Opinion ID: 3036192
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: “Childs” Exception

Text: In Childs v. Pennsylvania Federation Brotherhood of Maintenance Way Employees, 831 F.2d 429 (3d Cir. 1987), the Third Circuit recognized another exception to RLA preemption. The court held that “an employee may sue his [employer] in federal court where, because of a union’s breach of its duty of fair representation, the employee cannot obtain meaningful relief before the [board of adjustment].” Id. at 430. Martin argues that the Childs exception applies in his case because TWU’s withdrawal of his union-backed petition for arbitration after the filing 11 deadline caused him to lose his right to pursue arbitration on his own. As with the futility exception, this argument also fails because we hold Martin did not have an individual right to pursue arbitration.