George G. Averill

National Labor Relations Board - Board Decisions

Mar 22, 1940

21 N.L.R.B. 849 (N.L.R.B. 1940)

In the Matter of GEORGE G. AVERILL, G. A. DAHL & COMPANY, HUN-
TER-JOHNSON COMPANY, MCDANIEL & SONS, INC., LEWIS A. TERVEN,
THOR PACKING COMPANY, A. & H. PRODUCE COMPANY, A. ARENA &
COMPANY, AMERICAN FRUIT GROWERS, M. O. BEST COMPANY, FRED
R. BRIGHT COMPANY, BRUCE CHURCH, J. P. CARTER, CROWN PACK-
ING COMPANY, C. P. DENNY, DORMAN FARMS COMPANY, ALEX E.
ENGLEMAN, FARLEY FRUIT COMPANY, FARMERS PRODUCE COMPANY,
FITZGERALD & LITRON, CHARLES FREEDMAN, ALBERT S. GARGUILO, S.
A. GERRARD COMPANY, GOLDEN VALLEY PRODUCE COMPANY, M. A.
GOTFRIED, FRED G. HILVERT Co., E. B. HUNTER, IMPERIAL GARDEN
GROWERS, FRANK NARUTO & CO. IrrD., JOSEPH PALMISANO COM-
PANY, SMITH THORNBURG COMPANY, GEORGE SWINK, LEVI ZENTNER,
WESTERN VEGETABLE DISTRIBUTORS and FRESH FRUIT & VEGETABLE
WORKERS UNION, LOCAL 78, C. I. O.
Cases Nos. R-1257 to R-1090, inclusive
CERTIFICATIONS OF REPRESENTATIVES
AND
ORDER
March 22, 1940
On June 28, 1939, the National Labor Relations Board, herein
called the Board , issued a Decision , Direction of Elections, and Order
in the above -entitled proceedings .' On January 15, 1940, the Board
issued a Supplemental Decision and Direction of Elections.2 On
January 20 , 1940, the Board issued a Second Supplemental Decision
and Direction of Elections .' On February 2, 1940, the Board issued
a Third Supplemental Decision and Direction of Elections.4 On
February 12, 1940. the Board issued a Fourth Supplemental Decision
and Direction of Election . 5 Pursuant to the Third Supplemental
Decision and Direction of Elections, elections by secret ballot were
conducted among certain employees of Charles Freedman , El Centro,
California ; A. Levy & J. Zentner Company, El Centro , California;
Albert S. Gargiulo , Brawley, California ; Fitz-Gerald & Litrov, El
Centro, California ; Western Vegetable Distributors, El Centro, Cali-
113 N. L R B. 411.
219 N. L. R B. 427
819 N. L. R. B. 430.
920 N. L. R B. 101.
8 20 N L R B 109
21 N. L R. B., No 87.
849
850 DECISIONS OF NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD
fornia; M. O. Best Company, El Centro, California; Fred G. Hilvert
Co., Brawley, California; Golden Valley Produce Co., Ltd., El Cen-
tro, California; Alex Engleman, El Centro, California; and Fred R.
Bright Company, El Centro, California, on February 13, 14, and 15,
1940, under the direction and supervision of the Regional Director for
the Twenty-first Region (Los Angeles, California). Pursuant to
the Fourth Supplemental Decision and Direction of Election, an elec-
tion by secret ballot was conducted among certain employees of The
S. A. Gerrard Co., Brawley, California, on February 14, 1940, under
the direction and supervision of the Regional Director for the
Twenty-first Region. Pursuant to a Direction of Run-off Election
issued by the Board.on February 12, 1940,1 an election by secret ballot
was conducted among certain employees of C. P. Denny, Sandia,
California, on February 16, 1940, under the direction and supervision
of the Regional Director for the Twenty-first Region. On February
15, 16, and 17, and March 4, 1940, the Regional Director, acting pur-
suant to Article III, Section 9, of National Labor Relations Board
Rules and Regulations-Series 2, as amended, issued and duly served
upon the parties Election Reports on the above elections.
On February 17, 1940, C. P. Denny filed with the Regional Direc-
tor objections to the Election Report regarding the run-off election
conducted among his employees. The Regional Director has reported
that he has considered the objections and finds that they raise no
material issue and concern matters which were of record before the
Board, which the Board duly considered in issuing its Direction of
Election. We agree with the conclusions of the Regional Director.
The objections do not raise substantial or material issues with respect
to the conduct of the ballot or the Election Report. They are
hereby overruled.
No other objections to the conduct of the ballot or the Election
Reports were filed by any of the parties.
As to the balloting and its, results, the Regional Director reported
as follows :
CHARLES FREEDMAN
Total number eligible--------------------------------------- 161
Total number of ballots cast-------------------------------- 85
Total number of challenged ballots-------------------------- 1
Total number of blank ballots---------- ------------------ 0
Total number of void ballots-------------------------------- 0
Total number of valid votes east ----------------------------- 84
Total number of votes for Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Workers
Union, Local 78, C. I. 0---------------------------------- 72
Total number of votes for Fruit & Vegetable Packers Associa-
tion of California---------------------------------------- 4
Total number of votes for neither-------------------------- 8
0 20 N. L R B 109
GEORGE G.. AVERILL 851
A. LEVY & J. ZENTNER COMPANY
Total number eligible_______________________________________ 24
Total number of ballots cast_______________________________ 17
Total number of challenged ballots__________________________ 0
Total number of blank ballots------------------------------ 0
Total number of void ballots________________________________ 0
Total number of valid votes cast____________________________ 17
Total number of votes for Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Workers
Union, Local 78, C I. 0---------------------------------- 16
Total number of votes for Fruit & Vegetable Packers Associa-
ation of California---------------------------------------- 1
Total number of votes for neither-------------------------- 0
ALBERT S. GARGIULO
Total number eligible_______________________________________ 32
Total number of ballots cast________________________________ 22
Total number of challenged ballots__________________________ 0
Total number of blank ballots------------------------------ 0
Total number of void ballots________________________________ 0
Total number of valid votes cast____________________________ 22
Total number of votes for Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Workers
Union, Local 78, C I 0----------------------- ----- 20
Total number of votes for Fruit & Vegetable Packers Associa-
tion of California---------------------------------------- 2
'royal number of votes for neither -------------------------- 0
FITZ-GERALD & LITRov
Total number eligible --------------------------------------- 45
Total number of ballots cast________________________________ 4
Total number of challenged ballots__________________________ 0
Total number of blank ballots______________________________ 0
Total number of void ballots________________________________ 0
Total number of valid votes cast---------------------------- 4
Total number of votes for Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Workers
Union, Local 78, C I. 0----------------------------------- 4
Total number of votes for Fruit & Vegetable Packers Associa-
tion of California---------------------------------------- 0
Total number of votes for neither -------------------------- 0
WESTERN VEGETABLE DISTRIBUTORS
Total number eligible---------------------------------------- 74
Total number of ballots cast--------------------------------- 0
Total number of challenged ballots___________________________ 0
Total number of blank ballots-------------------------------- 0
Total number of void ballots--------------------------------- 0
Total number of valid votes cast----------------------------- 0
Total, number of votes for Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Workers
Union, Local 78, C. I 0----------------------------------- 0
Total number of votes for Fruit & Vegetable Packers Associa-
tion of California---------------------------------------- 0
Total number of votes for pelther---------------------------- 0
852 DECISIONS OF NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD
M. 0 BEST COMPANY
Total number eligible---------------------------------------- 50
Total number of ballots cast--------------------------------- 14
Total number of challenged ballots--------------------------- 0
Total number of blank ballots-------------------------------- 0
Total number of void ballots--------------------------------- 0
Total number of valid votes cast----------------------------- 14
Total number of votes for Fresh Fruit & Vegetable `Yorkers
Union, Local 78. C I 0------------------------------------ 11
Total number of votes for Fruit & Vegetable Packers Associa-
tion of California----------------------------------------- ti
Total number of votes for neither---------------------------- 0
FRED G HILVERT CO
Total number eligible---------------------------------------- 58
Total number of ballots cast--------------------------------- 23
Total number of challenged ballots--------------------------- 0
Total number of blank ballots-------------------------------- 0
Total number of void ballots--------------------------------- 0
Total number of valid votes cast----------------------------- 23
Total number of votes for Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Workers
Union, Local 78, C. I. 0------------------------------------ 12
Total number of votes for Fruit & Vegetable Packers Associa-
tion of California------------------------------------------ 11
Total number of votes for neither---------------------------- 0
AI.E% E. ENGLEMAN
Total number eligible---------------------------------------- 00
Total number of ballots cast---------------------------------- 6
Total number of challenged ballots--------------------------- 0
Total number of blank ballots-------------------------------- 0
Total number of void ballots--------------------------------- 0
Total number of valid votes cast----------------------------- 6
Total number of votes for Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Workers
Union, Local 78, C. I. 0-------------------- --------------- 6
Total number of votes for Fruit & Vegetable Packers Association
of California------------------------------------- ------ 0
Total number of votes for neither---------------------------- 0
GOLDEN VALLEY PRODUCE Co., LTD.
Total number eligible----------------------------------------- 41
Total number of ballots cast---------------------------------- 24
Total number of challenged ballots---------------------------- 0
Total number of blank ballots--------------------------------- 0
Total number of void ballots---------------------------------- 0
Total number of valid votes cast------------------------------ 24
Total number of votes for Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Workers
Union, Local 78, C. I. 0 ------------------------------------- 21
Total number of votes for Fruit & Vegetable Packers
Association of California----------------------------------- 2
Total number of votes for neither----------------------------- . 1
GEORGE G. AVERILL 853
FRI-D R. BRIGHT COMPANY
Total number eligible---------------------------------------- 99
Total number of ballots cast---------------------------------- 53
Total number of challenged ballots---------------------------- 0
Total number of blank ballots-------------- ------------------- 0
Total number of void ballots---------------------------------- 0
Total number of valid votes cast-----------------------------
Total number of votes for Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Workers
53
Union, Local 78, C I. 0------------------------------------- 35
Total number of votes for Fruit & Vegetable Packers
Association of California----------------------------------- 2
Total number of votes for neither----------------------------- 16
THE S. A. GERRARD CO.
Total number eligible________________________________________ 50
Total number of ballots cast---------------------------------- 33
Total number of challenged ballots---------------------------- 0
Total number of blank ballots-------------------------------- 0
Total number of void ballots---------------------------------- 0
Total number of valid votes cast------------------------------ 33
Total number of votes for Fresh FInit & Vegetable Workers
Union, Local 78, C I 0------------------------------------- 3
Total number of votes for Fruit & Vegetable Packers
Association of California----------------------------------- 30
Total number of votes for neither----------------------------- 0
C. P DENNY
Total number eligible ---------------------------------------- 19
Total number of ballots cast---------------------------------- 15
Total number of challenged ballots----------------------------- 0
Total number of blank ballots-------------------------------- 0
Total number of void ballots---------------------------------- 0
Total number of valid votes cast----------------------------- 15
Total number of votes for Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Workers
Union, Local 78, C.I 0------------------------------------- 11
Total number of votes against Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Workers
Union, Local 78. C I 0------------------------------------- 4
The Regional Director reported that no elections were conducted
among employees of Crown Packing Co., El Centro, California; E.
B. Hunter, Calexico, California; Lewis Terven, Holtville, California;
Hunter-Johnson Co., Holtville, California; and George Swink,
Brawley, California, because their packing sheds were not operating,
and on March 5, 1940, Fresh Fruit S- Vegetable Workers Union,
Local 78, affiliated with the Congress of Industrial Organizations,
the petitioner in these cases, filed with the Regional Director its
written request for permission to withdraw its petitions in the cases
involving those Companies. We shall grant the request as regards
the cases involving employees of Lewis Terven and Hunter-Johnson
Co. to which no other labor organization is a party. The petition in
283O.2-41-o1. 21--55
854 DECISIONS OF NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD
the cases involving employees of Crown Packing Co., E. B. Hunter,
and George Swink, in which Fruit & Vegetable Packers Association
of California intervened, will be dismissed without prejudice.
No election was directed to be conducted among employees of A.
Arena & Co., Ltd., Brawley, California, because charges under Sec-
tion 8 (1) of the Act have been filed against it. The 1940 lettuce-
packing season in the Imperial Valley having been concluded, we
shall dismiss the petition for investigation and certification of rep-
resentatives of employees of this concern without prejudice.
On February 23, 1940, M. O. Best Company, Alex E. Engleman,
Fred G. Hilvert Co., and Fitz-Gerald & Litrov filed with the Regional
Director Objections to Certification of Bargaining Representative.
The Objections stated that, inasmuch as the qualified voters voting
in the elections among the employees of these Companies did not
bear a substantial relationship to the number of eligible voters, the
election was not determinative of a true bargaining representative.
We shall not certify any representatives as a result of the elections
conducted among employees of Fitz-Gerald & Litrov, M. O. Best
Company, and Alex E. Engleman, because of the small number of
qualified voters participating in the balloting.'
We shall also dismiss the petition for investigation and certification
of employees of Western Vegetable Distributors, since no votes were
cast at the election conducted among the employees of that firm.
CERTIFICATIONS OF REPRESENTATIVES
By virtue of and pursuant to the power vested in the National
Labor Relations Board by Section 9 (c) of the National Labor
Relations Act, 49 Stat. 449, and pursuant to Article III, Sections
8 and 9, of National Labor Relations Board Rules and Regulations-
Series 2, as amended,
IT IS HEREBY CERTIFIED that Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Workers
Union, Local 78, affiliated with the Congress of Industrial Organ-
izations, has been designated and selected by a majority of the re-
ceivers, truckers, trimmers, packers, crate liners, icemen, lidders,
carloaders, and others employed by Charles Freedman, El Centro,
California; A. Levy & J. Zentner Company, El Centro, California;
Albert S. Gargiulo, Brawley, California; Golden Valley Produce Co.,
Ltd., El Centro, California; Fred G. Hilvert Co., Brawley, Cali-
fornia; Fred R. Bright Company, El Centro, California; and C. P.
Denny, Sandia, California, respectively, as packing-shed workers in
the packing and shipping of lettuce, but excluding office help, fore-
See Matter of Chrysler Corporation and Society of Designing Iinq nevi c, 1 N L Ii B.
164.
GEORGE G. AVERILL 855
amen, teamsters, and box makers, as their representative for the pur-
poses of collective bargaining, and that pursuant to Section 9 (a) of
the Act, Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Workers Union, Local 78, affiliated
with the Congress of Industrial Organizations, is the exclusive repre-
sentative, in the case of each of the afore-mentioned employers, of
such employees for the purposes of collective bargaining in respect
to rates of pay, wages, hours of employment, and other conditions
of employment.
IT IS HEREBY CERTIFIED that Fruit & Vegetable Packers Association
of California has been designated and selected by a majority of the
receivers, truckers, trimmers, packers, crate liners, icemen, lidders,
carloaders, and others employed by The S. A. Gerrard Co., Brawley,
California, as packing-shed workers in the packing and shipping
of lettuce, excluding office help, foremen, teamsters, and box makers,
as their representative for the purposes of collective bargaining, and
that pursuant to Section 9 (a) of the Act, Fruit & Vegetable Packers
Association of California is the exclusive representative of all such
employees for the purposes of collective bargaining in respect to
rates of pay, wages, hours of employment, and other conditions of
employment
ORDER
By virtue of Section 9 (c) of the National Labor Relations Act,
49 Stat. 449, and pursuant to Article III, Sections 8 and 9, of
National Labor Relations Board Rules and Regulations-Series 2,
as amended,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the request of Fresh Fruit & Vegetable
Workers Union, Local 78, for permission to withdraw its petitions
in the cases involving employees of Lewis Terven and Hunter-
Johnson Co. be, and it hereby is, granted and the aforesaid cases be,
and they hereby are, closed.
AND IT IS HEREBY FURTHER ORDERED that the petitions requesting
investigation and certification of representatives of employees of
A. Arena & Co., Ltd., Crown Packing Co., E. B. Hunter, and George
Swink be, and the same hereby are, dismissed without prejudice.
AND IT IS HEREBY FURTHER ORDERED that the petitions for investiga-
tion and certification of representatives of employees of Fitz-Gerald
& Litrov, M. O. Best Company, Alex E. Engleman, and Western
Vegetable Distributors be, and they hereby are, dismissed.
MR. WILLIAM M. LEISERSON took no part in the consideration of
the above Certifications of Representatives and Order.