National Labor Relations Board v. Northwestern Mut. Fire Ass'n

This is a petition of the National Labor Relations Board for the enforcement of an order entered upon the Board’s determination that respondents had engaged in unfair labor practices affecting commerce. 1 No jurisdictional problem is involved. We briefly summarize the facts as recited in the findings. Naturally the testimony was in conflict at a number of points and differing inferences may be drawn from it, but the findings appear to have support in the record.

One Sylvester, a salaried salesman of respondent insurance companies, undertook to organize a union of the home office employees as an affiliate of the American Federation of Labor. The work of recruiting membership proceeded quietly and with a considerable measure of success. Plans were announced for the holding of a general meeting of all employees at a local (Seattle) hotel on the evening of December 4, 1940, for the purpose of perfecting the organization. When news of the proposed meeting reached the respondents’ governing staff directions were given to two supervisory employees—the assistant treasurer and the personnel manager—to attend and report their observations to Mr. Brill, the secretary of the companies. The…