Opinion ID: 290558
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Breach of Contract and the Duty of Fair Representation

Text: 50
51 Plaintiffs argue that the allegations of their complaint also state a cause of action against Harvester under section 301 (a) of the Labor-Management Relations Act as well as under Title VII. 23 We think plaintiffs misconceive the scope and purpose of section 301(a). Nevertheless, these allegations, if liberally construed, are sufficient to withstand a motion to dismiss under that section. Accordingly, we hold that the district court erred in dismissing plaintiffs' action under section 301(a) and order that their cause of action against Harvester for breach of contract be reconsidered on remand of this case. 52 Section 301(a), unlike Title VII, is not designed primarily as a remedy for racial discrimination in employment. Instead, Congress enacted section 301(a) to provide a means by which collective bargaining agreements could be enforced in federal and state courts. Suits under section 301(a) require plaintiffs to allege specifically which provisions of the collective bargaining agreement have been violated by the employer. Plaintiffs' complaint alleges that the agreement amending the collective bargaining agreement entered into by Local 21 and Harvester in June 1966 violated the seniority provisions of the contract. Since parties to a labor contract are always free to amend their agreements, we do not see how an amendment through the ordinary processes of collective bargaining can be considered a breach of contract. Humphrey v. Moore, 375 U.S. 335, 359, 84 S.Ct. 363, 11 L.Ed.2d 370 (concurring opinion of Mr. Justice Harlan) (1964). Nevertheless, the complaint along with the accompanying affidavits of plaintiff Waters, if broadly construed, may be read to include allegations that plaintiffs were treated in a discriminatory fashion by Harvester in violation of the contract between Local 21 and Harvester. This construction is sufficient to survive a motion to dismiss. Czosek v. O'Mara, 397 U.S. 25, 90 S.Ct. 770, 25 L.Ed.2d 21 (Feb. 24, 1970); Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 45-46, 78 S.Ct. 99, 2 L.Ed.2d 80 (1957). On remand plaintiffs should be permitted to amend their complaint to allege with greater specificity which provisions of the collective bargaining agreement were violated by Harvester. 53 To bring an action under section 301(a) an individual employee also must exhaust the grievance provisions of his collective bargaining agreement. Republic Steel Corp. v. Maddox, 379 U.S. 650, 85 S.Ct. 614, 13 L.Ed.2d 580 (1965). As the Supreme Court held in Vaca v. Sipes, 386 U.S. 171, 186, 87 S.Ct. 903, 914, 17 L.Ed.2d 842 (1967): 54 [T]he wrongfully discharged employee may bring an action against his employer in the face of a defense based upon the failure to exhaust contractual remedies, provided the employee can prove that the union as bargaining agent breached its duty of fair representation in its handling of the employee's grievence. 55 In the instant case the affidavit of plaintiff Waters alleges in very general terms that any attempt to seek redress through the grievance mechanism of the contract would be futile. 24 Harvester argues that plaintiffs cannot prove a breach of the duty of fair representation sufficient to satisfy the exhaustion requirement without at least attempting to put the grievance mechanisms into operation by a demand on union officials. We disagree. Although it may be difficult to establish such proof in this case, we can envision situations in which union representatives repeatedly have breached their duty of fair representation in previous dealings with an employee. In such cases the employee could reasonably believe that attempts to seek the aid of the union in presenting a grievance would be utterly futile, thus justifying his failure to exhaust remedies. Cf. Glover v. St. Louis, San Francisco R. R. Co., 393 U.S. 324, 89 S.Ct. 548, 21 L.Ed.2d 519 (1969). As a result we are unable to say beyond a doubt that plaintiffs' allegations of futility are insufficient to excuse their failure to exhaust the grievance provisions of their contract. Czosek v. O'Mara, supra, 397 U.S. at 25-30, 90 S.Ct. at 772-773. On remand of this case plaintiffs should be allowed to amend their complaint to allege circumstances supporting their assertion that attempts to persuade Local 21 to pursue their grievances would be futile. 56
57 Plaintiffs assert that Local 21 violated its duty of fair representation by participating or at least acquiescing in Harvester's discriminatory hiring policies. They maintain that this breach of duty by Local 21 states a cause of action under section 301(a). Although plaintiffs again read section 301(a) too broadly, we believe that their complaint, if liberally construed, states a cause of action under that section. Therefore, on remand of this case the district court should reconsider plaintiffs' complaint against Local 21 under section 301(a). 58 Plaintiffs are incorrect in arguing that section 301(a) is intended to provide federal jurisdiction for suits seeking relief for violation of the duty of fair representation, Sciaraffa v. Oxford Paper Co., 310 F.Supp. 891 (S.D.Me. 1970). The origin of that duty is statutory, first recognized in cases involving racial discrimination by unions certified as exclusive bargaining agents under the Railway Labor Act. Steele v. Louisville & Nashville R. R. Co., 323 U.S. 192, 65 S.Ct. 226, 89 L.Ed. 173 (1943); Tunstall v. Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen & Enginemen, 323 U.S. 120, 65 S. Ct. 235, 89 L.Ed. 187 (1943). The Supreme Court subsequently held that the provisions of the National Labor Relations Act included a similar duty, Syres v. Oil Workers International Union, 350 U.S. 892, 76 S.Ct. 152, 100 L.Ed. 785 (1955); rev'g 223 F.2d 739 (5th Cir. 1955); Ford Motor Co. v. Huffman, 345 U.S. 330, 73 S.Ct. 681, 97 L.Ed. 1048 (1953). Suits for breach of statutory duty may be brought under federal question or civil rights jurisdictional provisions. Brady v. Trans World Airlines, Inc., 401 F.2d 87 (3d Cir. 1968); Williams v. Pacific Maritime Assoc., 384 F.2d 935 (9th Cir. 1967). 25 59 The duty of fair representation has only limited relevance to actions under section 301(a). A union can be joined as a defendant under that section, if by breach of its statutory duty, the union has prevented presentment or enforcement of an employee grievance under the collective bargaining agreement. 26 Vaca v. Sipes, supra, 386 U.S. at 197, 87 S.Ct. 903, n. 18. In such cases a plaintiff-employee can recover only for injury which flows solely from the union's own conduct. As a result plaintiff's recovery against the union is limited in most cases to compensation for the union's failure to timely assert an employee grievance against an employer, Vaca v. Sipes, supra, at 196-198, 87 S.Ct. 903. When viewed in a light most favorable to plaintiffs, we think their complaint makes such an allegation. Accordingly, plaintiffs' cause of action against the union under section 301 (a) should be considered on remand. 60 For the reasons stated, the judgment of the district court is reversed and the cause remanded.