Bailey v. Transportation-Communication Employees Union

45 F.R.D. 444
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Mississippi
DecidedNovember 20, 1968
DocketCiv. A. No. WC 6843-S
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 45 F.R.D. 444 (Bailey v. Transportation-Communication Employees Union) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Mississippi primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bailey v. Transportation-Communication Employees Union, 45 F.R.D. 444 (N.D. Miss. 1968).

Opinion

OPINION

ORMA R. SMITH, District Judge.

The plaintiff in this case, T. W. Bailey, sues individually and on behalf of the members of System Division 11, Transportation - Communication Employees Union. The defendant in this action is the Transportation-Communication Employees Union of St. Louis, Missouri. (Hereinafter referred to as TCU.) TCU is an unincorporated labor organization which represents employees [445]*445of railroads in the United States pursuant to the provisions of the Railroad Labor Act. TCU also has members who work on railroads in Canada. TCU has a Grand Division and subordinate divisions chartered by the Grand Division. System Division 11 is one of these subordinate divisions whose members are employed by the Illinois Central Railroad Company. The individual defendants in this case are officers and members of the Board of Directors of the Grand Division of TCU except for two of the defendants who are members of a special ballot committee.

By this action, the plaintiffs seek to prevent the proposed merger between TCU and the Brotherhood of Railway and Airline Clerks, another unincorporated international labor organization. (Hereinafter referred to as BRAC.) This action is based upon the following allegations: (1) that the merger proposal violates the TCU constitution; (2) that the merger would change the bargaining representative of TCU members in violation of the Railroad Labor Act;1 (3) that the merger would render null and void the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement between TCU and the Illinois Central Railroad which employs the plaintiffs in violation of the Railway Labor Act; and (4) that the members who are now serving in management positions will vote on the merger in violation of the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act.2

On November 4 and 5, 1968 this case was heard on a motion for a temporary restraining order pursuant to the provisions of Rule 65, F.R.Civ.P. The defendants were given notice of this proceeding by telegram and telephone and were represented by counsel for this hearing. This Court held that even though the defendants had notice of the hearing that the proceedings would be limited to a motion for a temporary restraining order even though there is authority for the proposition that where a party has notice of a hearing for a temporary restraining order that it can then become a hearing for a preliminary injunction. See Dilworth v. Riner, 343 F.2d 226 (5 Cir. 1965). This Court felt that this position was necessary because the defendant had at most only two days notice. Under these circumstances, it would be stretching the requirements of due process to convert a hearing on a temporary restraining order into a hearing for a preliminary injunction.

On November 5, 1968 this Court enjoined the effectuation of the proposed merger between TCU and BRAC until a hearing could be held on the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction. By agreement of the parties, the ten day limit provided for by Rule 65, F.R.Civ. P., was extended until November 19, 1968.

So that the record would reflect the informal understandings and agreements between opposing counsel and the Court, an order was signed on November 12, 1968 providing for the filing of briefs and responsive pleadings on November 14, 1968 and consolidating the hearing for a preliminary injunction with a hearing on the merits on November 19, 1968.

The verified complaint in this case and the evidence given in the hearing for a temporary restraining order before this Court on November 4 and 5, 1968 reveals that during the week of July 8, 1968 the regular quadrennial convention of the Grand Division of TCU was held in St. Louis, Missouri. At this convention a proposal for a merger of TCU with BRAC was made. This proposal was rejected. A subsequent motion, however, was adopted giving the President, Grand Secretary and Treasurer, and the Board of Directors authority to secure merger proposals from any organization. This motion provided that a merger proposal could be submitted to the membership of TCU upon a majority vote of the Grand and General Officers [446]*446in session. It was further provided that upon a favorable majority vote of the members, the officers of TCU would be authorized to effectuate the merger, including all necessary amendments to the constitution of TCU.

At a meeting of the Grand and General Officers of TCU in St. Louis, Missouri on September 5, 1968 a majority of the officers voted to submit a merger proposal to a membership referendum. The proposed merger was between TCU and BRAC. On October 10, 1968 a letter was sent by A. R. Lowry, President, and L. H. Freeman, Grand Secretary and Treasurer, to all members of TCU announcing that a merger proposal between TCU and BRAC was being submitted to the membership for a referendum. Along with this letter a ballot and a return envelope were sent. All active, life, retired, and out-of-service members of TCU received letters and ballots. The plaintiffs maintain that included within these groups are a large number of management personnel and citizens of Canada. The plaintiffs maintain that under these conditions their rights to select their own labor representatives within the meaning of the Railway Labor Act and the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act are being violated.

This case was called for hearing at 9:00 o’clock A.M., in the United States Courthouse in Aberdeen, Mississippi, on November 19, 1968. At the outset of this hearing, the parties were informed that the first issue to be resolved was whether the Court had in personam jurisdiction over the defendants through the service upon Mr. J. H. Abbott. The plaintiffs rested their case on the testimony given before the Court on the plaintiffs’ motion for a temporary restraining order heard on November 4 and 5, 1968. The only service of process perfected upon any of the named defendants was personal service upon Mr. J. H. Abbott. Mr. Abbott was personally served under Rule 4, F.R.Civ.P. within the jurisdiction of this Court. Mr. Abbott stated that he was within the jurisdiction of this Court performing his duties as General Chairman of two system divisions of TCU. Testimony taken on this date revealed that Mr. Abbott was General Chairman of System Divisions 32 and 5. He stated he was not a Grand Division officer. It is clear that under the constitution of TCU his position as a General Chairman of a system division does not entitle him to be an officer of the Grand Division. Mr. Abbott further testified and the evidence introduced into this cause showed that he was appointed to count the ballots in the merger proposal in dispute. Testimony further revealed that Mr. Abbott was one of the General Officers referred to in the motion made at the regular quadrennial convention of the Grand Division of TCU held in St. Louis. The precise wording of the resolution introduced at this convention is not important. It is only important to note that if this resolution was in fact adopted, the Grand and General Officers in session were to vote on the merger proposal submitted to them by the President, Grand Secretary-Treasurer, and Board of Directors. As a General Chairman of a system division, Mr. Abbott was thereby qualified to vote as a member of the Grand and General Officers in session. Therefore, Mr.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
45 F.R.D. 444, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bailey-v-transportation-communication-employees-union-msnd-1968.