Alabaugh v. Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company

125 F. Supp. 401, 35 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2081, 1954 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2680
CourtDistrict Court, D. Maryland
DecidedOctober 29, 1954
DocketCiv. A. 7780
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 125 F. Supp. 401 (Alabaugh v. Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Maryland primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Alabaugh v. Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, 125 F. Supp. 401, 35 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2081, 1954 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2680 (D. Md. 1954).

Opinion

THOMSEN, District Judge.

The motion to dismiss the complaint in this case raises the question whether the court has jurisdiction over the subject matter, or whether exclusive primary jurisdiction is in the National Railroad Adjustment Board.

Defendant Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (Brotherhood) entered into a union shop agreement with defendant Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company (B & 0), effective November 1, 1951. Plaintiffs, locomotive engineers employed by B & 0, were members of Brotherhood until August, 1952, when they terminated their membership, stopped paying dues, and joined United Railways Operating Crafts (UROC), a rival union, believing UROC to be a labor organization, national in scope, organized in accordance with the Railway Labor Act, Title 45 U.S.C.A. § 151 et seq., membership in which would prevent their discharge. Brotherhood thereupon expelled plaintiffs, and defendant General Committee of Adjustment of Brotherhood on B & 0 (Committee) demanded that B & 0 discharge them. Plaintiffs obtained a hearing before a B & 0 superintendent. After that hearing, plaintiffs “received information” that UROC was not a qualified union, and applied for reinstatement in Brotherhood, which, according to the complaint, was refused by Brotherhood because plaintiffs had been active in UROC, although other engineers, who had also terminated their membership in Brotherhood but had been less active in UROC, were reinstated. The superintendent decided that B & 0 was obligated to discharge plaintiffs under the terms of the union shop agreement, and his decision was affirmed on appeal by a higher officer of B & 0, who fixed October 8, 1954, as the date for discharge. On that day plaintiffs filed this suit, alleging that defendants’ conduct toward them violates Title 45 U.S. C.A. § 152 Eleventh (a) and praying an injunction restraining B & 0 from discharging plaintiffs and restraining Brotherhood and its Committee from attempting to induce their discharge. I granted and have kept in force a temporary restraining order to preserve plaintiffs’ seniority rights.

Committee’s motion to dismiss the complaint is based on the contention that this court lacks jurisdiction of the subject matter because “Congress, by enactment of the Railway Labor Act * * has deprived the courts of jurisdiction to hear and determine any issues (a) pertaining to the grievances of employees against carriers including those for discharge or dismissal from the service of carriers, or (b) pertaining to the inter *404 pretation or application of union shop agreements such as the one set forth in the complaint or any action for discharge or dismissal of employees from the service of carriers under such agreements, by making such issues cognizable only by resort, first, to the procedures and tribunals lawfully provided for in such agreements, and second, to the National Railroad Adjustment Board.”

Plaintiffs admit that the foregoing quotation states the general ■ rule, but contend that the allegations of discrimination in the complaint, and other matters discussed below, bring this case within the exception to the genéral rule recognized in Steele v. Louisville & N. R. Co., 323 U.S. 192, 65 S.Ct. 226, 89 L.Ed. 173, and restore the general jurisdiction of this court under Title 28 U.S.C.A. § 1337.

Neither B & 0 nor Brotherhood has yet filed any motion or answer, but Committee’s motion raisés the question of jurisdiction of the case as a whole, which would have to be considered by the court in any event. U. S. v. Corrick, 298 U.S. 435, 440, 56 S.Ct. 829, 80 L.Ed. 1263; United R. R. Operating Crafts v. Pennsylvania R. Co., 7 Cir., 212 F.2d 938, 940.

Prior to its amendment in 1951, the Railway Labor Act granted to every employee the right to join or not to join a labor organization, and agreements requiring membership or abstinence from membership in such an organization were forbidden; 45 U.S.C.A. § 152 Fourth and Fifth. In January, 1951, Congress enacted the so-called Union Shop Amendment to the Act; 64 Stat. 1238, 45 U.S. C.A. § 152 Eleventh. This amendment authorizes carriers and labor organizations, duly designated and authorized to represent employees

“(a) to make agreements, requiring, as a condition of continued employment, that within sixty days following the beginning of such employment, or the effective date of such agreements, whichever is the later, all employees shall become members of the labor organization representing their craft or class: Provided, That no such agreement shall require such condition of employment with respect to employees to whom membership is not available upon the same terms and conditions as are generally applicable to any other member or with respect to employees to whom membership was denied or terminated for any reason other than the failure of the employee to tender the periodic dues, initiation fees, and assessments (not including fines and penalties) uniformly required as a condition of acquiring or retaining membership.
“(b) to make agreements providing for * * * [a cheek off].
“(c) The requirement of membership in a labor organization in an agreement made pursuant to sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph shall be satisfied, as to both a present or future employee in engine, train, yard, or hostling service * * * if said employee shall hold or acquire membership in any one of the labor organizations, national in scope, organized in accordance with this chapter and admitting to membership employees of a craft or class in any of said services; * * * Provided, however, That as to an employee in any of said services on a particular carrier at the effective date of any such agreement on a carrier, who is not a member of any one of the labor organizations, national in scope, organized in accordance with this chapter and admitting to membership employees of a craft or class in any of said services, such employee, as a condition of continuing his employment, may be required to become a member of the organization representing the craft in which he is employed on the effective date of the first agreement applicable to him: Provided, further, That nothing herein or in any such agreement or agreements shall prevent an employee from changing membership *405 from one organization to another organization admitting to membership employees of a craft or class in any of said services. * * * ”

The agreement between B & 0, et al., and Brotherhood, dated October 15,1951, effective November 1, 1951, contains the following provision:

“Sec. 1.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
125 F. Supp. 401, 35 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2081, 1954 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2680, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/alabaugh-v-baltimore-and-ohio-railroad-company-mdd-1954.