Strand Leather Goods Co.

National Labor Relations Board - Board Decisions

Nov 26, 1946

71 N.L.R.B. 812 (N.L.R.B. 1946)

In the Matter of Louis LEVINE, JOSEPH MALINO, AND SAMUEL CAROLINE,
DOING BUSINESS AS STRAND LEATHER GOODS COMPANY, EMPLOYER
and POCKETBOOK WORKERS UNION OF NEW BEDFORD, AFFILIATED WITH
UNITED POCKETBOOK, LEATHER GOODS AND NOVELTY WORKERS OF
AMERICA, PETITIONER
Case No. 1-R-3-371.-Decided November 26, 1946
Mr. Samuel Barnet, of New Bedford, Mass., for the Employer.
Mr. Samuel Harris Cohen, of New York City, for the Petitioner.
Mr. Norman Zvkowsky, of New York City, for the Intervenor.
Mr. Jack J. Mantel, of counsel to the Board.
DECISION
AND
DIRECTION OF ELECTION
Upon an amended petition duly filed, hearing in this case was held
at New Bedford, Massachusetts, on October 15, 1946, before Sam G.
Zack, hearing officer. The hearing officer's rulings made at the hearing
are free from prejudicial error and are hereby affirmed.
Upon the entire record in the case, the National Labor Relations
'Board makes the following:
FINDINGS or FACT
I. THE BUSINESS OF TIIE EMPLOYER
Louis Levine, Joseph Malino, and Samuel Caroline, doing business
as Strand Leather Goods Company, is a partnership engaged in the
manufacture of ladies' pocketbooks in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
For the 6 months prior to October 15, 1946, the Employer purchased
raw materials, consisting of leather, plastics, linings, and metal fittings,
valued in excess of $250,000, of which between 75 to 90 percent was
shipped to its plant from points outside the Commonwealth of Massa-
chusetts. During the same period, the Employer's finished products
were valued in excess of $400,000, of which approximately 60 percent
was shipped to points outside the Commonwealth.
The Employer admits and Ave find that it is engaged in commerce
within the meaning of the National Labor Relations Act.
71 N. L R B, No. 133
812
STRAND LEATHER GOODS COMPANY
IT. THE ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED
813
The Petitioner is a labor organization claiming to represent em-
ployees of the Employer.
International Handbag, Luggage, Belt & Novelty `Yorkers Union,
herein called the Intervenor , is a labor organization affiliated with the
American Federation of Labor, claiming to represent employees of
the Employer.
III. THE QUESTION CONCERNING REPRESENTATION
The Employer refuses to recognize the Petitioner or the Intervenor
as the exclusive bargaining representative of employees of the Em-
ployer until the Petitioner or the Intervenor has been certified by the
Board in an appropriate unit.
We find that a question affecting commerce has arisen concerning
the representation of employees of the Employer, within the meaning
of Section 9 (c) and Section 2 (6) and (7) of the Act.
IV. THE APPROPRIATE UNIT
We find, in substantial accord with the agreement of the parties,
that all production and shipping department employees of the Em-
ployer, excluding all maintenance, sales, and clerical employees, and
all supervisory employees with authority to hire, promote, discharge,
discipline, or otherwise effect changes in the status of employees, or
effectively recommend such action, constitute a unit appropriate for
the purposes of collective bargaining within the meaning of Section 9
(b) of the Act.
DIRECTION OF ELECTION
As part of the investigation to ascertain representatives for the
purposes of collective bargaining with Louis Levine, Joseph Malino,
and Samuel Caroline, doing business as Strand Leather Goods Com-
pany, New Bedford, Massachusetts, an election by secret ballot shall
be conducted as early as possible, but not later than thirty (30) days
from the date of this Direction, under the direction and supervision
of the Regional Director for the First Region, acting in this matter
as agent for the National Labor Relations Board and subject to Sec-
tions 203.55 and 203.56, of National Labor Relations Board Rules and
Regulations-Series 4, among the employees in the unit found appro-
priate in Section IV, above, who were employed during the pay-roll
period immediately preceding the date of this Direction, including
employees who did not work during said pay-roll period because they
were ill or on vacation or temporarily laid off, and including employees
in the armed forces of the United States who present themselves in
person at the polls, but excluding those employees who have since quit
814 ' DECISIONS OF NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD
or been discharged for cause and have not been rehired or reinstated
prior to the date of the election, to determine whether or not they
desire to be represented by Pocketbook Workers Union of New Bed-
ford, affiliated with United Pocketbook, Leather Goods and Novelty
Workers of America, or by International Handbag, Luggage, Belt '%
Novelty Workers Union, AFL, for the purposes of collective bar-
gaining, or by neither.