup- plies, and equipment used by it in its operations, (2) that the..Company purchases electrical energy which originates outside Massachusetts, '(3) that a large area in Massachusetts is primarily dependent upon the Company for the generation, transmission, and distribution of electrical energy and that within such area instrumentalities of inter- state commerce, including a railroad, telegraph and telephone com- panies, a radio broadcasting station, and a post office, as well as manufacturers who sell products in interstate commerce, use and are dependent upon electrical energy supplied by the Company. A cessation or interruption of the Company's business, such as would tend to accompany labor disputes between the Company and its em- ployees (a) would affect the flow of electrical energy .and a large quantity of other commodities received by the Company in interstate commerce; and (b) would burden and obstruct not only the opera- tions of various instrumentalities of interstate transportation and communication but also the operation of the businesses served by the Company with power which manufacture and ship commodities in interstate commerce 11 io The evidence shows that the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company is equipped with emergency equipment and generators whereby it could operate indefinitely without receiving outside electrical power. I The evidence shows that some of the concerns supplied with power by the Company have emergency , equipment or could find substitute sources of power. In regard to this circumstance, see Matter of Southern California Gas Company and Utility Workers Organizing Committee, Local No. 132, 10 N. L. R. B. 1123 , where we said : The Company 's chief contention that a labor difficulty which completely tied up the operations of the Company would not necessarily result in a complete cessation of the operations of its consumers may be granted without thereby conceding that the Board lacks jurisdiction . For it is not necessary for a labor dispute to result in a complete paralysis or cessation of activities in order to affect, burden; i WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC. COMPANY 439 II. THE ORGANIZATION INVOLVED International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union #761, is a labor organization affiliated with the American Federation of Labor. It admits to membership employees of the Company in its line and meter departments. III. THE QUESTION CONCERNING REPRESENTATION During the summer of 1939 the Union requested the Company for recognition as exclusive bargaining representative of the Company's employees in its line, meter, and cable departments and for a signed agreement. Both requests were refused . At the' hearing the Com- pany's position was stated to be that it would bargain with the Union if it were certified by a properly authorized body. We find that a question has arisen concerning representation of employees of the Company. IV. THE EFFECT OF THE QUESTION CONCERNING REPRESENTATION UPON COMMERCE We find that the question concerning representation which has arisen, occurring in connection with the operations of the Company described in Section I above, has aclose, intimate, and substantial relationship to trade, traffic, and commerce among the several States, and tends to lead to labor disputes burdening and obstructing com- merce and the free flow of commerce. V. THE APPROPRIATE UNIT The Union alleges that an appropriate bargaining unit consists of the Company's employees in its line and meter departments at Green- field, Amherst, Easthampton, South Deerfield, and Gardners Falls, Massachusetts, including linemen, groundmen, truck drivers, cable splicers and helpers, lamp trimmers, meter readers, meter installers, meter testers, operators, and helpers, but excluding executives, super- visory employees, trouble and meter district employees, radio inter- ference workers, stockroom employees, garage employees, line depart- ment clerks, meter department clerks, and other clerical employees. obstruct, or impede the free flow of . interstate commerce. The dislocation of the activities of an industrial area falling short of a complete paralysis cannot be regarded as trivial , or as an effect on commerce so slight as not to be within the power of Congress to prevent. Cf. N. L. R. B. v..Bradford Dyeing Association U. S. A.), decided May 20, 1940, ((310 U. S. 318), rev'g 106 F. (2d) 119 (C. C. A. 1) and enf'g Matter of Bradford Dyeing Asso- ciation ( U. S. A.) and Textile Workers' Organizing Committee of, the ' C. 1. 0., 4 N. L. R. B. 604. 440 DECISIONS OF NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD The Company is in agreement with the Union as to all employees whom the Union seeks to have included in the appropriate bargain- ing unit but opposes the exclusion of certain classes of employees urged by the Union. We see no reason for not including within the appropriate bargaining unit the employees concerning whom the parties are in agreement. The classes of employees concerning whom the parties are not in agreement may be discussed conveniently under three general group- ings, namely, supervisory, clerical, and miscellaneous. A. Supervisory employees Line foremen. The Union asks that all line foremen be excluded on the ground that they are supervisory employees 12 The record shows that these foremen are charged with direct supervision of their line crews; and that while they do not have the power to hire or discharge the men working under them, they are expected to re= port to higher officials on the work and behavior of their crews. They have the power to order their men to leave the job and report to the Company's "headquarters." We find that line foremen partake more of the character of supervisory employees than working foremen and should be excluded from the unit. Meter department foremen. The Union seeks the exclusion of meter department foremen also on the ground that they are super- visory employees. Like the line foremen, they supervise the work of the men under them and, while they do not have the power to hire or discharge, they can recommend hiring and discharge. We find that they should be excluded from the unit. Clarence Bradley and Dean Bray. Bradley and Bray are oper- ators working at the Company's stations in Gardners Falls and Am- herst, respectively. The Union asks that they be excluded from the appropriate unit on the ground that they are supervisory employees. Of the 27 operators employed by the Company, Bradley and Bray are the only ones paid on a salary basis. An exhibit introduced in evidence shows that for the week ending April 27, 1940, each of these two men received $7 more than any other operator working at their respective stations. Charles Mosher, the Company's general super- intendent, testified that Bradley and Bray convey working instruc- tions to the other operators, are expected to report on the work and behavior of the other operators, and occasionally hire extra- help to "The Union in Its Third Amended Petition urged that "working foremen" be included in the unit At. the hearing the Union claimed that only 2 of the line foremen were working foremen . and urged the exclusion of all other line foremen . The evidence shows that all line foremen do comparable work. When this appeared , the Union requested that all line foremen be excluded from the unit. . WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC COMPANY- 441 clean the racks which screen. the intake of water. We find that Bradley and Bray are supervisory employees and should be excluded from the unit. B. Clerical employees Clerks. There are two classes of clerks, line department clerks and meter department clerks. The Union requests that both classes be excluded from the unit. These clerks do the clerical work for their respective department. We find that these clerks should be excluded from the unit. Stockroom employees. The Union asks that stockroom employees be excluded from the unit because their work is not mechanical like, that of the classes of employees which the Union admits to member- ship, but is, on the contrary, clerical in nature. These employees receive stock, check it out, and keep detailed records of the stock supplies which they handle. Their work is normally indoors. We find that stockroom employees should be excluded from the unit. C. Miscellaneous employees Trouble and meter district employees. The Company employs 5 persons known as trouble and meter district employees, each of whom is assigned to an "isolated" district. Their function is to receive complaints respecting the Company's service, make what minor repairs a single man is capable of effecting, replace street lights, read meters, receive money, and do some line work in unusual circumstances. The Union objects to their inclusion within the ap- propriate unit on the ground that they are "Company representa- tives" in their respective districts. With .one exception all these em- ployees were formerly first-class linemen. The Company's pay roll for the week ending April 27, 1940, discloses that these employees receive from $10 to $15 more per week than the meter readers, testers, or installers. We find that they should be excluded from the unit. Radio interference employee. The Company employs one man to investigate complaints of radio interference from the Company's system and equipment. Having special instruments for his work, he investigates and traces to their sources cases of radio interference. He seldom corrects the interference himself, his principal function being to locate the source and to report it to the Company, which sends out the necessary mechanics to do the work involved. The Union asks the exclusion of this radio interference employee, stating that his work is more that of an engineer than that of workers whom the Union admits to membership. The record does not show whether or not or to what extent this employee has had specialized training. We find that he should be excluded from the unit. 442 DECISIONS OF NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD Garage employees. The Company employs 9 garage employees. The Union does not admit them to membership and takes the posi- tion that their work is of a different nature from that engaged in by employees eligible to the Union. ' They are all employed in the Company's garage at Greenfield, Massachusetts. Their work consists of servicing and making minor repairs on the Company's cars and trucks. We find that the garage employees should be excluded from the unit.13 We find that the Company's employees in its line and meter depart- ments at Greenfield, Amherst, Easthampton, South Deerfield, and Gardners Falls, Massachusetts, including linemen, groundmen, truck drivers, cable splicers. and helpers, lamp trimmers, meter readers, meter installers, meter testers, operators, and helpers, but excluding executives, supervisory employees, line foremen, meter department foremen, trouble and meter district employees, radio interference em- ployees, stockroom employees, garage employees, line department clerks, and meter department clerks, constitute a unit appropriate for the purposes of collective bargaining, and that said unit will afford to such employees the full benefit of their right to self -organi- zation and to collective bargaining, and otherwise effectuate the policies of the Act. VI. DETERMINATION OF REPRESENTATIVES We find that an election by secret ballot will best resolve the question concerning representation. We shall direct that the employees in the appropriate unit during the pay-roll period immediately preceding the date of the Direction of Election herein, including employees who did not work during such pay-roll period because they were ill or on vacation and em- ployees who were then or have since been temporarily laid off and excluding those who have since quit or been discharged for cause, shall be eligible to vote in the election. Upon the basis of the above findings of fact and upon the entire record in the case, the Board makes the following : CONCLUSIONS OF LAW 1. A question affecting commerce has arisen concerning the rep- resentation of employees of Western Massachusetts Electric Com- pany, Greenfield, Massachusetts, within the meaning of Section 9 (c) and Section 2 (6) and (7) of the National Labor Relations Act. 3 The evidence shows that Lawrence E. Tillson spends more of his time as a lineman than, as a garage employee. When this appeared the Union withdrew its objection to the 'inclusion of Tillson in the unit. We find that Tillson is in the unit by virtue of his duties as a lineman. WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC COMPANY 443 2. All the Company's employees in its line and meter departments at Greenfield, Amherst, Easthampton, South Deerfield, and Gardners Falls, Massachusetts, including linemen, groundmen, truck drivers, cable splicers and helpers, lamp trimmers, meter readers, meter in- stallers, meter testers, operators, and helpers, but excluding execu- tives, supervisory employees, line foremen, meter department foremen, trouble and meter district employees, radio interference employees, stockroom employees, garage employees, line department clerks, and meter department clerks, constitute a unit appropriate for the pur- poses of collective bargaining within the meaning of Section 9 (b) of the National Labor Relations Act. 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, 49 Stat. 449, and pursuant to Article III, Section 8, of National Labor Relations Board Rules and Regulations-Series 2, as amended, it is hereby DIRECTED that, as part of the investigation ordered by the Board to ascertain representatives for the purpose of collective bargaining with Western Massachusetts Electric Company, Greenfield, Massa- chusetts, an election by secret ballot shall be conducted as soon 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 First Region, acting in this matter as agent for the National Labor Relations Board, and subject to Article III, Section 9, of said Rules and Regulations, among all the Company's em- ployees in its line and meter departments at Greenfield, Amherst, Easthampton, South Deerfield, and Gardners Falls, Massachusetts, including linemen, groundmen, truck drivers, cable splicers and help- ers, lamp trimmers, meter readers, meter installers, meter testers, and operators and helpers who were employed by the Company during the. pay-roll period next preceding the date of this Direction of Election and all such employees who did not work during such pay- roll period because they were ill or on vacation and employees who were then or have since been temporarily laid off but excluding executives, supervisory employees, line foremen, meter department foremen, trouble and meter district employees, radio interference employees, stockroom employees, garage employees, line department clerks, meter department clerks, and all those who have since quit or been dischargedfor cause, to determine whether or not they desire to be represented for the purposes of collective bargaining by Inter- national Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union #761 (AFL)