Operative Plasterers & Cement Masons International Ass'n v. International Brotherhood of Painters & Allied Trades
This case involves an ongoing jurisdictional dispute between the Operative Plasterers & Cement Masons International Association (Plasterers Local 530) and the International Brotherhood of Painters and Aided Trades (Painters Local 1486) concerning 'skimcoating' work at the Nordstrom’s Project. The Plasterers initiated the action after the contractor, Island Taping, Inc., hired the Painters' Local 1486 instead of Local 530. After local and national arbitration attempts failed to resolve the arbitrability issue, the Plasterers requested the District Court to either compel arbitration or assume jurisdiction to decide the dispute and sought a preliminary injunction. The Court ruled that the question of arbitrability was not clearly delegated to the arbitrator and must be decided independently by the Court. A hearing has been ordered to determine if Local 1486 is affiliated with the New York Plan, which would establish arbitrability. The Court also denied the request for a preliminary injunction due to a lack of demonstrated irreparable harm.