Ausmus Corp.

National Labor Relations Board - Board Decisions

May 7, 2002

337 N.L.R.B. 68 (N.L.R.B. 2002)

1
NOTICE: This opinion is subject to formal revision before publication in the
bound volumes of NLRB decisions. Readers are requested to notify the Ex­
ecutive Secretary, National Labor Relations Board, Washington, D.C.
20570, of any typographical or other formal errors so that corrections can
be included in the bound volumes.
Ausmus Corporation and General Teamsters Local
397 a/w International Brotherhood of Team­
sters, AFL–CIO. Case 6–CA–32364
May 7, 2002
DECISION AND ORDER
BY MEMBERS LIEBMAN, COWEN, AND BARTLETT
This is a refusal-to-bargain case in which the Respon­
dent seeks to contest the Union’s certification as bargain­
ing representative in the underlying representation pro­
ceeding. Pursuant to a charge filed on October 18, 2001,
the General Counsel issued the complaint on November
13, 2001, alleging that the Respondent has violated Sec­
tion 8(a)(5) and (1) of the Act by refusing the Union’s
request to bargain following the Union’s certification in
Case 6–RC–11951. (Official notice is taken of the “re-
cord” 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, admitting in part and deny­
ing in part the allegations in the complaint.
On January 14, 2002, the General Counsel filed a Mo­
tion for Summary Judgment. On January 16, 2002, 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
The Respondent admits its refusal to bargain, but con-
tests the validity of the certification based on its objec­
tions to conduct alleged to have affected the results of the
election in the representation proceeding.
All representation issues raised by the Respondent
were or could have been litigated in the prior representa­
tion proceeding. The Respondent does not offer to ad­
duce at a hearing any newly discovered and previously
unavailable evidence, nor does it allege any special cir­
cumstances 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 un­
fair labor practice proceeding. See Pittsburgh Plate
Glass Co. v. NLRB, 313 U.S. 146, 162 (1941). Accord­
ingly, we grant the Motion for Summary Judgment.1
On the entire record, the Board makes the following
1 Members Cowen and Bartlett did not participate in the underlying
representation proceeding. They find, however, that the Respondent
has not raised any new matters that are properly litigable in this unfair
labor practice proceeding.
FINDINGS OF FACT
I. JURISDICTION
At all material times, the Respondent, a corporation
headquartered in the State of New York, is engaged in
the interstate transportation of coke products. This case
involves only the Employer’s Erie, Pennsylvania jobsite.
During the 12-month period ending September 30, 2001,
the Respondent, in conducting its business operations,
derived gross revenues in excess of $50,000 for the trans­
portation of freight from the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania directly to points outside the Commo n-
wealth of Pennsylvania. We find that the Respondent is
an employer engaged in commerce within the meaning of
Section 2(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 April 24, 2001, the Union
was certified on August 3, 2001,2 as the exclusive collec­
tive-bargaining representative of the employees in the
following appropriate unit:
All full-time and regular part-time truck drivers and
yard drivers/cokehandlers employed by the Employer
and working at its Erie, Pennsylvania jobsite; excluding
all office clerical employees, and guards, professional
employees and supervisors as defined in the Act, and
all other employees.
The Union continues to be the exclusive representative
under Section 9(a) of the Act.
B. Refusal to Bargain
About August 20, 2001, the Union, by letter, requested
the Respondent to recognize it and bargain, and, since
about that same date, the Respondent has refused to re­
spond to the Union’s letter requesting bargaining and has
failed and refused to recognize and bargain with the Un­
ion. We find that this failure and refusal constitutes an
unlawful refusal to bargain in violation of Section 8(a)(5)
and (1) of the Act.
CONCLUSION OF LAW
By failing and refusing on and after August 20, 2001,
to recognize and 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.
2 The Respondent admits that a cert ification issued, but states that
the certification was not properly issued.
337 NLRB No. 68
2 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 cer­
tification 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, Ausmus Corporation, Erie, Pennsylvania, its
officers, agents, successors, and assigns, shall
1. Cease and desist from
(a) Refusing to bargain with General Teamsters Local
397 a/w International Brotherhood of Teamsters, AFL–
CIO as the exclusive-bargaining representative of the
employees in the bargaining unit.
(b) In any like or related manner interfering with, re-
straining, 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 appro­
priate 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 truck drivers and
yard drivers/cokehandlers employed by the Employer
and working at its Erie, Pennsylvania jobsite; excluding
all office clerical employees, and guards, professional
employees and supervisors as defined in the Act, and
all other employees.
(b) Within 14 days after service by the Region, post at
its facility in Erie, Pennsylvania, copies of the attached
notice marked “Appendix.”3 Copies of the notice, on
forms provided by the Regional Director for Region 6,
after being signed by the Respondent’s authorized repre­
sentative, shall be posted by the Respondent and main­
tained for 60 consecutive days in conspicuous places
including all places where notices to employees are cus-
3 If 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 Na­
tional Labor Relations Board” shall read “Posted Pursuant to a Judg­
ment of the United States Court of Appeals Enforcing an Order of the
National Labor Relations Board.”
tomarily posted. Reasonable steps shall be taken by the
Respondent to ensure that the notices are not altered,
defaced, or covered by any other material. In the event
that, during the pendency of these proceedings, the Re­
spondent has gone out of business or closed the facility
involved in these proceedings, the Respondent shall du­
plicate and mail, at its own expense, a copy of the notice
to all current employees and former employees employed
by the Respondent at any time since August 20, 2001.
(c) Within 21 days after service by the Region, file
with the Regional Director a sworn certification of a re­
sponsible official on a form provided by the Region at-
testing to the steps that the Respondent has taken to
comply.
Dated, Washington, D.C. May 7, 2002
Wilma B. Liebman, Member
William B. Cowen, Member
Michael J. Bartlett, 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 vio­
lated the Federal labor law and has ordered us to post and
obey by this notice.
FEDERAL LAW GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO
Form, join, or assist any union
Chose representatives to bargain with us on your
behalf
Act together with other employees for your bene­
fit and protection
Choose not to engage in any of these protected
activities.
WE WILL NOT refuse to bargain with General Teamsters
Local 397 a/w International Brotherhood of Teamsters,
AFL–CIO as the exclusive representative of the employ­
ees 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
AUSMUS CORP. 3
conditions of employment for our employees in the bar- clerical employees, and guards, professional employees
gaining unit: and supervisors as defined in the Act, and all other em­
ployees.
All full-time and regular part-time truck drivers and
yard drivers/cokehandlers employed by us and working AUSMUS CORPORATION
at our Erie, Pennsylvania jobsite; excluding all office