Court Opinion

ID: 9564820
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 19:08:06.612685+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:18:41.475934
License: Public Domain

Finley, J.
(dissenting) — Relief was sought in the state courts by the plaintiff in the case of Mahoney v. Sailors’ Union of the Pacific, 45 Wn. (2d) 453, 275 P. (2d) 440, and *672by plaintiff in the instant case, based upon the theory of the commission of a common-law tort by a labor union; i.e., an unlawful interference with employment or the right thereto. Mr. Mahoney had been expelled from the union. He was not dispatched or referred to employers for employment. He sought reinstatement to union membership and damages for loss of employment, that is, loss of earnings. In the instant case, Mr. Selles was not expelled from the union, but allegedly, among other things, the union did not dispatch or refer him to employers for employment. He sued for interference with his right of employment. Obviously, the practicable determinant as to damages would be loss of earnings.
I can see no distinction in fact or theory between the two cases in relation to the specific question of whether a basis existed in each case for a common-law tort action in the state courts. However, this is not too significant, because, as I see the matter, the crucial questions are (a) whether the cases involved an unfair labor practice under the Taft-Hartley act, and (b) whether jurisdiction of the national labor relations board supersedes jurisdiction of the state courts.
In Mahoney, the court stated that the case did involve an unfair labor practice under § 8 (b) (2) of the act; that the labor board had jurisdiction of the alleged discrimination in employment and the matter of loss of earnings, and that the trial court had erred in assuming jurisdiction of this aspect of the controversy and awarding compensatory damages. Incidentally, in the Mahoney decision, the court did assert a limited state jurisdiction and held that Mahoney was entitled to reinstatement in the union by an order of the state trial court for the limited purpose of the protection of his property rights in union funds; i.e., burial or funeral benefits.
In the instant case, the majority opinion holds that the case involves unfair labor practices under § 8 (b) (1) and § 8 (b) (2) of the Taft-Hartley act. Without specifically overruling the Mahoney case, the majority opinion holds *673that the trial court had jurisdiction to award compensatory damages to plaintiff Selles, ostensibly for a common-law tort. Identical relief was denied in the Mahoney case.
I have some doubt as to the validity of the view expressed by the majority — that the instant case involves an unfair labor practice under § 8 (b) (2) of the Federal act. The basis for such doubt is the fact that Mr. Selles was at all times a member of the union, apparently in good standing; and it does not seem to me that the union requested or coerced any employer to discriminate against Mr. Selles for the requisite purpose, under § 8 (b) (2) of the act, of encouraging or discouraging him with respect to union membership.
Now, did any other conduct of the union otherwise constitute an unfair labor practice under the Taft-Hartley act? Allegedly, the union was responsible (a) for breaking up a meeting held by Mr. Selles and other dissident members to discuss critically certain union policies or operations; and allegedly was responsible (b) for Mr. Selles not being dispatched from the hiring hall for employment. In the instant case, Mr. Selles apparently relies upon the latter-mentioned conduct of the union as the basis for his tort claim for damages. In the controversy between Mr. Selles and the union, I think the national labor relations board had jurisdiction, if the conduct of the union under either (a) or (b) above constituted an unfair labor practice.
Considering the present tenuous state of decisional law as to the meaning of the phrase, “ . . . concerted activities for . . . mutual aid or protection . . . , ” (§ 7 of the act), there is some doubt as to the ultimate legal effect that the Federal courts will give to this language. However, a reasonable reading of the above pertinent language in relation to § 8 (b) (1) of the act resolves any lingering doubt in my mind in favor of the proposition that the alleged conduct of the union — in breaking up the special meeting of Mr. Selles and his associates — constituted an unfair labor practice. In other words, those acts of the union restrained *674or coerced Mr. Selles in the exercise, of his rights to engage in “. . . concerted activities . . . for the purpose of . . . mutual aid or protection . . . ” (§ 7 of the act).
It seems quite significant that, initially, a charge alleging an unfair labor practice was filed with the national labor relations board relative to the difficulties between Mr. Selles and the union; that the board apparently took jurisdiction and commenced an investigation, issued a complaint against the union, and set a date for a hearing on the matter; but that the complaint was then withdrawn by Mr. Selles, and the present lawsuit was instituted.
Given, as indicated above under § 7 of the Taft-Hartley act, an unfair labor practice by the union in the instant case, the decision of the court in the Mahoney case should be (a) clearly and explicitly overruled, or (b) it should be followed. As a majority of the court are unwilling to explicitly overrule the Mahoney case, I think that the decision therein should be controlling; i.e., that the jurisdiction of the national labor relations board superseded that of the state court, and that the judgment in the instant case should be reversed.
Rosellini and Ott, JJ., concur with Finley, J.