Askew v. F & W Express, Inc.

556 F. Supp. 440, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16952
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Missouri
DecidedDecember 30, 1982
DocketNo. 81-1559C(C)
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 556 F. Supp. 440 (Askew v. F & W Express, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Askew v. F & W Express, Inc., 556 F. Supp. 440, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16952 (E.D. Mo. 1982).

Opinion

FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

MEREDITH, District Judge.

This matter was tried to the Court and the Court makes the following findings of fact and conclusions of law.

Findings of Fact

1. Plaintiff, James Askew, was employed by Harper Freight Lines commencing in 1973 until the company ceased operation July 3, 1979. Askew worked only one additional day for Harper on October 23, 1979, on which day Harper was winding up its operations. After this suit was filed, the plaintiff James Askew filed a petition in bankruptcy. Robert J. Blackwell was appointed trustee by the Bankruptcy Court. Blackwell gave his consent to having this cause of action continue.

2. While employed by Harper Freight Lines, Askew was a member of a bargaining unit of employees of Harper represented by Local 600 affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen and Helpers of America.

3. Harper Freight Lines and Local 600 were parties to a collective bargaining agreement governing the terms and conditions of employment of the bargaining unit of which plaintiff was a member. This agreement expired on March 31, 1979.

4. Hogan Truck Service, Inc. is a Missouri corporation engaged in the local cartage transportation of goods within the St. Louis area. Hogan was a signatory to the National Master Freight Agreement and the Central States Area Local Cartage Supplemental Agreement effective for the period April 1, 1979 to March 31, 1982, and the St. Louis Area Addendum thereto originally effective from April 1, 1976 through March 31, 1979 and extended indefinitely by a Memorandum of Agreement dated March 26, 1979. Askew was never employed by Hogan.

5. Defendant F & W Express, Inc. is a foreign corporation with its principal place of business in Memphis, Tennessee and is engaged in over-the-road transportation of goods by truck in interstate commerce. F & W was a signatory to the National Master Freight Agreement and the Southern Conference Area Supplement effective during the period April 1, 1979 through March 31, 1982. F & W never had a contract with Local 600 and Askew was never employed by F & W.

6. After Harper ceased operations it entered into negotiations for the purchase by F & W Express of Harper’s operating rights from Dyersberg, Tennessee to St. Louis, Missouri, pending final approval by the Interstate Commerce Commission. F & W Express was not a signatory to the Central States Area Local Cartage or over-the-road Supplemental Agreements. The rights between St. Louis and Dyersberg of Harper were leased to F & W. This lease was approved by the Interstate Commerce Commission on January 18, 1980.

7. During negotiations between F & W and Harper for the rights between Dyers-berg and St. Louis, F & W decided that it would not be economically feasible to open its own terminal facility in St. Louis, based on an average of 540 lbs. of freight per day [442]*442between these points. Thereafter, F & W contacted Hogan to determine if Hogan would perform the cartage service in the St. Louis area as their agent.

8. Local 600 upon learning of these arrangements talked to F & W and Hogan to see if any of Harper’s former employees could be placed on Hogan’s seniority list.

9. By agreement dated March 3, 1980, Hogan agreed to perform F & W’s local cartage work in St. Louis and further agreed to dovetail the most senior Harper employee, Gus Hicks, into its seniority list. Hogan agreed to take only one of Harper’s former employees and no more.

10. Local 600 requested that the matter be placed on the agenda of the Joint Area Change of Operations Committee in order to determine whether the contract had been properly applied. The matter was placed on the Change of Operations Committee agenda and was heard by the Committee on March 12, 1980. Plaintiff, James Askew, was notified that the matter was being placed on the agenda for the Change of Operations Committee for March 12, 1980. Askew did not appear. Local 600, F & W and Hogan were represented at the hearing.

11. The Change of Operations Committee decided that Hogan would be required to hire the most senior Harper employee, Gus Hicks, and further established a six month window period for the purpose of reviewing the amount of freight being handled by Hogan for F & W to determine whether or not any additional employees of Harper should be hired.

12. The seniority list of Harper was as follows in order of seniority:

Gus Hicks (Driver)
Thomas Johnson (Dock)
Raymond Dewell (Driver)
Edward Freeman (Driver)
Clarence V. Atherton (Dock)
James Askew (Driver)
Donald Murphy (Driver)
Michael Richter (Dock)
James Christeson (Driver)
Gregory Meyers (Driver)

None of the individuals on the list other than Gus Hicks was offered employment by Hogan.

13. Askew filed three grievances in March of 1980 concerning F & W’s leasing of rights from Harper.

a. The first grievance, dated March 6, 1980, claimed that Askew should have been hired for the period during which Gus Hicks was sick and off work. That period lasted for two weeks. The grievance was denied at the Local Area Committee level. Askew was present at the hearing and did not appeal or request the Union to appeal.

b. The second grievance, dated March 18, 1980, claimed that F & W was dropping trailers in Pevely, Missouri, and that Hogan was going beyond the commercial zone with City drivers. He requested two eight hour “Minis” per day. Hogan was exchanging F & W trailers in Pevely, Missouri. The drivers who performed this work were qualified to drive “over-the-road.” This situation lasted approximately two weeks after which time F & W brought its trailers into the St. Louis commercial zone.

This grievance was deadlocked at the Local Area Committee level on March 28, 1980. Askew was present and represented by Local 600. The grievance proceeded to the next step at the Joint Area Change of Operations Committee in Chicago, Illinois where it was heard. Askew was present before the Joint Operations Committee. He was also represented by Local 600. The evidence was heard. The grievance was denied.

c. The third grievance, dated March 19, 1980, claimed that Askew had not received proper notice for the March 12, 1980 hearing before the Joint Area Change of Operations Committee. This grievance deadlocked at the Local Area Committee level. Askew' was present and represented by Local 600. The grievance was then presented to the Joint Area Change of Operations Committee in Chicago, Illinois, where it was heard in June of 1980. Askew was present and was represented by Local 600. The evidence was presented and the grievance was denied.

[443]*44314. During the period from March 12, 1980 through May 14,1980, Local 600 monitored the hours being spent by Hogan as a local cartage agent for F & W. Ted Welch and Joe Scaglione of Local 600 urged the Change of Operations Committee to require that an additional Harper employee be hired by F & W and/or Hogan but their arguments were denied.

15.

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Related

Askew v. Express, Inc.
723 F.2d 624 (Eighth Circuit, 1983)
Askew v. F & W Express, Inc.
723 F.2d 624 (Eighth Circuit, 1983)

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Bluebook (online)
556 F. Supp. 440, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16952, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/askew-v-f-w-express-inc-moed-1982.