Comeaux v. Conroy, Inc.

382 F. Supp. 299, 87 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2921
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Louisiana
DecidedSeptember 27, 1974
DocketCiv. A. No. 74-40
StatusPublished

This text of 382 F. Supp. 299 (Comeaux v. Conroy, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Comeaux v. Conroy, Inc., 382 F. Supp. 299, 87 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2921 (M.D. La. 1974).

Opinion

E. GORDON WEST, District Judge:

This case is before this Court on motion of defendants EON Productions, Ltd. (EON), Emotion Pictures, Inc. (Emotion), and United Artists, Inc. (UA), to require plaintiff to submit this matter to arbitration and to stay these proceedings pending such arbitration. The defendant, EON Productions, Ltd. (EON), and plaintiff, Jerry R. Comeaux, entered into a contract whereby plaintiff was to act as a stunt man or “stunt coordinator” for the filming of the motion picture “Live and Let Die.” This contract adopted by reference the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement entered into between the [301]*301Screen Actors Guild, plaintiff’s bargaining agent, and the producer, EON. During the course of production, plaintiff performed a stunt which involved what is alleged to be a world record boat jump. The plaintiff, in this suit, alleges that the defendants entered into an arrangement without his consent, referred to in the motion picture industry as a “commercial tie-up,” which allowed the manufacturer, whose product was used in the jump, to use portions of the film in the advertising of its product. Plaintiff contends that this violated Section 22 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement which provides that “No part of the photography or sound track of an actor shall be used other than in the picture for which he was employed, without separately bargaining with the actor and reaching an agreement regarding such use.” Plaintiff seeks damages for breach of contract, invasion of privacy, and infringement of property rights, together with injunctive relief.

After carefully considering the record and the briefs of the parties, together with an examination of the applicable law, this Court concludes that plaintiff contractually bound himself to attempt settlement of this dispute through the conciliation and arbitration provisions of the collective bargaining agreement (Codified Basic Agreement of 1967) in force between Screen Actors Guild, Inc. (SAG), plaintiff’s exclusive bargaining agent, and the producer, EON, before bringing suit thereon. The pertinent arbitration provisions read as follows:

“9. ARBITRATION
“Disputes shall be arbitrable only as hereinafter in this Section set forth.
*X- *r * * * *
“C. Individual Disputes between Player and Producer
“Subject to the provisions of subsections A and B above, only the following disputes between a player and Producer are arbitrable:
(1) As to a * * * stunt man, * * * any dispute involving the interpretation * * * or an alleged breach of a term or condition of the player’s contract * * * and all disputes arising under the applicable terms of the collective bargaining agreement relating to such player.”

These provisions of the SAG collective bargaining agreement regarding arbitration were incorporated by reference into plaintiff’s free lance contract with the producer, EON, by the following language :

“3. BASIC CONTRACT. All provisions of the collective bargaining agreement between Screen Actors Guild, Inc. and Producer, relating to theatrical motion pictures, which are applicable to the employment of the Player hereunder, shall be deemed incorporated herein.”
X- * X- X- * *
“8. ARBITRATION OF DISPUTES. Should any dispute or controversy arise between the parties hereto with reference to this contract, or the employment herein provided for, such dispute or controversy shall be settled and determined by conciliation and arbitration in accordance with the conciliation and arbitration provisions of the collective bargaining agreement between the Producer and Screen Actors Guild relating to theatrical motion pictures, and such provisions are hereby referred to and by such reference incorporated herein and made a part of this Agreement with the same effect as though the same were set forth herein in detail.”

The plaintiff is bound by these contractual agreements.

Since this suit was brought under this Court’s diversity jurisdiction, 28 U.S.C. [302]*302§ 1332, we need not consider the issue of whether plaintiff’s exclusive bargaining agent, SAG, breached its duty of fair representation toward him in order to give him standing to bring this suit individually, Harris v. Chemical Leaman Tank Lines, 437 F.2d 167 (CA 5-1971); Vaca v. Sipes, 386 U.S. 171, 87 S.Ct. 903, 17 L.Ed.2d 842 (1967), but it is for the Court to decide whether or not the plaintiff’s grievance is subject to arbitration. United Steelworkers v. Warrior & Gulf Nav. Co., 363 U.S. 574, 80 S.Ct. 1347, 4 L.Ed.2d 1409 (1960); John Wiley & Sons, Inc. v. Livingston, etc., 376 U.S. 543, 84 S.Ct. 909, 11 L.Ed.2d 898 (1964); Jefferson City Cabinet Co. v. International U. of E., R. & M.W., 313 F.2d 231 (CA 6-1963).

This Court is satisfied that this dispute is arbitrable, that plaintiff must at least attempt to resolve it through the contractually provided remedies of conciliation and arbitration, and that these proceedings should be stayed pending the outcome of arbitration proceedings. There is nothing in the record to indicate that the applicants for this stay order, EON, Emotion, or UA, have been in “default” in seeking arbitration. Carolina Throwing Co. v. S & E Novelty Corp., 442 F.2d 329 (CA 4-1971); Batson Y. & F.M.Gr., Inc. v. Saurer-Allma GmbH-Allgauer M., 311 F.Supp. 68 (D.C.S.C.1970). No prejudice has resulted to plaintiff since he has yet to seek arbitration.

By the very terms of his contract plaintiff bound himself to pursue the conciliation and arbitration provisions of the SAG Agreement if a contract dispute arose.

In Vaca v. Sipes, supra, the Supreme Court said that:

“Since the employee’s claim is based upon breach of the collective bargaining agreement, he is bound by terms of that agreement which govern the manner in which contract rights may be enforced. For this reason, it is settled that the employee must at least attempt to exhaust exclusive grievance and arbitration procedures established by the bargaining agreement. Republic Steel Corp. v. Maddox, 379 U.S. 650, 85 S.Ct. 614, 13 L.Ed.2d 580.” (Emphasis supplied.) 87 S.Ct. at 914.

In Harris v. Chemical Leaman Tank Lines, Inc., supra, the Court stated that:

“The individual employee who claims a violation by his employer of the collective bargaining agreement is bound by the terms of that agreement as to the method of enforcing his claim. Vaca v. Sipes, supra; Miller v. Spector Freight Systems, 366 F.2d 92 (CA 1-1966).” 437 F.2d at 170.

In Haynes v. United States Pipe & Foundry Co., 362 F.2d 414 (CA 5-1966), the Fifth Circuit stated:

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382 F. Supp. 299, 87 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2921, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/comeaux-v-conroy-inc-lamd-1974.