Legal Document

364 U.S. 642 81 Supreme Court Reporter 368 5 United States Reports Lawyer’s Edition 2d Series KF101.8 U54 349 SYSTEM FEDERATION NO. 91, RAILWAY EMPLOYES' DEPARTMENT, AFL-CIO, et al., Petitioners,v.O. V. WRIGHT al. Number 48. Argued Dec. 5, 1960. Decided Jan. 16, 1961. Mr. Richard R. Lyman, Toledo, Ohio, for petitioners. Marshall Pacific KF135 P2 Eldred, Louisville, Ky., respondents. Messrs. John Sandidge, Woodward, Hobson & Fulton, or Haw. Hawai‘i KFH45 A2 G. Breetz, W. L. Grubbs, M. D. Jones and Joseph Lenihan, Louisville Nashville company Justice HARLAN delivered the opinion of Court. 1 By a complaint filed on July 1945, in District Western Kentucky, 28 nonunion employees Railroad began an action declaratory relief, injunction, damages against railroad number unions representing its employees. Particularly relevant to were those provisions fourth fifth paragraphs § 2 Railway Labor Act1 which make it 'unlawful any carrier interfere way with organization employees, use funds maintaining assisting contributing labor organization, representative, other agency collective bargaining, performing work therefor, influence coerce effort induce them join remain not members * *' 3 forbid from requiring 'any person seeking employment sign contract agreement promising *.' Also relied upon was duty exclusive bargaining agent represent fairly without discrimination all class represented. See Steele versus Co., 323 192, 65 226, 89 L.Ed. 173. The factual allegations set forth pattern discriminations effected by defendant 4 settlement dated December 1, plaintiffs released union defendants claims2 actions then accrued 'in consideration sum $5,000.00 this day paid undersigned consent said entry decree action, copy is attached hereto adopted 7, 1945. After detailing enjoining specific basis status, provided that 'are further enjoined, application regularly agreements effect between Unions, may be hereafter Unions accordance Act, discriminating classes represented reason account refusal employes retain their membership organizations, 6 Court, 165 F.Supp. 443, 445, retained jurisdiction over matter 'for purpose entering such orders as deemed necessary proper.' 7 In 1951 Act amended permit, under certain circumstances, shop.3 order avail themselves newly granted statutory privilege, 1957 petitioners motion Rule 60(b) Federal Rules Civil Procedure, U.S.C.A.,4 asking sufficient modification clear 8 'shall have no prospective prohibit defendants, them, negotiating, into, applying enforcing, authorized Section 2, Eleventh, January 10, 1951.' 9 motion, opposed suing (respondents here), denied after hearing at presented unrebutted evidence assaults, destruction property, various malicious acts directed employee (union nonunion) who had worked during 58-day strike 1955. acknowledged authority modify but declined do so, primarily out regard fact (petitioners here) consented shop future, undertaking considered unlawful either before amendments.5 court stated: 10 'It remembered made illegal when injunction agreed upon. Hence, unnecessary agree, they did, non-union should required maintain craft condition precedent employment. law so prohibited, 152, Fourth Fifth, Title 45, Code Annotated, Act. went provide requirement thereafter amendment did more than negotiations permissive, Employees' Dept. Hanson, supra. nullify injunction. It exist. leaves parties remain.' 449. 11 Though making continued hostility decisive, gave some weight administrative difficulty preventing might facilitated if there shop. Sixth Circuit affirmed reasons Chief Judge Shelbourne' 272 Reporter, 2nd 56, 58. We certiorari because importance issues involved. 362 948, 80 262, 867. 12 At outset noted power drawn question. That proposition indeed could well disputed. State Pennsylvania Wheeling Belmont Bridge 18 How. 421, 15 435; Swift 286 106, 52 460, 76 999; Chrysler Corporation States, 316 556, 62 1146, 86 1668. case, Cardozo put thus, page 114, 462: 13 'We are doubtful equity adaptation changed conditions though entered consent. Power reserved very terms, beginning hand restraints. If reservation been omitted, still would force principles inherent chancery. A continuing events come subject always shape need. Ladner Siegel, 298 Pa. 487, 494, 495, 148 Atlantic 699, 68 American Law 1172.' 14 There also dispute sound judicial discretion call terms injunctive whether fact, obtaining time issuance changed, new ones since arisen. source course often requires supervision issuing willingness apply powers processes behalf party obtained equitable relief. Firmness stability must doubt attributed relief based adjudicated facts law, neither plaintiff nor subjected burden re-establishing what has once decided. Nevertheless cannot disregard significant changes 'satisfied doing turned through changing circumstances into instrument wrong.' supra, pages 114—115, 462. balance thus struck policies res judicata right modified measures circumstances. Where imponderable wide But never limits these far clearer reviewing involve change rather facts. When case originally made, prohibited constituted form statutorily forbidden discrimination. Congress since, clearest legislated existence contract, satisfying Eleventh employer. therefore determined whatever ways arrangement facilitates other, unauthorized borne inescapable incidents legislatively approved term. 16 Had 1945 simply awarded trial instituted petitioners, little that, faced improvident continue provision prohibiting being per se, effectuate discriminations. enough earlier render protection needs safeguarding rights expense privilege deniable union. This conclusion affected circumstance, here found, unions' continued, clause offset benefits provision. 17 What seems plain us reason, litigated decree, amply supported precedent. deal outstanding subsequent congressional action. held bridge across Ohio River obstructed navigation conflict Acts regulating river. 'directed obstruction removed, elevating height designated, abatement.' 429. later declared lawful structure existing position elevation. dissolved, saying, 430—432: 'So far, therefore, created free river, view previous congress, regarded legislation; and, although contemplation law. part directing abatement obstruction, executory, only removal bridge, enjoins reconstruction continuance. Now, future depends question interferes navigation. If, mean time, competent authority, longer quite enforced. interference enjoyment public inconsistent where himself it, rendition decree. Suppose executed, passage question, can doubted reconstruct it? And equally abated, existed moment enactment?' 19 repeatedly followed lower federal state courts.6 find recede them. 20 abuse deny present resulted we established. Is result dealing decree? Again start held, 21 'The one litigation *. event, does abdicate revoke mandate, satisfied wrong. reject argument interveners treated act truth adjudged one. read toward were. abandonment exact revision become be.' 22 departed general rule.7 adhere policy expresses. cannot, giving each consideration, purchase like Court's adopt comes statute intended enforce. Frequently arrived accepted adopting court. just agreed-upon furtherance objectives, brings objectives. short, incidentally parties, served now us. objectives amended. require enforcement gives. 23 record room attempted conform dictates read. attach two factors led courts bargained, requirements serving own interests. first factor—that independently effectuating accorded contemplated already statute—ignores completely precisely sought 173, Graham Brotherhood Firemen, 338 232, 70 14, 94 22. second bound effect—ignores likelihood, meant cover decree.8 24 type bargained same properly grant—one strengths infirmities arise will exercise thereunder inequitable equitable. conscience decide not, acting enforce promise statute. 25 judgment Appeals reversed, remanded proceedings consistent opinion. 26 ordered. 27 Judgment reversed remanded. STEWART took decision case. 29 DOUGLAS, whom FRANKFURTER WHITTAKER concur, dissenting part. 30 controversy commenced prior so-called Congress. 1951, 64 Statutes-at-Large 1238, 45 KF62 Annotated KF65 U5 Eleventh. Since date upheld Employes' 351 225, 714, 100 1112, carriers negotiate agreement, so. Id., 231, 717. Prior date, however, barred industry; discriminated accountable N.R. 207, 234. 31 Twenty-eight sued claiming amount $140,000. purported came trial. reached (a) payment $5,000 cash; (b) waiver release claims; (c) protect 'the undersigned' 32 purport protected employed in' designated crafts refrain 'against them.' 33 N Immigration Nationality Decisions think light settlement, settle claims then-existing Employees hired were, included. Yet apparently host intervened, quo word 'apparently' show intervenors payroll Those became plainly entitled Of know employed. latter group, least seven original payroll. These valuable settling disputes. harsh unjust deprive fruits settlement. Whether others claim fair impossible tell record. 34 Coujrt reserved. agree disabled carrying permissive. Cf. 435—436, 435. Certainly joined ranks protection, included nothing up exchange it. To construe include turn 'into 115, aside respects something value get injustice. applicable principle stated 119, 464: wrong, impeachment making.' 152. Each claimed damages. Department 1112. follows: 'On just, relieve his legal representative final judgment, order, proceeding following reasons: (5) application; (6) justifying operation judgment.' take need consider commitment indefinite duration valid. McGrath Potash, 91 U.S.App.D.C. 94, 199 166, passed excluding Administrative Procedure 1001 seq., deportation proceedings, Columbia vacated Government compliance many cases mere decisional justify E.g., 1172 (whether garage residential district nuisance); Santa Rita Oil Gas Board Equalization, 112 Mont. 359, 116 1012, 136 757 (what instrumentalities exempt taxation); Coca-Cola Standard Bottling Cir., 138 788 'cola' infringed Coca-Cola's trademark); see Union Tel. International Brotherhood, 133 955 ordinary strikes Sherman §§ 1—7, note, picketing constitutionally enjoined). 788, 790, say certainty: holds imposing deprives supervisory matter.' unpersuasive foot movement amend permit agreements.

Classification Label: 6