TheH on or ab le Arthur L
. A larc ón, S en io r Jud g e, Uni te d S tate s C ourto f App ea ls f or th e N inth * Circuit, sittingby

des ignation. NOT RE CO M M E NDE D F OR P UB L I CA T I ON

Fi l e N ame: 06a0761n. 06 Fi l ed: O ct ober12, 2006 N o. 05- 6242 UNI TED S TATES CO URT O F AP PEALS F O R T H E S IX T H C IR C U IT RE BE CC A DE L VAL L E , RI CK E Y R E I D, J E ANNE BL A N K EN SH I P, P l ai nti ffs-A pp el l ants , v. B E L L S O U T H T E L E C O M M U N IC A T IO N S , IN C ., D efe ndant
- A ppel l ee. O n A ppeal fr om t he U ni t ed St at es D i s t r i ctC our tfort he M i ddl e D i s t r i ctof Tennes s ee

/ B efore: G U Y , S U T T O N , an d A L A R C Ó N , C i rcu i t Jud ges. * P E R C U R I A M. Pl ai nt i ffs R ebec ca D el V al l e, R i ckeyR ei d, and J eanne B l ankens hi p br ought t hi s act i on al l egi ng t hatB el l Sout h T el ecomm uni cat i ons , I nc. , br eac hed t he t erm s of t he s et t l ement agr eement r es ol vi ng t hei r cl ai m s of empl oym entdi s cr i m i nat i on. A ppeal i ng fr om t he gr ant of s um m ary j udgm ent t o B el l Sout h, pl ai nt i ffs ar gue t hat t he di s t r i ct
cour terr ed i n fi ndi ng t hatB el l Sout h had compl i ed w i t h t he r equi r ementt o cons i derpl ai nt i ffs f o r p o sitio n s w ith in o n e ye a r a n d c re a te n e w p o sitio n s f o r p lain tiff

s w ith in six w e e k s if p lain tiff s w e re n o t re h ire d w ith in o n e y e a r, a n d th a t th e a g re e m e n t d id n o t re q u ire B e llS o u th t o “br i dge” t he pl ai nt i ffs ’ s eni or i t y i m m edi at el y upon r ehi r e. W e af fi r m fort he r eas ons t hatNo. 05-6242 2

Plain tiffs were not working for BellSou th at the time. 1 f o l l o w. I. T he C om m uni cat i ons W or ker s of A m er i ca, t hr ee of i t s l ocal uni ons , and s ever al i ndi vi dual s fi l ed a c l as s act i on l aw s ui tagai ns tB el l Sout h, al l egi ng t hatB el l Sout h engage d i n genderand age di s cr i m i nat i on byfai l i ng t o gr ant pr om ot i ons and tr ans fer s t o curr entand for m erB el l Sout h empl oy ees t o t he posi t i on of E l ectr oni c T echni ci an (ET )
. A ft ert he mot i on f o r c las s c e rtific a tio n w a s d e n ied , p u tativ e c las s m e m b e r s , in c lu d in g th e p lain tiff s in th is
cas e, fi l ed mot i ons t o i nt ervene as i ndi vi dual pl ai nt i ffs
. A gl obal s et t l ementof the l i t i gat i on
w as r eac hed dur i ng m ed i at i on and bef or e the mot i ons t o i nt ervene ha d been de ci ded. T he
s et t l ement s had a m onet ary component and, fors om e put at i ve pl ai nt i ffs , a j ob r ei ns t at ement
c o m p o n e n t. 1 An a d d e n d u m t o t he g l o b a l s e t t l e me n ti d e n t i f i e d 2 4 i n d i v i d u a l c l a i ma n t s t o ET po si t i on s— i ncludi ng D el V al l e, R ei d, and B l ank enship— and provided as fo l l ow s:

2
. F o r a p e rio d o f o n e y e a r f ro m th e d a te a ll co n d iti o n s in Par agr aph 5 of t he S et t l ement A gr eement ar e m et , B el l Sout h w i l l cons i dert he above Cl ai m ant s forE T vaca nci es w i t hi n a 35 mi l e r adi us of the exc hange listed f o r e a c h C laim a n t. T h e C laim a n ts w ill b e d e e m e d q u a lifie d p u rsu a n t to t he t erm s of the C ol l ect i ve B ar gai ni ng A gr eementand w i l l be dee m ed t o have a val i d j o b b i d o n f

i l e . Cl a i ma n t s wi l l b e s e l e c t e d f o rET p o s i t i o n s w hen vaca nci es occur , cons i s t entw i t h t he pr ovi s i ons of th e C o ll ect i ve B ar gai ni ng A gr eement . T hos e empl oy ees w ho ar e no l ongerB el l Sout h empl oy ees w i l l be cons i der ed t o have t he l evel of s eni or i t y they hel d on t he dat e w hen theyl eft B e llS o u th ’s p a yro ll. 3. C l ai m ant s w i l l be sel ect ed for E T pos i t i ons as vaca nci es occur c o n s is te n t w ith th e p ro v is io n s o f th e C o lle c tiv e B a rg a in in g A g re e m e n t. . . .No. 05-6242 3 4
. I f i t a p p e a r s , f o r wha t e v e r r eas on, t hat anyof t he above C l ai m ant s w i l l notbe off er ed an ET pos i t i on i n a vac ancyb y the en d of the r efe r ence d 1- y ear per i od, B el l Sout h w i l l cr eat e s uffi ci ent E T p o sit i ons s peci fi cal l y for any s uch re m ai ni ng C l ai m ant s as s oon as i tbecomes appar ent t hatt her e w i l l be an i ns uffi ci entnum ber o f v ac anci es . I n no ci r cumst ance s w i l l t he amountof t i m e r equi r ed t o cr eat e s uch pos i t i ons exceed 6 w eeks fol l ow i ng t he expi r at i on of the 1- y earper i od. Such pos i t i ons w i l l be cr eat ed o v e r a n d a b o v e th e v a c a n c ies w h ich B e llS o u th w o u ld h a v e c re a ted a b se n t th is S e ttl e m e n t A g r e e m e n t, s p e c if ic a ll y a s a n e q u it a b le r e m e d y in s e tt le m e n t o f th is act i on. Pl ace m enti n s uch ET pos i t i ons w i l l notbe s ubj ectt o t he ver i fi cat i on p ro c e s s s e t f

o rt h in P a ra g ra p h 3 o f

th is e x h ib it. . . . E ach pl ai nt i ff w as r equi r ed t o exec ut e a s epar at e s et t l ement and r el eas e w i t h an adde ndum t hati ncl uded the above- quot ed l anguage . T her e i s no di s put e thatt he condi t i ons for det erm i ni ng t he tr i gger i ng dat e fort he one- y earE T j ob cons i der at i on peri o d w ere m eton J une 19, 2002. T hi s m eantt hatB el l Sout h had unt i l J une 19, 2003, t o cons i derpl ai nt i ffs for E T pos i t i ons as v ac anci es occurr ed. I f notenough vac anci es occurr ed byJ une 19, 2003, B el l S ou t h w as obli gated t o creat e E T po si t i on s for p l ai nti ffs w i t hin si x w eeks, or byA ug ust 1, 2003. B l ankens hi p w as r ehi r ed by B el l Sout h as an ET w i t hi n t he one- y earper i od and bega n
w o rk in g o n O c to b e r 1 4 , 2 0 0 2 . A lth o u g h D e V a lle a n d R e id a lso w e re e v e n tu a llyre h ire d in to E T pos i t i ons , nei therr etur ned t o w or k dur i ng t he one- y earper i od orw i t hi n the fol l ow i ng s i xw eek pe r i od. D el V al l e w as for m al l yoffe r ed an ET pos i t i on i n a l et t erdat ed N ovember 25, 2003, and bega n w or k on Jan u ary 5 , 2 0 04. R ei d w as for m al l yoffe r ed an ET pos i t i on on O ct ober29, 2003, and bega n w or k on D ece m ber8, 2003. D el V al l e and R eid (butnot B lank en sh ip) claim ed that B ell S o u th v iolated th e se tt lem en t ag ree m en t b y fa il ing to reh ir e th e m e ith e r w ith in th e o n e -y e a r p e rio d , o r w ith in six w e e k s th e re a f ter . O n a p p e a l, D e l V a lleNo. 05-6242 4

F os bi nd er

d ec li ne d to c om

m ent o n any

c onv er sati ons b etw ee n G le ni st er and h er se lf d ueto 2 co nf id enti al ity

r es tric ti on s inth e se tt le m ent a gre ement. and R ei d no l ongerar gue that t he s et t l ementr equi r ed thatt heybe r ehi r ed w i t hi n t he one- y ear per i od. J ames G l eni s t er , t he att or ney fo r B el l Sout h w ho negot i at ed the s et t l ement , t es t i fi ed t hat pl ai nti ffs w ere consi dered fo r posi t i on s duri ng t he one-y ear t i m e peri od
. G l enis t er al so t es t i fi ed thatD el V al l e w as verbal l yoffe r ed an ET pos i t i on t hr ough her at t or ney i n J une of 2002. J ohn Q ui nn, couns el fort he uni o n an d fo rm ercouns el forD el V al l e, corr obor at ed G l e n i s t e r ’ s t e s t i m o n y:

P rio r t o th e e x p ira tio n o f th e tim e p e rio d in th e se ttl e m e n t ag re e m e n t in w h ic h B e llS o u th h a d a g r e e d t o c o n s id e r M s . D e l V a lle f o r a n E T p o s itio n , I w as cont act ed byJ i m G l eni s t erof B el l Sout h. D ur i ng t hi s conver s at i on, B el l Sout h offe r ed M s . D el V al l e the opt i on of bei ng r ehi r ed and pl ace d i n t he E T j ob as pert he s et t l ement , ora buy
- outi n r ecogni t i on of th e fa ct th at s he coul d be s ubj ect to lay off i n t he nea rfutur e bec aus e of a dow ntur n i n t he t el ecomm uni cat i ons i ndus t r yw hi ch w as n otant i ci pat ed att he t i m e of the se ttl e m e n t. G l e n i s t e rt e s t i f

i e d t h a tR e i d w a s a l s o v e rb a l l y o f f e r e d a n E T p o s i t i o n th r o u g h h i s a t t o r n e y, J ul i e Fos bi nder
. G l enist er t es t i fi ed thathe off er ed Fos bi ndert he opt i on of negot i at i ng a
m onet arypaym enti n l i eu of Rei d’ s r ehi r i ng and thatt heys ubs equent l yengaged i n verbal
n eg o ti ati o n s o n the issu e. R eid d en ies rece iving the o ff er. 2 A l l t hr ee pl ai nt i ffs al s o cl ai m ed t hat B el l Sout h vi ol at ed t he s et t l ementagr eementby notcr edi t i ng t hem i m m edi at el yupon r ehi r e w i t h thei rpr evi ous l yacc rued s eni or i t y . T he C B A cr eat ed seni or i t y r i ght s for bar gai ni ng uni t m ember s , i ncl udi ng pl ai nt i ffs , and def i ned “s eni or i t y ” as “the l ength of cont i nuous B el l Sout h s ervice .
. . acc rued fr om t he dat e anNo. 05-6242 5

empl oy ee a ctual l ybegi ns w or k i f the em pl oy ee ha s been c ont i nuous l yengage d ort he s ervi ce
acc rued in the cas e of a n empl oy ee w ho has notbeen c ont i nuous l yengage d. ” U ndert he C B A , seni ori t ygo verns i n al l “m at t ers rel at i ng t o assi gn m ent of ho urs an d v acat i on s, l ay off s,
r e h i r i n g a f

t e rl a y o f f s , v o l u n t a r yt r a n s f

e r s , i n v o l u n t a r yt r a n s f

e r s a n d p r o mo t i o n s . ” Th e CBA
c r e a t e s t h e f

o l l o wi n g “ b r i d g i n g ” r i g h t s i n Ar t i c l e 1
. 2 6 B: B rid g in g . W h e n a f

o rm e r e m p lo y e e is re h ire d b yth e C o m p a n y , h e /sh e sh a ll be g i ven credi tfor t he fo rm er s ervi ce as foll ow s: 1
. W he n t h e b r e a k i n s e r v i c e h a s b e e n l e s s t h a n 6 c a l e n d a r mon t h s , t he f o rm e r se rv ice sh a ll b e b rid g e d im m e d iate ly a n d th e se n io rityd a te a d j u s t e d a c c o r d i n g l y. 2. W hen the br ea k in se r vi ce ha s been 6 c al endarm ont hs orm or e, t he for m ers ervi ce s hal l be bri dged af t er3 cont i nuous y ear s of s ervi ce, and t h e s e n i o r i t y d a t e a d

j u s t e d a c c o r d i n g l y. W h e n re h ire d , D e l V a lle, R e id , a n d B lan k e n sh ip e a c h h a d a b re a k in se rv ice o f m o re th a n six
m ont hs
. B el l Sout h di d not br i dge t hei r s ervi ce dat es , w hi ch m ade t he dat e of r ehi r e the new seni ori t ydate. P lain t i ffs al l eged t hat the set t l em ent gr anted “bri dg i ng ” ri gh t s i n the l ast
se n ten c e o f

P a ra g ra p h 2 , w h ich sta ted : “T h o se e m p lo y e e s w h o a re n o lo n g e r B e llS o u th empl oy ees w i l l be cons i der ed t o have t he l evel of s eni or i t y t hey hel d on t he dat e w hen they le f t B e llS o u th ’s p a yro ll.” D e l V a lle a n d R e id lo st th e ir E T p o sitio n s n o t lo n g a f ter re h ire , a lleg e d ly a s a re su lt of t hei r l ow s eni or i t y . D el V al l e w as t r ans ferr ed t o t he pos i t i on of ci r cui tl ay outas s i gneron M ar ch 28, 2004, and l ai d off on J une 26, 2004. R ei d w as t r ans ferr ed to a c o ll ect i ons
r epr es ent at i ve pos i t i on o n A pr i l 1, 2004. B l ankens hi p al l eged thats he w as i n dangerof l os i ng herj ob due t o herl ow s eni or i t y . T her e s eems t o be no di s pute, h ow ever , t hatNo. 05-6242 6

Th e only remedy Blan kensh ip so ugh t was “appropriate seniority. ” BellS outh argu es th at since her 3 se nio ri ty has now be en bridg ed, Blanke nship ’s a pp ea l no lo nge r pr es ents ac as e or c ontro ve rs y . Pl ai ntif

fs do n ot directly

respo nd , b ut offe red no argumen ts concern ing Blankensh ip’s seniority claim in the brief on appea l or at oral argumen t. W e view this as an aband onmen t of her claim on appeal. B l ankens hi p r ece i ved cr edi tforherpr i ors eni or i t y dur i ng t he pende ncyof thi s appea l under th e g e n e ra l “b rid g in g ” p ro v isio n s o f A rtic le 1 .2 6 B o f

th e C B A . A s s u c h , w e a d d re ss o n ly t he cl ai m s of D el V al l e and Rei d. 3 II. We r e v i e w de novo th e d is tr ic t c o u rt ’s g ra n t o f s u m m a r y j u d g m e n t. Sm i th v. A m er i t ech , 1 2 9 F
. 3 d 8 5 7 , 8 6 3 (6th C ir
. 1 9 9 7 ). S u m m ary jud g m en t i s ap p rop ri ate w h en there
are no i s s ue s of mat e r i a l fa c t i n di s pu t e a nd t he movi ng pa r t y i s e nt i t l e d t o j ud gment as a
m a tte r o f la w . F ED . R. C IV . P
. 5 6 (c). In de cidin g a m o ti o n fo r su m m ary jud g m en t, the c o u rt
m us tvi ew t he fa ctual evi dence and dra w al l r eas onabl e i nfer ence s i n favorof the nonmovi ng p a rt y . Mat

s us hi t a E l ec. I

ndus

. C o. v. Zeni th R adi o C or p. , 4 7 5 U
. S
. 5 7 4 , 5 8 7 (19 8 6 ). A . F ai l ure t o R ehi re Pl ai nt i f f s bef ore A ugust 1, 2003 T h e d istric t co u rt c o n c lu d e d th a t th e re w a s n o g e n u in e iss u e o f f a c t w h e th e r B e llS o u th
c o m p lied w ith th e ter m s o f th e se tt le m e n t ag re e m e n t an d a d d e n d u m s b e c a u se B e llS o u th offe r ed D el V al l e and Rei d E T pos i t i ons t hr ough theirat t or ney s befor e A ugus t1, 2003. Pl ai nt i ffs r el yon t w o cat egor i es of pr oof— corr es pondence aft erA ugus t1 r efe r enci ng j ob offe r s and the abs ence of anyw r i t t en off er s pr i ort o A ugus t1— t o ar gue that a q u es t i on of fact exis t s w hether B el l S ou t h actuall y off ered E T po si t i on s to theirat t orney s befo re A ug ust 1. T he w ri t t en co rr espon den ce con si st ed o f fo ur l et t ers : (1 ) a lette r f

ro m Jo h n Q u in n to D e l V a lle’s n e w a tto rn e yd a ted S e p tem b e r 9 , 2 0 0 3 , inNo. 05-6242 7

w hi ch Q ui nn s t at ed “A tt hi s t i m e, B el l Sout h has offe r ed M s . D el V al l e the opt i on of bei ng r ehi r ed and pl ace d i n an El ectr oni c Techni ci an j ob .
. . . ”; (2) a let ter fro m Q u inn to D el V all e’s a tt o rne yd a te d O c to b er 1 0 , 2 0 0 3 , stat ing : “It i s m yunder s t andi ng t hatB el l Sout h s t ands r eady t o ful fi l l t he fi nal component of the s et t l ementw i t h y ourcl i entM s . D el V all e - pl aci ng heri n an el ectr oni c t echni ci an pos i t i on. ”; ( 3) a l et t er fr om G l eni s t er t o D el V al l e on O ct ober 17, 2003, s t at i ng: “A s y ou know . . . B e ll S o u t h a g r e e d to p ro v id e a n o f f e r o f a n E T p o s itio n to M s . D e l V a lle
. . . . B eca us e [Q ui nn] w as M s . D el V al l e’ s couns el of r ecor d i n t hatl i t i gat i on, I cont act ed Jo h n Q u inn an d o ff

ere d an alt ern ati v e p rop o sal: that in li eu o f su ch a job o ff er, B el l Sout h w oul d payM s . D el V al l e[’ s ] pot ent i al s al ary. . . . ”; and (4) a l et t er fr om F osbinder t o G l enis t er dat ed N ov em ber 11, 2003 , i n w hich she st at es: “ I a m w riting to c o n f

irm th e v o ice m a il th a t I lef t f o r y o u to d a y . M r. R e id w ish e s to be pl ace d i n t he E T p o si t i on, r athert han make anotheroffe rt o s et t l e the pl ace m ent is s u e .” Pl ai nt i ffs cont end thatt hes e l et t er s cas t doubt on G l eni s t er ’ s cr edi bi l i t y beca us e al l of th e lette rs w e r e w ritten a f ter th e A u g u st 1 d e a d lin e . T h e lette rs, w h ile n o t d ire c tly
corr obor at i ng G l eni s t er ’ s t es t i m ony t hat offe r s of empl oym ent w er e m ade pr i ort o A ugus t1, d o n o t con tr ad icth is st atem en ts ei ther. T o the c o n tr ary , the lett ers c o rrob o rate G lenister’s
s t at ement s t hatt i m el yoffe r s forpl acem en t in E T pos i t i ons w er e coupl ed w i t h offe r s of buy out s t hati ni t i at ed new negot i at i ons w i t h pl ai nt i ffs ’ at t or n ey s conce r ni ng w hether pl ai nt i ffs w oul d pr efe ra buy outoran ET pos i t i on. P la in tif f s a ls o e m p h a s iz e th a t w ith n o d o c u m e n ta ry e v id e n c e o f a tim e ly o f

f e r, a fac t fi ndercoul d ques t i on G l eni s t er ’ s cr edi bi l i t y . A tt he s um m aryj udgm ents t age of lit ig a tio n , the m o v in g p a rtyis e n tit led to su m m a ry ju d g m e n t if th e n o n m o v in g p a rtyf a ils to
s u p p o rt a n e s s e n tia l el e m e n t o f th e c a s e . W

i l l i am s v. For d Mot orC o. , 187 F. 3d 533, 537- 38 (6 th C ir. 1 9 9 9 ); G ai nes v. R unyon , 107 F. 3d 1171, 1174- 75 ( 6t h C i r . 1997)
. A r es pondentNo. 05-6242 8

t o a m o ti o n fo r sum m aryj udgm entm aynotdefe att he mot i on s i m pl ybyar gui ng t hatt he
m ovant ’ s evi dence m aynotbe cr edi bl e. R ather , t he r es pon d en t m u st pr es entaff i r m at i ve
e v id e n c e s u p p o r tin g its c a s e . See Foger t y v. M GM

G r oup H

oldi ngs C or

p. , 379 F. 3d 348, 3 5 3 -5 4 (6 th C ir
. 2 0 0 4 ) (c o lle c tin g c a s e s ), cer t
. deni ed , 543 U
. S. 1120 ( 2005)
. T he abs ence of document at i on corr obor at i ng t he s t at ement s of Q ui nn and G l eni s t er d o es notcr eat e a ques t i on of fa ctw hetheroffe r s w er e made t hr ough pl ai nt i ffs ’ at t or ney s befor e A ugus t1, 2003. B . T he A ddend um ’ s R equi rem ent t hat B el l South C reat e a Posi t i on Pl ai nt i ffs al s o chal l enge t he di s t r i ct cour t ’ s fur t her fi ndi ng t hat t he addendum di d not req u ir e B ell S o u th to e ith e r m a k e a n o ff er o r reh ir e p lai n ti ff

s b ef o re A u g u st 1, 20 0 3
. In el abor at i ng on w hyB el l Sout h w as ent i t l ed t o s um m aryj udgm ent , t he di s t r i ctcour ts t at ed:

M o reo v er , undert he expr es s t erm s of the A gr eement , B el l Sout h w as n o t r e q u ire d to e ith e r o f f e r th e p o sitio n o r to h ire th e p lain tiff s w ith in th e six w eeks fol l ow i ng t he expi r at i on of th e o n e-y earper i od. T he unambi guous l anguage of the A gr eementdi ct at es onl y t hat “[i ] n no ci r cumst ance s w i l l t he amount of t i m e r equi r ed t o cr eat e s uch pos i t i ons exce ed 6 w eeks fol l ow i ng t he expi r at i on of the 1-y earper i od. ” Pl ace m enti s anothers t ep i n t he pr oces s , as evi dence d by t he l anguage of t he A gr eement i t s el f, w hi ch s t at es t hat “[p] l ace m enti n s uch ET pos i t i ons w il l n o t be s ubj ectt o t he ver i fi cat i on pr oces s s etfor t h i n Par agr aph 3 of thi s exhi bi t . ” B eca us e ther e i s no evi dence i n t h e r e c o r d t o d i s p u t e Gl e n i s t e r ’ s c o n t e n t i o n t h a tBe l l S o u t h c r e a t e d ET p o sitio n s f

o r D e l V a lle a n d R e id w ith in th e six -w e e k p e r io d , n o re a so n a b le j ur orcoul d fi nd t hatt he def endantbr eac hed t he t erm s of the Set t l ement A gr eementi n t hi s r egar d. Pl ai nt i ffs as s er tw i t houtampl i fi cat i on t hatt he di s t r i ct cour tm i s i nt erpr et ed the cl ear
a n d u n a m b ig u o u s lan g u a g e re q u irin g th a t B e llS o u th c re a te a p o sitio n f o r th e p lain tiff

s w ith in six w e e k s o f

th e o n e -y e a r tim e lim itatio n . A t o ra l ar g u m e n t, pla in tiff s a ttem p ted to e q u a teNo. 05-6242 9

t he obl i gat i on t o cr eat e a pos i t i on w i t hi n t he s i x- w eek pe r i od w i t h a r equi r ementt hatt he pl ai nt i ffs al s o be “pl ace d” orfor m al l yr ehi r ed w i t hi n t hat s i x- w eek pe r i od. W hi l e the set t l em ent cl earl ycon t em plat ed thatt he p l ai nti ffs w ou l d b e rehi red, no th in g in t hese pr ovi s i ons can fai r l y be r ead t o r equi r e t hat t he pl ai nt i ffs be back t o w or k w i t hi n t he s peci fi ed
s i x- wee k p e r i o d
. Th e d i s t r i c t c o u r t d i d n o t e r r i n f i n d i n g t h a t t h e p l a i n me a n i ng of t he l anguage di d notobl i gat e B el l Sout h t o hav e o ff ered or“pl ace d” pl ai nt i ffs i n E T pos i t i ons pr i ort o A ugus t1, 2003. C . S e n io r ity L e v e ls F in a lly , D e l V a lle an d R e id a rg u e th a t th e se ttl e m e n t g ra n ted th e m “ b rid g in g ” rig h ts t o wh i c h t h e y a d mi t t e d l ywo u l d n o th a v e b e e n e n t i t l e d u n d e rAr t i c l e 1
. 2 6 B o f t h e CB A. Pl ai nt i ffs ar gue thatt he l as ts ent ence of Par agr aph 2 “trum ps ” the C B A and r equi r ed B e llS o u th to re h ire th e m a t th e sa m e se n io rity lev e l a s w h e n th e y se p a ra ted f ro m B e llS o u th
m o re th a n six m o n th s e a rlier . B e llS o u th , o n th e o th e r h a n d , m a in tain s th a t P a ra g ra p h 2 o n ly
r equi r ed thatt he p lai n ti ffs ’ pr i ors eni or i t ybe us ed i n cons i der i ng t hem for ET vaca nci es d u rin g th e o n e -y e a r w in d o w . U p o n re h ire , B e llS o u th c o n ten d s, th e b rid g in g o f s e n io rity
wo u l d b e g o v e r n e d b yt h e CB A. W e i nt erpr etagr eement s under§ 301 of the N at i onal L aborM anage m entR el at i ons A ctof 1947, 29 U
. S. C
. § 185 ( 1998)
. W e appl yt r adi t i onal rul es of contr acti nt erpr et at i on, h o w e v e r, a s lo n g th e yd o n o t c o n f lic t w ith f

e d e ra l la b o r p o lic ie s . U A W v. Y ar d- M an, I nc. , 7 1 6 F
. 2 d 1 4 7 6 , 1 4 7 9 (6th C ir
. 1 9 8 3 ).

M a n yo f th e b a sic p rin c ip les o f c o n tra c tu a l in ter p re tatio n a re f u lly appr opr i at e for di s cerni ng t he part i es ’ i nt enti n col l ect i ve bar gai ni ngNo. 05-6242 10

Spe ci fi ca ll y , Quinn, the CWA att or ney who n eg ot iate d on be half of the pl ai ntif

fs , e xpl ai ned that: 4 “The ne g o t i at e d s e tt l e me ntdi d n o tc a l l f o r i mm e di at e b r i dg i ngo f

s e ni o r i ty and wa s ne v e r

i nt e nde d t o do so . . . . Rather , be cause 24 pl ai ntif fs wer e to be co nside re d fo r ET job s as p art o f the se tt le ment a gr ee ment , the pur po se o f [the l as t] s ente nce wa s to det ermine in whic h o rde r Bel lSo uth wo uld c ons ider the 24 p la inti ff

s for ET positions as v acancies occurred duri ng th e first y ear after the se ttlemen t agree men t was entered in to.” Glen ister, BellSouth’s attorn ey , likewise att e s ted th at: “Th e Settlemen t Agreement d oes not mod ify or amendArticle 1.26 of the CB A anddoes not require that Plain tiff’s senioritybe bridgedupon reh ire.” agr eement s . Forexampl e, t he courts houl d fi r s t l ook t o t he expl i ci tl anguage o f th e c o lle c tiv e b a rg a in in g a g re e m e n t f o r c le a r m a n if

e s ta tio n s o f

in te n t. . . . T he courts h o u ld al s o i nt erpr eteac h pr ovi s i on i n ques t i on as par tof the i nt egr at ed w hol e. Id
. at1479 ( i nt ernal ci t at i ons om i t t ed)
. A ppl y i ng gener al pr i nci pl es of contr actcons t ruct i on, t he di s t r i ct cour t det erm i ned that t he l as t s ent ence of Par agr aph 2, w hen r ead i n t he cont ext
o f th e re st of th e a g re e m e n t, did n o t re q u ire B e llS o u th to b rid g e th e p lain tiff s’ s e n io rityrig h ts upon r ehi r e. T he di s t r i ctcour tadded i n a footn o te th at: “Even i f the l anguage of the Sett l ementA gr eeme n t w ere am b igu o u s, ex tr insic ev iden ce rev ea li n g the in tent o f th e d raf ters
w o u ld s u p p o rt th e c o u rt ’s in te rp re ta tio n .” 4 A s t he di s t r ict co u rt obs erved, Par agr aph 2 governed the cons i der at i on of pl ai nt i ffs forE T vaca nci es cons i s t ent w i t h t he C B A dur i ng t he one- y ear w i ndow
. T he fi nal s ent ence pr ovi ded thatpl ai nt i ffs w ho w er e no l onger B el l Sout h empl oy ees
— and thus w oul d have ha d
n o se n io rity w h e n it ca m e to se lec tio n c o n sis ten t w ith th e C B A

— w o u ld “ b e c o n sid e re d to h a v e th e l e v e l o f

s e n io ri ty th e yh e ld o n th e d a te w h e n th e yle f t B e llS o u th ’s p a yro ll.” W hether or not the set t l em ent agr eem ent trum ps t he C B A i s not di sposi t i ve in this case becau se the tw o are no ti n co nfli ct . B ecause n othi ng i n P aragr aph 2 ad dress ed the pl ai nti ffs’ ri g h ts or B ell S o u th’s o b li g ati o n s o n ce p lai n ti ff s w ere reh ir ed , w e ag ree w ith the d istri ct co u rt th a t th e se ttl e m e n t d id n o t r e q u ire B e llS o u th to “ b rid g e ” th e p lain tiff s’ s e n io rityim m e d iate lyNo. 05-6242 11

upon r ehi r e. Pl ai nt i ffs al s o ar gue thatt he di s t r ict co u rt err ed byr el y i ng on extr i ns i c evi dence of i nt ent t o al t er , vary , orqual i fyt he pl ai n m eani ng of an una m bi guous contr act . T hi s cl ai m of
err ori s w it h o utm er i t . I ti s cl eart hatt he di s t r i ctcour tcons i der ed the s t at ement s of Q ui nn
a n d G len iste r in th e c o n te x t o f a n a ltern a tiv e h o ld in g a n d n o t as p a rt o f th e re a so n in g in
s u p p o r to f

t h e c o n c l u s i o n t h a tt h e p l a i n t i f f s ’ b r i d g i n g r i g h t s we r e g o v e r n e d b yt h e CB A. AFF I RM ED
.