Square D. Co.

National Labor Relations Board - Board Decisions

Sep 15, 1948

79 N.L.R.B. 713 (N.L.R.B. 1948)

In the Matter of SQUARE D COMPANY , EMPLOYER and PRINTING PRESS-
MEN & ASSISTANTS ' UNION No. 2, A. F. L., AFFILIATED WITH IN-
TERNATIONAL PRINTING PRESSMEN & ASSISTANTS ' UNION OF NORTH
AMERICA , A. F. L., PETITIONER
Case No. i-RC-64.Decided September 15, 1948
DECISION
AND
DIRECTION OF ELECTION
Upon a petition duly filed, a hearing was held before a hearing
officer of the National Labor Relations Board. The hearing officer's
rulings made at the hearing are free from prejudicial error and are
hereby affirmed.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 (b) of the National Labor
Relations Act, the Board has delegated its powers in connection with
this case,to.a panel, consisting of Board Members Houston, Gray, and
Reynolds.'
Upon the entire record in this case, the Board finds :
1. The Employer is engaged in commerce within the meaning of
the National Labor Relations Act.
2. The labor organization named below claims to represent em-
Tloyees of the Employer.
3. A question of representation exists concerning the representa-
tion of employees of the Employer, within the meaning of Section 9
(c) (1) and Section 2 (6) and (7) of the Act. %
4. The following employees may constitute a unit appropriate for
the purposes of collective bargaining within the meaning of Section
9 (b) of the Act:
All employees at the Employer's print shop at its Detroit, Michigan,
plant engaged in the operation of printing presses and type com-
position, including journeymen printers and the employee engaged in
bindery work,' but excluding the multilith operator in the advertising
' Board Member Reynolds is not participating.
2 The Employer would exclude from the proposed unit the employee engaged in bindery
work and miscellaneous duties in the print shop. While admittedly possessing considerably
less skill than the journeymen printers employed in the print shop , the bindery worker
performs all of her duties in the print shop and has little in common with other production
and maintenance workers of the Employer . We find that she has a sufficient community of
interest with the printers to warrant hen inclusion in the proposed unit. Matter of Henry
A. Walker d/ b/a Walker Letter Company, 67 N. L R. B 792
r79 N. L. R. B , No. 95. 713
714 DECISIONS OF NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD
department,' the supervisor of the print shop 4 and all other super--
visors. However, we shall make no final unit determination at this.
time, but shall be guided in part by the desires of these employees as
expressed in the election hereinafter directed.5 If a majority vote-
for the Petitioner, they will be taken to have indicated their desire to
constitute a separate appropriate unit. -
DIRECTION OF ELECTION
As part of the investigation to ascertain representatives for the-
purposes of collective bargaining with the Employer, an election by
secret ballot shall be conducted as early as possible, but not later than
30 days from the date of_this Direction, under the direction and super
vision of the Regional Director for the Region in which this case was
heard, and subject to Sections 203.61 and 203.62 of National Labor
Relations Board Rules and Regulations-Series 5, among the em-
ployees described in paragraph numbered 4, above, who were em-
ployed during the pay-roll period immediately preceding the date of
this Direction of Election, 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 rein-
stated prior to the date of the election, and also excluding employees
on strike who are not entitled to reinstatement, to determine whether
or not they desire to be represented, for purposes of collective bargain-
ing, by Printing Pressmen & Assistants' Union No. 2, A. F. L., affili-
ated with International Printing Pressmen & Assistants' Union of
North America, A. F. L.
3 The Petitioner would include the multilith operator in the unit of print shop em-
ployees At the time the instant petition was filed and prior to March 1948 , the bindery
employee operated a multilith machine in the print shop for a few hours per day. To
make fuller use of the multilith machine for advertising purposes . the machine was moved
from the print shop to the advertising department and thereafter operated by an employee
of that department . The present multilith operator spends all his time in the advertising
department. His work requires little skill, and he is completely lacking in community
of interest with the print shop employees . Accordingly , we shall exclude him from the
proposed unit.
4 We shall also exclude the print shop supervisor from the proposed unit This super-
visor not only directs the work of the other print shop employees . but also possesses the
authority to discipline and effectively to recommend the employment and discharge of
these employees He has initiated at least one discharge in the past We find that he is a
supervisor within the meaning of the Act
5 In spite of a previous bargaining history of employees of the Employer on a more
comprehensive basis, the hoard is not precluded from directing an election in this case
among the print shop employees described herein.