National Labor Relations Board v. Amax Coal Co., a Division of Amax, Inc., et al.

Decided June 29, 1981. Potter Stewart delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 80-692 · 453 U.S. 322 (1981) · Cited 454 times

Holding

Employer-selected trustees of a 302(c)(5) trust fund are not "representatives" of the employer "for the purposes of collective bargaining or the adjustment of grievances" within the meaning of 8(b)(1)(B).

The Court’s statement of the holding, from the opinion’s syllabus. The syllabus is prepared by the Reporter of Decisions and is not part of the opinion of the Court — read the official opinion for authority.

How the Justices voted

Decided 8–1.

“Concurring” means agreeing with the outcome; any split shown is the Court’s judgment, not each Justice’s reasoning. Source: the Supreme Court Database (Spaeth et al.), Washington University.

Precedents cited

Supreme Court decisions this opinion relies on, ordered by how often it cites each. Cases in our collection link through; others are named.

• Florida Power & Light Co. v. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 641 · 417 U.S. 790 (1974)
• Arroyo v. United States · 359 U.S. 419 (1959)
• National Labor Relations Board v. Insurance Agents' International Union · 361 U.S. 477 (1960)
• Owen v. City of Independence · 445 U.S. 622 (1980)
• Perrin v. United States · 444 U.S. 37 (1979)
• Allied Chemical & Alkali Workers of America, Local Union No. 1 v. Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co. · 404 U.S. 157 (1971)
• Woods v. City Nat. Bank & Trust Co. of Chicago · 312 U.S. 262 (1941)
• United States Ex Rel. Sherman v. Carter Constr. Co. · 353 U.S. 210 (1957)
• Carbon Fuel Co. v. United Mine Workers · 444 U.S. 212 (1979)
• United States v. Ryan · 350 U.S. 299 (1956)

Cited by

Later Supreme Court opinions in our collection that cite this case.

• United Mine Workers of America Health & Retirement Funds v. Robinson · 455 U.S. 562 (1982)
• Varity Corp. v. Howe · 516 U.S. 489 (1996)
• Central States, Southeast & Southwest Areas Pension Fund v. Central Transport, Inc. · 472 U.S. 559 (1985)
• Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. v. Bruch · 489 U.S. 101 (1989)
• Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance v. Russell · 473 U.S. 134 (1985)
• Field v. Mans · 516 U.S. 59 (1995)
• Concrete Pipe & Products of Cal., Inc. v. Construction Laborers Pension Trust for Southern Cal. · 508 U.S. 602 (1993)
• Community for Creative Non-Violence v. Reid · 490 U.S. 730 (1989)
• General Building Contractors Assn., Inc. v. Pennsylvania · 458 U.S. 375 (1982)
• United States v. Locke · 471 U.S. 84 (1985)
• Kungys v. United States · 485 U.S. 759 (1988)
• Republic of Argentina v. Weltover, Inc. · 504 U.S. 607 (1992)
• Deal v. United States · 508 U.S. 129 (1993)
• Connolly v. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation · 475 U.S. 211 (1986)
• Beck v. Prupis · 529 U.S. 494 (2000)
• Molzof v. United States · 502 U.S. 301 (1992)
• City of Edmonds v. Oxford House, Inc. · 514 U.S. 725 (1995)
• Schneider Moving & Storage Co. v. Robbins · 466 U.S. 364 (1984)

Official text

Read the official opinion (U.S. Reports, govinfo.gov)

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Source: Supreme Court of the United States, slip opinions (1981). Citation count from the Free Law Project’s CourtListener bulk data. Data last verified 2026-07-03. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).