Opinion ID: 276221
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Just Cause

Text: 28 Beyond the question of the union's right to be first informed of the existence of that which a member may think is just cause, is the question of whether such cause in fact existed. Though the union might by its conduct waive the right to be first informed, it cannot alter the statutory structure which provides that enforcement shall be ordered only for just cause. The court below found that just cause existed, and we agree. 29 The standard for determining whether there was just cause is necessarily minimal. Just cause need not be shown beyond a reasonable doubt, nor by a preponderance of the evidence. It need not be enough to convince a reasonable man that some wrong has been done; it is enough if a reasonable union member would be put to further inquiry. Perhaps it will be that a certain item is disproportionately high, as in Rekant v. Rabinowitz, 194 F.Supp. 194 (E.D.Pa. 1961), and Coratella v. Roberto, supra, or that an officer contends that he did not incur the claimed expenses, as in Deacon v. Operating Eng'rs, Local 12, 52 L.C. 16,609 (Calif.Super.Ct. 1965). Irrespective of the nature of the asserted cause, the test must be whether reason would require substantiation. 30 As mentioned above, at an open meeting of the union Farrington was asked what his salary was. He refused to answer. There was an admitted discrepancy between a statement and its supporting schedule, regarding the amounts paid to officers. The 1964 report shows a loan to Century Associated of $50,000, over half of the local's total assets, without conforming to the statutory requirement that the purpose of the loan be shown. (Plaintiffs' Exh. 1, p. 3; 29 U.S.C. § 431(b) (4).) These undisputed items are just cause for permitting an examination of the union's records. 2