Carpenters Union, LOCAL 131 v. Cisco Construction Co.

Cisco, the general contractor, mainly makes its case seeking damages 1 for unfair labor practices 2 (committed by five locals and a labor council) from pressure conduct away from two job sites and usually at the places of business of Cisco’s subcontractors. This “secondary” activity supplemented a stationary picket line at the job sites and roving picketing following Cisco’s trucks established by a local of the carpenters’ union.

Cisco had no contract with any union. It had contracts and “arrangements” with a number of subcontractors all of whom except one operated “union” shops. It had two separate United States army contracts at sites in Washington — the Redmond project and the Young’s Lake project.

Generally, it may be said that the away-from-the-job site pressure, if it must be kept uncommingled with the job site picketing, did no substantial damage. The damage which Cisco did suffer would appear to have been caused because the subcontractors’ union men just would not cross the picket lines at the job sites. The trial court expressly found that the first picket line as originally established was not illegal. And we think it implicit in the court’s decision, findings of fact…