Opinion ID: 403644
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: 1 These consolidated appeals arise from a complicated series of events. The lower court decision in Rollison v. Local 879 will be referred to as the free speech case. The lower court decision in Marshall v. Local 879 will be referred to as the election case. 2 Since September of 1976, Rollison had been an outspoken critic of Local 879's union leadership. She had been the leader of members seeking to change the policies and administration of the Local. In the March 8, 1977, local election, Rollison was elected vice-president. 3 On March 23rd and March 25, 1977, Rollison filed several complaints with Local 879 and with the General President of the International Union alleging violations of the International Constitution, the By-Laws of Local 879, and the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) in connection with the March 8, 1977, union election. The International President sustained some of the complaints and ordered that a new election be held on July 12, 1977. Rollison then announced that she would be a candidate for the position of Financial Secretary/Business Agent of Local 879 in this election. 4 On April 22, 1977, four paid staff members of Local 879 filed internal union charges against Rollison under subsections of Article XX of the International Constitution. Rollison was charged with: 5 (1) Using foul, obscene language towards officers, members and office employees of Local 879. 6 (2) Accusing the union staff of improper actions and threatening their continued employment as a consequence of these alleged actions. 7 (3) Requesting information concerning other members from the office staff. 8 (4) Holding unauthorized meetings with union members in the women's restroom in the basement of the union hall. 9 (5) Disseminating to the members of the union and the media derogatory stories concerning the officers of the Local and the International. 10 (6) Disturbing the office staff through shouts and beating on the office door of the business agent when he refused to meet with and give her the information which she had requested. 11 (7) Creating an atmosphere of distrust, dissension, frustration and ill will. 12 After hearings held on May 10th and 13, 1977, a trial board appointed by Local 879 issued findings on June 7, 1977, that Rollison had violated subsection (j) of Article XX of the International Charter which prohibited: 13 (S)uch other acts and conduct which shall be considered inconsistent with the duties, obligations and fealty of a member of a union or violation of sound trade union principles. 14 The trial board recommended the following punishment: 15 (1) Suspension from active membership in the Local for one year. 16 (2) That Rollison be required to pay $850.00 of the estimated cost of the proceeding. 17 (3) That Rollison not be permitted to attend any regular or special meetings of the local for one year. However, she could retain the right to vote in elections for officers and to use the union hall for job call out purposes provided that she paid dues and any fines and otherwise abided by the Local By-Laws and the International Constitution. 18 A Local 879 membership meeting ratified the trial board's findings and recommendations the following day. Rollison appealed the Local's disciplinary action to the International President on June 16, 1977. 19 On June 22, 1977, Rollison filed the free speech case, seeking, inter alia, injunctive relief regarding the Local's suspension of her right to be a candidate in the election scheduled for July 12, 1977. The trial court issued a temporary restraining order on June 24, 1977, which stated in relevant part: 20 IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED, that pending the further determination of this Court, Defendant is hereby ordered to refrain from giving any effect whatsoever to the discipline imposed upon Plaintiff on June 8, 1977; and 21 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, that Defendant immediately give written notice to all members of Local 879, in a form approved by Plaintiff and her attorneys, that Plaintiff is a qualified candidate in the election scheduled for July 12, 1977, for the office of Business Agent. 22 On June 27, 1977, the Local's acting Financial Secretary/Business Agent prepared a letter for approval of the trial court. This letter was approved and mailed to the membership on or about June 28, 1977. The letter stated: 23 This is to advise you that Kay Rollison, candidate for the office of Financial Secretary/Business Agent # 879, is a qualified candidate in the election to be held on July 12, 1977. 24 Rollison was elected Financial Secretary/Business Agent in the July 12, 1977, election. Candidates defeated by Rollison filed election protests with the International President on July 12, alleging that the Court-ordered letter made it appear that Local 879 endorsed Rollison's candidacy. On July 13, 1977, Rollison protested the Local's refusal to install her. On July 26, 1977, the International President denied Rollison's appeal from the Local's June 8, 1977, disciplinary action, but reduced the penalty imposed to a fine of $50.00, thereby (although after the fact) removing the bar to Rollison's July 12th candidacy. 25 On August 19, 1977, the International President denied Rollison's election protests of July 13th, thereby refusing to install her to the position to which she had been elected. 26 Rollison filed a timely complaint with the Secretary of Labor on August 24, 1977. After the statutorily-mandated investigation, the Secretary found probable cause to believe that a violation of Title IV of the LMRDA had occurred and had not been remedied. He filed the election case on October 21, 1977, to compel Local 879 to install Rollison to the position to which she had been elected. The Secretary and Local 879 stipulated to Rollison's intervention in this case. 27 Local 879 moved for summary judgment in the free speech case on November 12, 1977, arguing that Rollison had failed to exhaust internal union remedies. On December 28, 1977, the trial court stayed the free speech case and directed Rollison to exhaust her internal remedies. 28 On January 11, 1978, Rollison appealed the International President's July 26, 1977, ruling to the International General Executive Board. The Board denied the appeal as untimely on March 10, 1978. 29 On March 10, 1978, the trial court granted the Secretary's motion for summary judgment in the election case and ordered Local 879 to install Rollison to her elected position. Local 879 installed Rollison on March 13, 1978. 30 On March 21, 1980, Rollison moved for partial summary judgment in both actions. In the free speech action, she sought summary judgment on the legality of the Local's discipline. In the election action, she sought summary judgment on the Local's liability for the union salary due her between July 12, 1977, and March 13, 1978. The trial court granted Rollison's free speech motion on May 19, 1980, and her election motion on June 25, 1980. On September 18, 1980, the court awarded Rollison $6,066.50 in attorney's fees and costs in the free speech action. On October 9, 1980, the trial court awarded Rollison back pay of $7,935.11 and attorney's fees and costs of $4,091.02 in the election action. These appeals followed.