Opinion ID: 761232
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Failing to Call a Chapel Meeting

Text: 28 Finally, appellants argue that by not calling a chapel meeting six months prior to the wage reopener negotiations, the Union violated Article XV, § 22 of the bylaws. Section 22 provides: 29 [The Chairman] shall call a Chapel Meeting six months prior to the expiration of the present contract for the purpose of introducing propositions for the new contract. The propositions must be presented in writing and signed by the Chairman before the next Union Meeting. 30 The Union responds that this provision was inapplicable to the wage reopener, since, according to its interpretation, the Agreement was not a new contract but a mid-term modification of the CBA. 31 Again, we believe that the Union's interpretation of this provision as only requiring a chapel meeting prior to the expiration of the CBA in the year 2000 was not patently unreasonable, given the ambiguity of the phrase new contract in this context. Accordingly, we affirm the district court's dismissal of appellants' breach of governing documents claim against the Union defendants.