Austin v. Reynolds Metals Company

327 F. Supp. 1145, 1970 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12939, 2 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 10,179, 2 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 451
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Virginia
DecidedFebruary 6, 1970
DocketCiv. A. 6022-R
StatusPublished
Cited by33 cases

This text of 327 F. Supp. 1145 (Austin v. Reynolds Metals Company) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Austin v. Reynolds Metals Company, 327 F. Supp. 1145, 1970 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12939, 2 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 10,179, 2 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 451 (E.D. Va. 1970).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM

ROBERT R. MERHIGE, Judge.

This is an action for damages and to compel compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and in particular those provisions which bar discrimination on the basis of sex by employers, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(a), and by labor unions, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(c). There are *1147 numerous plaintiffs, but the parties have not suggested that the suit take the form of a class action.

Defendants, Reynolds Metals Company, hereinafter Reynolds, and Aluminum Workers International Union, Local No. 400, hereinafter Local 400, have moved to dismiss on four grounds. First it is said that the suit is barred because the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission secured voluntary compliance with the terms of Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act by both Reynolds and the Union. The defendants assert, secondly, that the claims are barred because the action was not brought within thirty days of plaintiffs’ receiving the statutory notice of right to sue, as required by 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(e). Moreover, they say, any claim arising from the June, 1966, layoff is barred for failure of any plaintiff to file charges with the Commission within ninety days of the accused practice, as specified in 42 U. S.C. § 2000e-5(d). The same ground is asserted as to two plaintiffs with respect to the second layoff of November, 1966. Local 400 seeks dismissal, too, on the ground that any allegations of failure to file grievances are inconsistent with the jurisdictional bases asserted, 28 U.S.C. § 1343 and 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(f).

The procedural chronology is obviously of importance.

In evidence is a letter dated October 1, 1968, from Robert L. Randolph, Director of Compliance of the Commission, to John F. Dugan of the Labor Relations Division of defendant Reynolds, Exhibit “A” to affidavit of Thomas E. Starke, submitted in opposition to appointment of counsel. Randolph states therein that “a satisfactory settlement could not be reached with all of the Charging Parties; therefore, in accordance with Section 706 (e) of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the ‘Notice of Right to Sue’ has been issued to the following Charging Parties: ”. Thereafter appear the names of nineteen persons who, it is clear from the context, were among the thirty-four charging parties and are those who rejected the conciliation agreement, a copy of which is also in evidence. 1

In the record also are two of the nineteen letters sent by the Commission and referred to as the “Notice of Right to Sue.” The text of the letter is set out in a footnote. 2

On October 11, 1968, a letter was received by the United States Attorney’s office in Richmond from Virginia B. Slaughter. Whether it was actually addressed to that office or to the Clerk of this Court is not apparent from the record. Mrs. Slaughter said: “I am writing you in regards of myself and the other girls in the case no’s up above. We filed suit with the Federal Government *1148 for discrimination in sex’s [sic] in 1966. We have been notified to get in touch with you. We are unable to hire attorney. We are requesting the Federal District Judge to please appoint us counsel * * * >> letter made reference to case numbers AT 6-12-950 and AT 6-12-950U, which numbers one may infer from the letter from Randolph to Dugan, designate the charges brought by Mrs. Slaughter alone.

Subsequent correspondence was with the Clerk of this Court. Two letters from Mrs. Slaughter dated October 19 and received October 28 set forth lists of names, first, of “the girls that are listed in the suit with Reynolds Metal Co. 11th Byrd St,” 3 and, second, of “the girls that were in the same spot with us, laid off, but did not file with the Equal Employment Opportunity, but they wish to go along with us on the charge.” 4

An order was entered on October 28, 1868, under the style of Virginia B. Slaughter, et al. v. Reynolds Metals Company, directing that, “Whereas the plaintiffs have exhausted their complaints against the respondents through the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission * * * and move this Court to appoint counsel to represent them in this cause, it is ORDERED that * * * plaintiffs are directed to appear [on] November 5, 1968, to show cause why said attorney should be appointed to represent them.”

These were all of the papers on file on October 31, when the thirty day period expired. On November 14, 1968, this Court issued an order appointing counsel and granting a plenary hearing on all issues; at this time the action was still styled Slaughter et al. v. Reynolds Metals Company. On December 13, court-appointed counsel filed a complaint, captioned Austin et al. v. Reynolds Metals Company and Aluminum Workers International Union, Local No. 400. This Court has concluded that under these circumstances the dispute was fairly before the Court before the thirty day period elapsed. One might contend that the order of October 28, referring to the “cause,” estopped this Court from determining later that no case was then pending. Witherspoon v. Mercury Freight Lines, 59 L.C. ¶ 9219, 6899 (S.D.Ala. 1968). But that doctrine is awkward, and the Court’s assurances in this case were much less clear than in the case cited. Estoppel doctrine need not be resorted to. The letters on file in this instance seem adequate, albeit probably in need of amendment, so that final dismissal on defendant’s motion would have been improper. In this vital respect the instant case differs from Green v. Ford Motor Co., 70 L.R.R.M. 3180 (W.D.Okla.1969) , in which the plaintiff got no papers stating his claim into Court in the requisite time.

The thirty day period of 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(e) is extremely short, yet Congress apparently intended lay parties to convert their disputes in this time from administrative complaints, prosecuted informally by a public body at no expense to the injured party, to plenary civil actions, with the initiative and, unless the court orders otherwise, financing provided by the complainant. In the course of litigation under the 1964 Act certain principles to be referred to in the application of the statute have emerged. First, parties are not to be prejudiced in the assertion of their right to equal treatment by the fact that the Commission fails or refuses to attempt the voluntary conciliation which the Act contemplates as a threshhold remedy, *1149 Quarles v. Philip Morris, Inc., 271 F.Supp. 842 (E.D.Va.1967).

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Buckner v. ADCO Electric Co.
332 F. Supp. 2d 950 (S.D. Mississippi, 2004)
Suntrust Bank v. AETNA LIFEM INS. CO.
251 F. Supp. 2d 1282 (E.D. Virginia, 2003)
Hayes v. Crown Central Petroleum Corp.
249 F. Supp. 2d 725 (E.D. Virginia, 2002)
Arnlund v. Smith
210 F. Supp. 2d 755 (E.D. Virginia, 2002)
Crawford v. Willow Oaks Country Club, Inc.
66 F. Supp. 2d 767 (E.D. Virginia, 1999)
Rosen v. Red Roof Inns, Inc.
950 F. Supp. 156 (E.D. Virginia, 1997)
Keegan v. Dalton
899 F. Supp. 1503 (E.D. Virginia, 1995)
Gasner v. County of Dinwiddie
162 F.R.D. 280 (E.D. Virginia, 1995)
Keith v. Heckler
603 F. Supp. 150 (E.D. Virginia, 1985)
Hawkins v. International Harvester
461 F. Supp. 588 (W.D. Tennessee, 1978)
Wheeler v. American Home Products Corp.
582 F.2d 891 (Fifth Circuit, 1977)
Wright v. St. John's Hospital
414 F. Supp. 1202 (N.D. Oklahoma, 1976)
Mc Crary v. Metropolitan Life Insurance
408 F. Supp. 417 (D. Massachusetts, 1976)
Doman v. SKF Industries, Inc.
399 F. Supp. 716 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 1975)
Burwell v. Eastern Air Lines, Inc.
394 F. Supp. 1361 (E.D. Virginia, 1975)
Mattox v. Washington State Board Against Discrimination
535 P.2d 470 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1975)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
327 F. Supp. 1145, 1970 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12939, 2 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 10,179, 2 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 451, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/austin-v-reynolds-metals-company-vaed-1970.