LITTON FINANCIAL PRINTING DIVISION, A DIVISION OF LITTON BUSINESS SYSTEMS, INC., PETITIONER v. NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD, ET AL., 501 U.S. 190

Summary

Petitioner operated a check printing plant. A union represented the production employees at the plant. Petitioner and the union entered into a collective bargaining agreement, which contained a provision for determination by arbitration of any differences between the parties regarding the agreement. The agreement set forth a two-step grievance procedure, at the conclusion of which, if a grievance could not be resolved, the matter could be submitted for binding arbitration. Petitioner laid off some employees who worked at the plant without any notice to the union. After the expiration of the agreement, respondent, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), issued a complaint alleging petitioner's refusal to process the grievances amounted to an unfair labor practice within the meaning of 29 U.S.C.S. §§ 158(a)(1) and (5). Upon appeal from the court of appeals, the United States Supreme Court agreed with the NLRB's finding that petitioner had violated §§ 158(a)(1) and (5) by failing to ...