(the Union) as the exclusive bargaining agent for about 100 of the Hospital's employees, including dietary, housekeeping, laundry and maintenance workers, orderlies, nurses, nurses' aides and physical therapists.


7
On August 19, 1974, the Hospital and the Union entered into a one-year collective bargaining agreement effective through August 18, 1975.  The agreement contained a union shop provision which required all workers in the bargaining unit to join the Union within 31 days after they were hired and to remain members in good standing.  Another provision allowed an automatic checkoff of union dues if the employee submitted a written authorization.


8
The administrative law judge found that the Hospital had been told that employees had filed a decertification petition in 1974, which the Board either rejected or dismissed under the contractbar rule.2  The Board had no evidence of the petition in its files.


9
On October 22, 1974, 43 of the workers in the unit filed a petition for withdrawal of union shop authority.  At an election held on February 2, 1975, 55 of the 97 eligible workers voted to deauthorize the Union; only 28 employees voted to continue the union shop.


10
On April 14, 1975, the Union gave the Hospital notice that the Union wanted to cancel the existing contract and open negotiations for a new contract effective August 19, 1975.  On the following day, April 15, the Union filed with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service a 60-day notice of intent to cancel the existing contract.


11
The Hospital responded to the April 14 letter on May 19,