San Diego Building Trades Council et al. v. Garmon et al.

Decided April 20, 1959. Felix Frankfurter delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 66 · 359 U.S. 236 (1959) · Cited 2,980 times

We don’t yet publish a summary of this opinion — read the official text below for the Court’s holding and reasoning.

How the Justices voted

Decided 5–4.

“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.

• International Union, United Automobile, Aircraft & Agricultural Implement Workers v. Russell · 356 U.S. 634 (1958)
• United Construction Workers v. Laburnum Construction Corp. · 347 U.S. 656 (1954)
• Weber v. Anheuser-Busch, Inc. · 348 U.S. 468 (1955)
• Guss v. Utah Labor Relations Board · 353 U.S. 1 (1957)
• Garner v. Teamsters, Chauffeurs & Helpers Local Union No. 776 · 346 U.S. 485 (1953)
• International Ass'n of MacHinists v. Gonzales · 356 U.S. 617 (1958)
• United Automobile, Aircraft & Agricultural Implement Workers of America v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Board · 351 U.S. 266 (1956)
• Youngdahl v. Rainfair, Inc. · 355 U.S. 131 (1957)
• Allen-Bradley Local No. 1111 v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Board · 315 U.S. 740 (1942)
• International Union, U. A. W. A., A. F. of L., Local 232 v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Board · 336 U.S. 245 (1949)
• Amalgamated Ass'n of Street, Electric Railway & Motor Coach Employees of America, Division 998 v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Board · 340 U.S. 383 (1951)
• International Union of United Automobile v. O'Brien · 339 U.S. 454 (1950)
• Amalgamated Meat Cutters & Butcher Workmen, Local No. 427 v. Fairlawn Meats, Inc. · 353 U.S. 20 (1957)
• Williamson v. Lee Optical of Oklahoma, Inc. · 348 U.S. 483 (1955)
• Bethlehem Steel Co. v. New York State Labor Relations Board · 330 U.S. 767 (1947)
• Local 24, International Brotherhood of Teamsters v. Oliver · 358 U.S. 283 (1959)
• Charleston & Western Carolina Railway Co. v. Varnville Furniture Co. · 237 U.S. 597 (1915)
• Algoma Plywood & Veneer Co. v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Board · 336 U.S. 301 (1949)
• San Diego Building Trades Council v. Garmon · 353 U.S. 26 (1957)

Cited by

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

• Amalgamated Ass'n of Street, Electric Railway & Motor Coach Employees of America v. Lockridge · 403 U.S. 274 (1971)
• Sears, Roebuck & Co. v. San Diego County District Council of Carpenters · 436 U.S. 180 (1978)
• International Longshoremen's Ass'n v. Davis · 476 U.S. 380 (1986)
• Belknap, Inc. v. Hale · 463 U.S. 491 (1983)
• Glacier Northwest, Inc. v. Teamsters · 598 U.S. 771 (2023)
• Lodge 76, International Ass'n of MacHinists & Aerospace Workers v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission · 427 U.S. 132 (1976)
• Farmer v. United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners of America, Local 25 · 430 U.S. 290 (1977)
• New York Telephone Co. v. New York State Department of Labor · 440 U.S. 519 (1979)
• Hanna Mining Co. v. District 2, Marine Engineers Beneficial Ass'n · 382 U.S. 181 (1965)
• Building & Construction Trades Council of the Metropolitan District v. Associated Builders & Contractors of Massachusetts/Rhode Island, Inc. · 507 U.S. 218 (1993)
• Marine Engineers Beneficial Ass'n v. Interlake Steamship Co. · 370 U.S. 173 (1962)
• Wisconsin Department of Industry, Labor & Human Relations v. Gould Inc. · 475 U.S. 282 (1986)
• Vaca v. Sipes · 386 U.S. 171 (1967)
• Local 926, International Union of Operating Engineers v. Jones · 460 U.S. 669 (1983)
• Linn v. United Plant Guard Workers of America, Local 114 · 383 U.S. 53 (1966)
• Local 100, United Ass'n of Journeymen & Apprentices v. Borden · 373 U.S. 690 (1963)
• Cipollone v. Liggett Group, Inc. · 505 U.S. 504 (1992)
• Smith v. Evening News Assn. · 371 U.S. 195 (1962)
• International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Shipbuilders, Blacksmiths, Forgers & Helpers v. Hardeman · 401 U.S. 233 (1971)
• Allis-Chalmers Corp. v. Lueck · 471 U.S. 202 (1985)
• Metropolitan Life Insurance v. Massachusetts · 471 U.S. 724 (1985)
• De Canas v. Bica · 424 U.S. 351 (1976)
• Retail Clerks International Ass'n, Local 1625 v. Schermerhorn · 375 U.S. 96 (1963)
• Golden State Transit Corp. v. City of Los Angeles · 475 U.S. 608 (1986)
• Chamber of Commerce of United States v. Brown · 554 U.S. 60 (2008)
• United Mine Workers of America v. Gibbs · 383 U.S. 715 (1966)
• Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen v. Jacksonville Terminal Co. · 394 U.S. 369 (1969)
• William E. Arnold Co. v. Carpenters District Council · 417 U.S. 12 (1974)
• Lingle v. Norge Division of Magic Chef, Inc. · 486 U.S. 399 (1988)
• Bill Johnson's Restaurants, Inc. v. National Labor Relations Board · 461 U.S. 731 (1983)

Official text

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

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Source: the U.S. Reports via govinfo.gov; authoring Justice and vote lineup from the Supreme Court Database (Washington University). 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).