Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-06-02734/USCOURTS-ca8-06-02734-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 791
Nature of Suit: Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
Cause of Action: 

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United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 06-2734

___________

Bruce Kelley, * 

*

Plaintiff /Appellant, *

 * 

 * 

 * Appeal from the United States 

[NSP/Xcel] Pension Plan, Northern * District Court for the 

States Power Company, now known as * District of Minnesota. 

Xcel Energy, Inc.; International *

Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, * [UNPUBLISHED]

AFL-CIO, Local 23, *

 * 

Defendants/Appellees. * 

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Submitted: January 11, 2007

 Filed: January 24, 2007

 ____________

Before MURPHY, HANSEN, and SMITH, Circuit Judges. 

 ____________

PER CURIAM. 

Bruce Kelley appeals from the district court's dismissal of this hybrid action

under § 301 of the Labor-Management Relations Act (LMRA). Mr. Kelley sued his

former employer, Northern States Power Company n/k/a Xcel Energy and the

[NSP/Xcel] Pension Plan, alleging among other things that they failed to pay the

amount due under his disability/retirement plan in violation of the Employee

Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), 29 U.S.C. §§ 1001-1461 (2006). He also

Appellate Case: 06-2734 Page: 1 Date Filed: 01/24/2007 Entry ID: 3270852
1

The Honorable Joan N. Ericksen, United States District Judge for the District

of Minnesota.

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brought claims against the IBEW Local No. 23, his former union that refused to

proceed to arbitration with his grievance, alleging that it breached its duty of fair

representation and discriminated against him on the basis of his disability in violation

of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101-12213 (2006), and

the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA), Minn. Stat. §§ 363A.01-.41 (2004).

The district court1

 granted summary judgment in favor of the defendants on all

claims, finding that Mr. Kelley presented no evidence that would allow a reasonable

fact finder to conclude that the union's handling of his grievance was arbitrary,

discriminatory, or in bad faith, see Martin v. Am. Airlines, Inc., 390 F.3d 601, 606

(8th Cir. 2004), or that the union discriminated against him on the basis of his

disability. Having found no breach of duty by the union, the court also dismissed his

ERISA claims against his employer in accordance with Waldron v. Boeing Co., 388

F.3d 591, 594 (8th Cir. 2004). We find no error in the district court's decision, but we

decline appellees' request to remand for an award of attorney fees for the filing of a

frivolous lawsuit.

The judgment of the district court is accordingly affirmed pursuant to Eighth

Circuit Rule 47(B). 

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Appellate Case: 06-2734 Page: 2 Date Filed: 01/24/2007 Entry ID: 3270852