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Case Law Database

Access over workers' compensation decisions, including En Banc, Significant Panel Decisions, and writ-denied cases.

Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Curran v. International Union, Oil, Chemical & Atomic Workers

Plaintiff, an employee of Carborundum Company, suffered a partial hand amputation in a "rubber roll" machine accident on March 8, 1979. He sued his unions, International Union, Oil, Chemical & Atomic Workers, AFL-CIO, and Abrasive Workers, Local 8-12058, Oil, Chemical & Atomic Workers International Union, alleging state law negligence for failing to safeguard him from dangers and a federal claim for breaching their duty of fair representation. The unions moved for summary judgment, arguing federal law preempts the negligence claim and they did not breach their duty of fair representation. The court granted the unions' motion regarding the negligence claim, ruling that a union's duty to its members, arising from a collective bargaining agreement, is governed exclusively by federal law and does not include a duty of care. However, the court denied the motion regarding the breach of fair representation claim, finding sufficient facts and allegations to infer that the unions may have discharged their duty in an arbitrary, perfunctory manner or in bad faith, thus leaving triable issues of fact.

Union LiabilityDuty of Fair RepresentationNegligence ClaimFederal PreemptionCollective Bargaining AgreementSummary Judgment MotionLabor LawWorkplace AccidentSafety and Health CommitteeArbitrary Union Action
References
8
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Musto v. Transport Workers Union of America

Plaintiffs, former Title II Utility Men for American Airlines, represented by TWU and Local 501, alleged violations of the Railway Labor Act. They claimed the unions breached their duty of fair representation by deliberately eliminating their jobs during negotiations in 2002, leading to layoffs, and by failing to pursue their grievances. Plaintiffs also asserted American improperly laid them off, breaching collective bargaining agreements and Letters of Understanding. The court denied the unions' motions to dismiss the fair representation claims, finding sufficient evidence of bad faith and discrimination. However, plaintiffs' claims for punitive damages against the unions were dismissed. American's motion to dismiss, arguing minor disputes and lack of collusion, was also denied, as the court found a valid hybrid claim for breach of the CBA inextricably linked to the union's fair representation breach.

Railway Labor ActDuty of Fair RepresentationCollective Bargaining AgreementLayoffsSeniority RightsContract NegotiationGrievance ProcedureStatute of LimitationsPunitive DamagesHybrid Actions
References
29
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Apr 11, 1991

Gold v. Local Union No. 888

Leonard Gold, an employee for 29 years, was terminated by John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company following accusations of theft from a policyholder. Gold denied the allegations, attributing them to the policyholder's senility. The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union and Local Union No. 888, UFCW-AFL-CIO, represented Gold through the grievance process but ultimately withdrew their intent to arbitrate after an allegedly inadequate investigation by union official Andre Henault. Gold filed an action alleging breach of collective bargaining agreement by the Company and breach of the duty of fair representation by the union. The court denied John Hancock's motion for summary judgment, finding sufficient facts for a jury to infer the union handled Gold's grievance arbitrarily. Additionally, the court granted the union's motion to dismiss John Hancock's cross-claim, which was filed after the union settled with Gold, ruling it was barred.

duty of fair representationsummary judgmentgrievance processarbitrationcollective bargaining agreementwrongful terminationlabor lawunion settlementcross-claimfederal civil procedure
References
16
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Valdez v. Commercial Union Assurance Companies

Carlos Valdez, the appellant, sued Commercial Union Assurance Companies to set aside a worker's compensation settlement. Valdez sustained an ankle injury while working for NAPA and later complained of back pain, which Dr. Langston reported as non-existent. Valdez settled for $2,000, but subsequently underwent back surgery for a ruptured disc. He alleged fraud, claiming reliance on false representations by Dr. Langston, whom he claimed was an agent of Commercial Union. The jury found that Dr. Langston's representation was false and material to Valdez's decision, but failed to find that Commercial Union used the reports to induce the settlement or that Dr. Langston was their agent. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's judgment, finding no evidence that the appellee used the reports to induce the settlement or that Dr. Langston was their agent.

Compromise SettlementFraudulent InducementMedical MisrepresentationAppellate AffirmationAgent AuthorityJury Verdict ReviewBack Injury ClaimWorker's Injury SettlementInsurance DisputeTreating Physician Role
References
3
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Carter v. Transp. Workers Union of Am. Local 556

Plaintiff Charlene Carter, a former flight attendant, sued Southwest Airlines and her union, Local 556, alleging wrongful termination and retaliation. She claims Southwest terminated her for RLA-protected speech and religious discrimination under Title VII after she posted pro-life content and criticized union leadership on Facebook. Carter also alleges Local 556 retaliated against her and breached its duty of fair representation by complaining to Southwest about her posts. The Court denied Southwest's motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, finding her claims were not minor disputes under the RLA. However, the Court dismissed Carter's RLA claims against Southwest for failing to establish anti-union animus and constitutional retaliation claims against both defendants because they are private entities. The Title VII religious discrimination claim against Southwest was allowed to proceed, and the breach of duty of fair representation claim against Local 556 was dismissed without prejudice, with leave to amend. The RLA-based retaliation claim against Local 556 was also allowed to proceed.

Railway Labor ActTitle VII DiscriminationReligious DiscriminationWrongful TerminationRetaliation ClaimDuty of Fair RepresentationSocial Media PolicyUnion ActivitiesFreedom of SpeechPrivate Employer
References
76
Case No. 97 Civ. 8830(SAS)
Regular Panel Decision
Jun 17, 1998

Waterman v. Transport Workers' Union Local 100

Plaintiff Andre Waterman, a bus driver, was terminated after testing positive for cocaine. He filed an action against Transport Workers’ Union Local 100 for breach of fair representation and against Malcolm Goldstein and O’Donnell Schwartz Glanstein & Rosen for legal malpractice. The defendants moved for summary judgment. The court granted the defendants' motion, dismissing the claim against the union on grounds of res judicata and the six-month statute of limitations. The malpractice claim against Goldstein and his firm was also dismissed, as the court found that union attorneys acting as agents of the union in collective bargaining agreement contexts are immune from suit by individual union members.

Summary JudgmentBreach of Fair RepresentationLegal MalpracticeRes JudicataStatute of LimitationsUnion ImmunityAttorney ImmunityDrug TestingEmployment TerminationCollective Bargaining Agreement
References
41
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Franklin v. CROSBY TYPE. CO. & INT'L TYPO. UNION

Plaintiff Morris W. Franklin, a Black individual, sued his former employer, Crosby Typesetting Company, Inc., and his union, International Typographical Union, Local 198, alleging racial discrimination. Franklin claimed he was denied experience credit, unlawfully discharged, and that the union failed to represent him due to his race. The employer asserted Franklin was discharged for cause due to disruptive behavior, specifically slamming type, after repeated warnings. The union contended it couldn't help due to Franklin's untimely grievance. The Court found the plaintiff failed to prove a prima facie case of discrimination, concluding his discharge was for legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons and that the union did not discriminate or breach its duty of fair representation. Recovery was denied to the plaintiff.

Employment DiscriminationRacial DiscriminationTitle VIISection 1981Union Duty of Fair RepresentationWrongful TerminationPrima Facie CaseBurden of ProofStatute of LimitationsUntimely Grievance
References
6
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Gerber v. Amalgamated Transit Union Division 580

The plaintiff was fired by CNY Centro, Inc. and filed a grievance which the defendant union failed to arbitrate within the stipulated time. The plaintiff sued the union alleging negligence, breach of collective bargaining agreement, and fraudulent misrepresentation. The union moved to dismiss, arguing federal preemption and a six-month statute of limitations. The court held that it had jurisdiction over unfair representation claims in state courts. It applied the six-month federal statute of limitations to the negligence and breach of contract claims, finding them time-barred. However, the court applied New York's six-year statute of limitations for fraudulent misrepresentation, finding that claim timely.

Unfair RepresentationStatute of LimitationsFederal PreemptionLabor DisputesGrievance ArbitrationCollective Bargaining AgreementFraudulent MisrepresentationState Court JurisdictionNational Labor Relations ActDuty of Fair Representation
References
17
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

International Union of Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers, Local Union No. 782 v. Texas Employment Commission

This case concerns an appeal by the International Union of Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers, Local Union No. 782, AFI-CIO, and 99 individuals challenging a Texas Employment Commission (TEC) decision that denied unemployment compensation benefits. The dispute arose from a General Electric Company plant shutdown in 1957. The appellate court addressed jurisdictional issues related to the aggregate claims amount and venue for non-resident claimants. It affirmed the trial court's dismissal of the union as a party plaintiff, but reversed decisions regarding claimants deemed voluntarily unemployed or not totally unemployed who did not receive immediate vacation pay. The court affirmed the denial of benefits for 11 claimants who received vacation pay prior to the shutdown.

Unemployment CompensationJurisdictionVenueClass Action SuitVoluntary UnemploymentTotal UnemploymentVacation PayCollective Bargaining AgreementStatutory InterpretationJudicial Review
References
12
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Jul 22, 1974

Kaminsky v. Connolly

This appellate decision addresses an action by a plaintiff seeking pension benefits from the Road Carriers Local 707 Pension Fund. The initial trial court granted the plaintiff a pension against the union despite finding him a stranger to the fund and no specific relief sought. However, the appellate court determined that the plaintiff, an owner-driver, was never covered by the collective bargaining agreement and made no contributions to the pension fund. Furthermore, even if considered an employee, he lacked the requisite 15 years of service for eligibility. The court also clarified that federal law governs the union's duty of fair representation, requiring proof of bad faith, which the plaintiff failed to provide. Consequently, the judgment awarding damages was modified, and the complaint against the appellant union was dismissed.

Pension FundLabor UnionTaft-Hartley ActCollective Bargaining AgreementOwner-DriverEmployee EligibilityFair Representation DutyFederal LawAppellate ReviewComplaint Dismissal
References
3
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