Court Opinion

ID: 9468382
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 02:13:35.556255+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:40:50.807281
License: Public Domain

THOMAS A. CLARK, Circuit Judge,
specially concurring:
I concur with the result reached by the majority. I write separately because I believe the impact of cases decided since the district court’s opinion was written make it desirable to implement that answer to plaintiffs’ claim for relief.
Plaintiffs contend that International Brotherhood of Teamsters v. United States, 431 U.S. 324, 97 S.Ct. 1843, 52 L.Ed.2d 396 (1977) protects bona fide seniority systems.1 They argue that the original seniority system of which they were beneficiaries was bona fide and should be reestablished. The plaintiffs have journeyed long in their search to vindicate the wrong which they believe was done to them.
*585Although the record does not so reflect, it must be true that the plaintiffs were unable to persuade a majority of their union to join them in their attack on the current seniority system. As an original party to the litigation which resulted in the revamped seniority system, the union would have been a proper party to seek modification or to file an independent action via Fed.R.Civ.P. 60(b). Unable to persuade their comrades to join in the fight, the appellants sought to intervene in the Fairfield case.2 This move was dismissed as untimely. In dismissing that motion, the district judge pointed out that a denial of intervention was not a bar to relief since an independent action might be maintained to attack the seniority system in question. This is just such an independent action.
I agree with the district court that plaintiffs cannot relitigate the seniority system involved here. However, since the district court’s opinion, we have recognized that circumstances might permit modification of a consent decree if the original seniority system was bona fide as defined by Teamsters.3 On the other hand in Smith v. Missouri Pacific Railroad Co., 615 F.2d 683 (5th Cir. 1980), another intervening decision of our court, we said rather strongly that no person — an original party or a non-party— should be allowed under Rule 60(b) to modify a seniority system established by a consent decree.
It is unnecessary in this case to enter the uncertain terrain spawned by Teamsters. The decision as to what circumstances, if any, will permit the reestablishment of an original bona fide seniority system will have to await another day. Nevertheless, the claim of these plaintiffs may be directly addressed because they are not entitled to seek this particular relief. Normally, a non-party has no right under Rule 60(b) to bring an independent action to modify a consent decree agreed upon by the parties, when no such relief is sought by any of the parties themselves. Here, the plaintiffs are members of the union which was a party to the consent decree and a defendant here. Plaintiffs’ remedy, if such exists, rests with their representative, the union.

. Not all seniority systems, in fact not even all bona fide seniority systems, are protected. Pettway v. American Cast Iron Pipe Co., 576 F.2d 1157, 1188—92 (5th Cir. 1978).

. EEOC v. United States Steel Corp., et al. No. CA 70-906-S (N.D.Ala.1977). The consent de- . cree was entered in 1974. Intervention was denied on October 11, 1977.

. United States v. Georgia Power Co., 634 F.2d 929 (5th Cir. 1981). See also Roberts v. St. Regis Paper Co., 653 F.2d 166 (5th Cir. 1981) (original party argued continued enforcement no longer equitable and court noted that 60(b) was proper vehicle to raise claim); Terrell v. United States Pipe and Foundry Co., 644 F.2d 1112 (5th Cir. 1981) (original party raised Teamsters issue on appeal). But see EEOC v. Safeway Stores, Inc., 611 F.2d 795 (10th Cir. 1979) (the policy of finality in litigation is too strong to allow modifications).