Central Hardware Co. v. National Labor Relations Board
407 U.S. 539 · Decided June 22, 1972 · Supreme Court of the United States
Record summary. This page is generated from the Supreme Court Database’s coded data about the case. It describes who decided what, not the Court’s reasoning. Read the opinion itself before relying on it. Not legal advice.
At a glance
Central Hardware Co. v. National Labor Relations Board was decided on June 22, 1972 by a vote of 6–3. The Court vacated the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Labor-management right to organize” in the Unions area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 407 U.S. 539 · 92 S. Ct. 2238 · 33 L. Ed. 2d 122 · 1972 U.S. LEXIS 136
- Docket number
- 70-223
- Decided
- June 22, 1972
- Argued
- April 18, 1972
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Vacated and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 6–3
- Majority opinion
- Lewis F. Powell Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Labor-management right to organize
- Issue area
- Unions
- Legal provision
- National Labor Relations Act
- Type of law
- Federal statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William O. Douglas | Dissent | |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority |
Full case caption
Central Hardware Co. v. National Labor Relations Board et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1971-157, docket 1971-157-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Labor-management right to organize”
- National Labor Relations Board v. Baylor University Medical Center
- National Labor Relations Board v. Baptist Hospital, Inc.
- Office Employes International Union v. National Labor Relations Board
- National Labor Relations Board v. E. C. Atkins & Co.
- Harris v. QuinnLaw held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: National Labor Relations Act
- National Labor Relations Board v. Burns International Security Services, Inc.
- National Labor Relations Board v. Scrivener
- National Labor Relations Board v. International Van Lines
- National Labor Relations Board v. Granite State Joint Board
- National Labor Relations Board v. Plasterers' Local Union No. 79
- Allied Chemical & Alkali Workers of America v. Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co.
Same Term, same area (Unions)
- National Labor Relations Board v. Plasterers' Local Union No. 79
- Allied Chemical & Alkali Workers of America v. Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co.
- Trbovich v. United Mine Workers of America
- National Labor Relations Board v. Scrivener
- National Labor Relations Board v. Burns International Security Services, Inc.
- International Union of Operating Engineers v. Flair Builders, Inc.
Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error