Opinion ID: 764161
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Affirmative Duty Theory.

Text: 138 The district court found that because LIUNA had notice of discrimination complaints against Local 496 and because it was a party to the National Maintenance Agreement, LIUNA had an affirmative duty to oppose Local 496's discriminatory conduct. In so holding, the district court relied upon Kaplan v. International Alliance of Theatrical & Stage Employees, 525 F.2d 1354 (9th Cir.1975), wherein the Ninth Circuit held that under Title VII, [b]y making and [tacitly] enforcing a collective bargaining agreement that perpetuates past discriminatory effects, an international labor organizations has an affirmative duty to take corrective steps to prevent the perpetuation of such discrimination by their affiliates. Id. at 1360. Central to Kaplan 's holding, however, is that the international union actually negotiated on behalf of the local the agreement containing the discriminatory referral procedure. See id. at 1359-60. In contrast, LIUNA was not involved either in the negotiation of the 1973 PLA, or in Local 496's decision not to comply with the PLA's requirements. Moreover, in Kaplan, the provision perpetuating the discriminatory effects was part of the collective bargaining agreement itself. In the present case, Plaintiffs did not allege and the district court did not find that the PLA itself was discriminatory; it was the failure of Local 496 (by referring only members) and the employers (because of security at Perry) to properly implement the agreement that caused the discrimination. 139 Plaintiffs argue that requiring anything more than an international union's knowledge of discrimination claims against a local affiliate to create an affirmative duty would be in direct conflict with the broad remedial purposes of Title VII and Section 1981, as well as LIUNA's duties under the National Maintenance Agreement. In General Building Contractors Association, however, the Supreme Court explicitly stated 140 [T]he question is not whether the employers and associations are free to delegate their duty to abide by § 1981, for whatever duty the statute imposes, they are bound to adhere to it. The question is what duty does § 1981 impose. More precisely, does § 1981 impose a duty to refrain from intentionally denying blacks the right to contract on the same basis as whites or does it impose an affirmative obligation to ensure that blacks enjoy such a right? The language of the statute does not speak in terms of duties. It merely declares specific rights held by [a]ll persons within the jurisdiction of the United States. We are confident that the Thirty-ninth Congress meant to do no more than prohibit the employers and associations in these cases from intentionally depriving black workers of the rights enumerated in the statute, including the equal right to contract. It did not intend to make them the guarantors of the workers' rights as against third parties who would infringe them. 141 458 U.S. at 396 (second emphasis added). Thus, at least under § 1981, in the absence of an agency relationship, an international union does not have an affirmative duty to ensure that its affiliates do not undertake discriminatory practices. See also Goodman v. Lukens Steel Co., 482 U.S. 656, 687-89, 107 S.Ct. 2617, 96 L.Ed.2d 572 (1987) (Powell, concurring); 18 cf. Phelan v. Local 305 of United Ass'n of Journeymen, 973 F.2d 1050, 1061 (2d Cir.1992) (in context of union democracy claim, citing Carbon Fuel for the proposition that: An international union has no independent duty to intervene in the affairs of its local chapters, even where the international has knowledge of the local's unlawful acts.). Because of the close relationship between Title VII and § 1981, I conclude that the same standard applies in the Title VII context. See Berger, 843 F.2d at 1429 (noting that an international's liability for the actions of an affiliate must be based on something more than the abstract and unbounded premise that the entities regulated by [Title VII and § 1981] have an 'affirmative duty' to end discrimination.). The non-discrimination clause of the National Maintenance Agreement likewise does not require anything greater. 142 Moreover, as a practical matter, holding LIUNA responsible for Local 496's actions, under the facts of this case, makes little sense. In finding an affirmative duty, the district court relied in part on the fact that in March 1985, LIUNA signed the National Maintenance Agreement. Before 1985, LIUNA was not a party to any Perry agreement. After May 1985, no class member even applied for union membership until 1990. During that period, no class member filed an EEOC grievance claiming additional discrimination. In addition, no class member ever requested that LIUNA investigate the charges of discrimination. As far as LIUNA was aware, the institution of the October 1987 referral policy, which the court acknowledged appeared to be neutral on its face, corrected any discrimination problems that had appeared in the past. 143 For the foregoing reasons, I would hold that the district court erred in finding that LIUNA had an affirmative duty to oppose Local 496's discriminatory practices. 19