Opinion ID: 179935
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Third counterclaim

Text: “Each member” of the NFLPA “agrees to be bound by the provisions of [the NFLPA] Constitution and by any by-laws, rules or other regulations duly adopted by the NFLPA pursuant to [its] Constitution or as otherwise authorized by law.” (Doc. 180, ex. 3 at 7.) In its third counterclaim, the NFLPA alleged that Player-Plaintiffs breached Art. 8, § 8.04 of the NFLPA Constitution, which provides: “No member of the NFLPA shall resort to any court or agency outside the NFLPA unless and until he has exhausted all forms of relief provided in this Constitution.” 33 (Id. at 21). Citing to Articles 5.02 and 2.11, the NFLPA contends that the Player-Plaintiffs should have submitted, but failed to submit, their claims for consideration to the NFLPA Board of Player Representatives (“the Board”), which legislates for the union. 20 This court must follow the “plain language” of the NFLPA Constitution and is “bound to accept the interpretation placed on the Constitution by the [union] if it is fair and reasonable.” Local 317, Nat’l Post Office Mail Handlers v. Nat’l Post Office Mail Handlers, 696 F.2d 1300, 1302 (11th Cir. 1983). Nonetheless, the district court did not err in determining that these provisions addressing the Board’s general legislative authority did not create “a form of relief” that the Player-Plaintiffs were obligated to exhaust. The NFLPA has failed to 20 Article 5.02 provides generally that the Board of Representatives shall exercise legislative functions: Subject to the provisions of the Constitution, the Board of Representatives shall transact the business of the NFLPA. The Board shall have the authority to interpret and apply this Constitution and the legislation of the NFLPA. Such powers, duties and authority not otherwise delegated by this Constitution shall be exercised, acted upon and determined by the Board. Said powers of the Board shall include but not be limited to: enactment of policies governing the affairs of the NFLPA . . . . (Doc. 180, ex. 3 at 15.) Article 2.11 further provides that “[a]ny person who has been an active player in the NFL by virtue of his signing an NFL contract may join the NFLPA as a retired player member after retiring from football. . . . A representative of the retired-player membership shall be invited to attend regular meetings of the Board of Player Representatives.” (Id. at 7-9.) 34 establish that the Board, exercising its general legislative authority, could have granted the Player-Plaintiffs the relief they sought on their specific claims alleged in this litigation. And if it could, the NFLPA has further failed to establish that the general language of the provisions of the NFLPA’s Constitution on which the union relies informs the Player-Plaintiffs that such a mechanism for relief was available to them and had to be exhausted. The district court, therefore, did not err in granting Plaintiffs summary judgment on this counterclaim.