Opinion ID: 700900
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The statute of limitations is six months.

Text: 15 Although the appellants argue in their brief that the Kentucky state law on attorney malpractice should govern the statute of limitations in this duty of fair representation case, there is no doubt that the applicable period is six months. See DelCostello v. International Bhd. of Teamsters, 462 U.S. 151, 170-71 (1983); Adkins v. International Union of Elec., Radio & Mach. Workers, 769 F.2d 330, 335 (6th Cir. 1985); Storey v. Local 327, Int'l Bhd. of Teamsters, 759 F.2d 517, 520-23 (6th Cir. 1985) (discussing federal preemption and limitations periods in labor claims). The question in this case really is one of accrual. To decide whether plaintiffs can present a viable issue of fact for trial, it is necessary to determine when their claim(s) accrued and evaluate what they did in light of what they should have done to assert and preserve their cause(s) of action. 16 A claim arises under Sec. 301 when the claimant discovers, or in the exercise of reasonable diligence should have discovered, the acts constituting the alleged violation. Adkins, 769 F.2d at 335; Robinson v. Central Brass Mfg. Co., 987 F.2d 1235, 1239 (6th Cir.), cert. denied, 114 S. Ct. 92 (1993). The determination of the accrual date is objective: the asserted actual knowledge of the plaintiffs is not determinative if they did not act as reasonable persons and, in effect, closed their eyes to evident and objective facts concerning the accrual of their right to sue. Chrysler Workers Ass'n v. Chrysler Corp., 834 F.2d 573, 579 (6th Cir. 1987), cert. denied, 486 U.S. 1033 (1988). 17 The district court found that the plaintiffs' cause of action arose, if at all, in 1985 when they were not selected for the strike. The plaintiffs argue that (1) the limitations period should be equitably tolled because the miners relied on assurances that the UMWA was representing their interests in the strike and lawsuit; and (2) since the union's actions during the course of the strike and settlement amount to a sort of continuing violation, the plaintiffs' suit is timely because it was filed within six months of the final settlement of the lawsuit. 18
19 possible on these facts. 20 The plaintiffs claim that when volunteers protested being rejected for strike duty, local union officials reassured them that the UMWA was representing and would take care of their interests; therefore, the plaintiffs relied on these statements and did not formally pursue any redress. In order to support an equitable tolling of the statute of limitations, this Circuit requires a plaintiff to prove fraudulent concealment on the part of the defendant. Noble v. Chrysler Motors Corp., 32 F.3d 997, 1001 (6th Cir. 1994). There are three elements necessary to prove fraudulent concealment: 21 (1) wrongful concealment of their actions by the defendants; (2) failure of the plaintiff to discover the operative facts that are the basis of his cause of action within the limitations period; and (3) plaintiff's due diligence until discovery of the facts. 22 Id., citing Dayco Corp. v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 523 F.2d 389, 394 (6th Cir. 1975) (emphasis added). The plaintiffs in this case cannot meet their burden on this issue. They have not shown wrongful concealment of a course of action by the UMWA. The record demonstrates that they should have known of their cause of action when the local union's rejection of volunteers deprived them of strike benefits. Thus alerted, the rejected volunteers should have pursued the matter to determine what effect their non-picketer status would ultimately have with respect to the pending UMWA action against the mine owners; however, the record does not reflect that they exercised due diligence to discover the facts that now form the basis for their claim against the international union. 23
24 these defendants. 25 This Circuit has recognized the propriety of tolling the statute of limitations where a continuing violation by a union has resulted in repeated injury to union members. See Sevako v. Anchor Motor Freight, Inc., 792 F.2d 570, 574-75 (6th Cir. 1986). However, even in such cases, [o]nly those asserted improper acts occurring six months prior to the institution of suit in federal district court ... are actionable. Id. Assuming, arguendo, that the actions and decisions of the UMWA's local and international officials between 1984 and 1988 constituted a continuing course of action resulting in injury to these plaintiffs, Sevako would still require a showing that the actions of the defendant international union and its officers in the six months prior to August 22, 1988, were improper; wrongdoing allegedly committed by the defendants prior to February 22, 1988 (selection of picketers and requiring willingness to commit violence), would not be actionable. See id. 26 We agree with the district court that the entire cause of action, if there is one, accrued in 1985, and that this action was therefore untimely filed. However, even if there were two or perhaps three separate causes of action on the facts alleged, for the reasons which follow, the district court's granting of summary judgment was appropriate. 27