Opinion ID: 530286
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Ratification Rights

Text: 37 The O'Neill Group asserts in its second count that the union violated section 101(a)(1) of LMRDA by denying the right of rank-and-file members to ratify the settlement agreement. Section 101(a)(1) of LMRDA states: 38 Every member of a labor organization shall have equal rights and privileges within such organization to nominate candidates, to vote in elections or referendums of the labor organization, to attend membership meetings, and to participate in the deliberations and voting upon the business of such meetings, subject to reasonable rules and regulations in such organization's constitution and bylaws. 39 29 U.S.C. Sec. 411(a)(1). Section 101(a)(1) does not grant voting rights where none are conferred by a union's constitution or bylaws; rather it serves to protect the fair exercise of any rights that are provided by the union's constitution and bylaws. 40 The law does not require that a collective bargaining agreement be submitted to a local union or the union membership for authorization, negotiation or ratification, in the absence of an express requirement in the agreement, or in the constitution, by-laws or rules and regulations of the union. The statute [LMRDA Sec. 101(a)(1) ] does not require submission of proposed agreements or any segments thereof to the membership; nor grant members the right to vote on negotiating, executing and approving contracts. Confederated Independent Unions v. Rockwell-Standard Co., 465 F.2d 1137, 1140 (3d Cir.1972) (citations omitted). Thus, our first inquiry is to examine whether voting rights were conferred upon the rank-and-file by the ALPA constitution or bylaws. 41 The ALPA constitution as amended in 1982 provided in relevant part: 42 Sec. 2. The conclusion of an agreement shall, at the discretion of the individual Master Executive Council, be subject to ratification. 43 Both parties agree that the above constitutional provision required ratification by the membership if, but only if, the MEC subjected an agreement to ratification. Thus we must decide whether the CAL MEC had determined that the proposed settlement of the CAL pilots strike required ratification before the order and award was submitted to the bankruptcy court. 44 The pilots contend that the CAL MEC passed a resolution in September 1983 requiring pilot ratification of any agreement giving concessions to CAL. They rely upon this resolution for the right of the membership to ratify the strike settlement of October 31, 1985. The relevant portion of this states: BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the final pilot cost reduction plan will be subject to membership ratification prior to final approval and implementation. 45 This resolution was passed by the CAL MEC during a meeting in which the MEC was debating whether to participate in a $150 million cost reduction plan for all CAL employees. CAL had been in financial trouble for some time, and in September 1983 had submitted specific cost reduction proposals to its employee groups. A $60 million package of pay, benefits and productivity concessions was submitted to the CAL pilots, embodied in a document known as the New Continental Pilot Employment Policy. In its September 19 resolution, the CAL MEC agreed in principle to participate in the $60 million cost reduction plan, but sought to negotiate over its specific terms. The MEC further resolved that the final cost reduction plan would be subject to membership ratification. CAL and ALPA did not agree on a final plan, and on September 24, 1983, CAL filed a bankruptcy petition. 46 The language of this resolution is unambiguous. It does not grant a blanket right to the membership to ratify all future strike settlements; it plainly accords to the membership the right to ratify the final cost reduction plan under discussion at that time. This resolution by its plain language does not support the pilots' asserted right to ratify the strike settlement agreement reached more than two years later. 47 The pilots further contend that MEC officials orally assured the pilots throughout the strike that the rank-and-file would be able to vote on any strike settlement. 4 A factfinder might infer a breach of ALPA's duty of fair representation if it finds the union misrepresented the right of the membership to ratify any settlement agreement. Cf. Acri v. Int'l Ass'n of Machinists & Aerospace Workers, 781 F.2d 1393, 1397 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 816, 107 S.Ct. 73, 93 L.Ed.2d 29 (1986) (a duty of fair representation cause of action can be maintained when union representatives make misrepresentations to the union membership during the ratification process); Christopher v. Safeway Stores, Inc., 644 F.2d 467, 472 (5th Cir.1981). But misrepresentations by individual MEC members or union officials to pilots do not provide the necessary express grant of a ratification right to the rank-and-file members that is required to support an action under section 101(a)(1). 48 Ordinarily a ratification right accorded a union's membership is contained in the union's constitution or bylaws. Here the constitution delegated authority to the MEC to decide which agreements the members were entitled to ratify. According to the CAL MEC's policy manual, MEC policy is to be established, amended or rescinded by a majority vote of the MEC. Certainly assurances by individual MEC members to rank-and-file members of a ratification right are not decisions of the MEC body. Where the voting right is not contained in the constitution and bylaws any provision for membership ratification must be clear and unambiguous; to trigger section 101 protection the voting right must be expressly granted according to established policymaking procedures. To imply a voting right where none is clearly provided would impermissibly interfere with the union's organizational structure. See Calhoon v. Harvey, 379 U.S. 134, 140, 85 S.Ct. 292, 296, 13 L.Ed.2d 190 (1964). In sum, we agree with the district court that the union members had no right to approve the settlement embodied in the order and award. Summary judgment was proper as to this claim.