National Labor Relations Board v. Chatfield-Anderson Co., Inc., Dba Truss-Span Co.

This case is before us on application of the National Labor Relations Board, under section 10(e) of the National Labor Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. § 160 (e) (1976), for enforcement of its bargaining and related orders against Chatfield-Anderson Company. We enforce the part of the Board’s order finding violations of section 8(a)(1) of the Act, 29 U.S.C. § 158 (a)(1), but deny enforcement of the bargaining order.

Chatfield operates wooden roof and floor truss manufacturing plants in Redmond and Auburn, Washington. The company’s 34 employees began to discuss unionization in January 1976, while the Auburn plant was being constructed. Dan Heide, a construction employee at the Auburn facility, became a major proponent of union organization.

Largely as a result of Heide’s efforts on February 19 and 20, 1976, 23 of the 34 employees signed authorization cards designating the Line Drivers, Pickup and Delivery, and Helpers Union as their representative to bargain collectively on their behalf. When the company president was approached on February 20, he declined to recognize the union as the employees’ bargaining representative, and the union petitioned the Board for an election.

Over the…