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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
Jun 14, 1963

International Union, United Automobile, Aircraft & Agricultural Implement Workers v. American Metal Products Co.

The case involved American Metal Products Company (Ampco) suing two labor unions, Local 1198 UAW and International Union UAW, for damages resulting from a violent strike in Obion County, Tennessee. The unions' conduct included harassment, mass picketing, intimidation, and violence, leading to significant disruption of Ampco's business operations. The Circuit Court initially awarded Ampco compensatory and punitive damages. On appeal, the court affirmed the unions' liability for tortious conduct, emphasizing the state's interest in maintaining public order. However, the appellate court reduced the compensatory damages by limiting the compensable period, resulting in a final judgment of $64,737.59 against the unions, including $50,000 in punitive damages.

Labor RelationsUnion StrikeIndustrial ActionTort LawPunitive DamagesCompensatory DamagesFederal PreemptionLabor Management Relations Act (LMRA)PicketingViolence
References
30
Case No. M2002-02116-COA-R3-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Feb 27, 2004

Overnite Transportation v. Teamsters Local Union No. 480

This case originated from a labor dispute in October 1999, involving Overnite Transportation Company and Teamsters Local Union No. 480. Overnite sought injunctive relief against the union for alleged violence during a strike at its Nashville facility and later amended its complaint to include claims for civil contempt due to injunction violations and intentional interference with business relations. The trial court dismissed the civil contempt petition as moot and the intentional interference claim for failure to state a claim. On appeal, the Court of Appeals of Tennessee reversed the dismissal of the civil contempt petition, holding that Overnite could seek compensatory damages for the union's contemptuous conduct, even if the conduct had ceased. However, the appellate court affirmed the dismissal of the intentional interference claim, finding that Overnite's complaint failed to meet the necessary pleading requirements.

Labor DisputeInjunction ViolationCivil ContemptCompensatory DamagesIntentional InterferenceBusiness RelationsAppellate ReviewMootness DoctrineInjunction BondRule 65.05(1)
References
24
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

R.M. Perlman Inc. v. New York Coat, Suit, Dresses, Rainwear & Allied Workers' Union Local 89-22-1

This case involves R.M. Perlman, d/b/a Rebecca Moses Collection (RMC), a garment industry employer, suing two labor unions, Local 89-22-1 and the International Ladies Garment Workers’ Union. The suit stemmed from picketing aimed at compelling RMC to enter into a Hazantown Agreement, which RMC alleged involved violence and caused substantial losses. The amended complaint included federal claims under the National Labor Relations Act and state law claims such as prima facie tort, intentional interference with contractual relations, and defamation. The defendants moved to dismiss the state law claims, arguing federal preemption and RMC's failure to meet New York's specific pleading requirements for actions against unincorporated associations. The court found the state law claims were not preempted due to allegations of violent picketing, aligning with exceptions to federal preemption. However, the court ultimately granted the dismissal of the state law claims (counts two through seven) because RMC failed to allege that every single union member authorized or ratified the violent acts, as required by the New York Court of Appeals decision in Martin v. Curran. Additionally, the individual defendants Byer and Mazur were dismissed because the remaining federal claim under the Labor-Management Relations Act does not allow for individual liability. A motion to dismiss Rebecca Moses as a plaintiff was denied, pending further evidence on her standing. Plaintiffs were granted thirty days to replead the dismissed state law claims.

Labor LawFederal PreemptionState Law ClaimsUnincorporated AssociationsUnion LiabilityViolent PicketingHazantown AgreementMotion to DismissNational Labor Relations ActLabor Management Relations Act
References
31
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Sep 25, 1992

Browne v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local Union 851

Plaintiff Thomas Browne, a security guard, sought to recover for personal injuries after being struck by a brick thrown during a union picket line. The incident occurred while he was escorting a truck through a picket line authorized and directed by defendant International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local Union 851, at Emery's facility. The jury found in favor of the plaintiff, awarding $400,000 plus interest and costs, based on evidence that the union was aware of recurring violence and failed to address it. The Supreme Court, Appellate Division, affirmed the judgment, rejecting the union's arguments that Labor Law § 807 (6) applied to damage claims and that the security log was improperly admitted. The court emphasized that specific proof of 'knowing tolerance' by other union officials was not required, as the shop steward on the scene was clothed with plenary authority to direct the strike on behalf of the union.

Personal InjuryLabor DisputeUnion LiabilityPicket Line ViolenceAgencyRatificationNorris-LaGuardia ActBusiness RecordsEvidence AdmissibilityAppellate Review
References
3
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

Schwarcz v. International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union

Plaintiff's association, comprising 138 garment manufacturers in Manhattan, sought a preliminary restraining order against the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union and its local branches, along with individual defendants. The plaintiffs alleged that the defendants interfered with their business through intimidation, threats, force, and fraud, aiming to compel the employment of only union members following a general strike in July 1910. The court found that the immediate purpose of the strike and the defendants' combination was unlawful, intending to drive non-union workers out of the trade. Consequently, the court partially granted the injunction, prohibiting unlawful picketing, violence, and threats against employees. However, it declined to restrain actions not explicitly threatened in the moving papers and did not issue an injunction against the individual defendants.

InjunctionLabor DisputeStrikeTrade UnionUnlawful ObjectClosed ShopPicketingViolenceRestraining OrderEmployers' Association
References
10
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

International Union of Operating Engineers Local Union No. 17 v. Swank Associated Co.

The International Union of Operating Engineers, Local Union No. 17, initiated an action to compel arbitration against Swank Associated Company, Inc., following a labor grievance. Swank removed the case to federal court and filed a third-party action against Local 210, arguing the matter constituted a jurisdictional dispute not subject to arbitration. The court, presided over by Magistrate Judge Schroeder, examined the collective bargaining agreement to determine the arbitrability of the dispute. It concluded that while an arbitrator could determine if the issue was a jurisdictional dispute, they could not resolve it on the merits if it was found to be jurisdictional. Consequently, the plaintiff's motion for judgment on the pleadings was denied, and the grievance was directed to arbitration solely to ascertain whether it constituted a jurisdictional dispute under the agreement.

Labor LawArbitration AgreementJurisdictional DisputesCollective BargainingLabor Management Relations ActFederal CourtPleadings MotionContract InterpretationArbitrabilityUnion Rights
References
6
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 17 v. Union Concrete & Construction Corp.

Plaintiff International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 17, AFL-CIO ("Local 17") filed a grievance against Union Concrete and Construction Corporation ("UCC") to compel arbitration regarding UCC's emergency snow removal work for Erie County in November 2014, alleging violations of their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). UCC argued the work was not covered by the CBA's "Heavy and/or Highway Construction" definition, rendering the arbitration clause inapplicable. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy issued a Report and Recommendation to grant UCC's motion for summary judgment and deny Local 17's. United States District Judge Richard J. Arcara conducted a de novo review and adopted the Magistrate Judge's findings in their entirety, concluding that the emergency snow removal work did not constitute "Heavy and/or Highway Construction" under the CBA. Consequently, Local 17’s motion for summary judgment to compel arbitration was denied, and UCC’s motion for summary judgment was granted, leading to the closure of the case.

Labor Management Relations ActCollective Bargaining AgreementArbitrabilitySummary JudgmentContract InterpretationEmergency Snow RemovalHeavy ConstructionHighway ConstructionScope of Arbitration ClauseDe Novo Review
References
26
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

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
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