Boston University Chapter v. N.L.R.B.

In 1974 the Boston University Chapter, American Association of University Professors (the union) (plaintiff) filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) (defendant) to certify a bargaining unit composed of all regular full-time faculty members at Boston University (BU). The certification was requested pursuant to the National Labor Relations Act (the act). Managerial employees had been excluded from the act by a judicial decision of the United States Supreme Court. BU objected to the petition, claiming that full-time faculty were managerial employees and thereby excluded from the act’s coverage. After a vote in favor of certification, the union was certified by the NLRB. However, the union’s request for bargaining was rejected by BU. Subsequently, the union filed an unfair-labor-practice charge against BU, alleging violations of the act. The NLRB agreed with the union, and it ordered BU to collectively bargain. BU appealed, and the NLRB’s decision was affirmed. While BU’s petition to the United States Supreme Court was pending, the Supreme Court decided N.L.R.B. v. Yeshiva University, a similar case, holding that full-time university faculty, under certain circumstances, are managerial employees under the act. Subsequently, on petition from BU, the case was remanded to the NLRB for further consideration in light of Yeshiva. On remand, an administrative-law judge (ALJ) made findings of fact regarding the responsibilities of full-time faculty and determined that, based on the Yeshiva ruling, they were managerial employees. The NLRB affirmed the recommended ruling and issued an order dismissing the charge against BU. The union appealed the decision.