National Labor Relations Board v. Carpenters Union Local No. 1622, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Afl-Cio

The National Labor Relations Board seeks enforcement of a broad cease and desist order against Carpenters Local 1622 for secondary picketing at two different construction sites. We hold that substantial evidence supports the Board’s finding of violations and grant the Board’s application for enforcement.

The Union initiated pickets at construction sites against nonunion general contractors Specialty Building Company (“Specialty”) and Robert Wood & Associates, Inc. (“Wood”) in 1981 at their respective projects. Several subcontractors were also at work at the sites. Both general contractors (“primaries”) responded to the pickets by setting up reserved gate systems, designating separate gates for their own employees and suppliers, and for those of the other employers at the site.

The Board adopted the administrative law judge’s finding that the Union picketed all entrances at both sites indiscriminately. The Board held that the Union’s failure to honor the separate gate systems violated § 8(b)(4) of the National Labor Relations Act, as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 158 (b)(4) (1982), which prohibits a Union from pressuring indirectly an employer with whom it has a labor dispute by picketing…