Davidson v. Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.

797 F. Supp. 613, 137 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2870, 1990 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20043
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Tennessee
DecidedSeptember 17, 1990
DocketNo. Civ. 3-86-402
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 797 F. Supp. 613 (Davidson v. Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Davidson v. Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., 797 F. Supp. 613, 137 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2870, 1990 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20043 (E.D. Tenn. 1990).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

JARVIS, Chief Judge.

This is an action for alleged negligence in failing to implement a federal regulation and for breach of contract in refusing to arbitrate a dispute under a collective bargaining agreement. Currently pending is the plaintiffs’ motion for partial summary judgment [Court File # 5] and defendant’s motion for summary judgment on all issues [Court File # 13]. For the reasons that follow, plaintiffs’ motion will be denied and defendant’s motion will be granted.

I.

Facts

The relevant facts are not in dispute. Defendant Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. (Martin Marietta) manages, operates, and maintains the Government-owned Y-12 Plant and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, pursuant to contract with the United States Department of Energy (DOE). The work at the Y-12 Plant includes the fabrication and assembly of components of nuclear weapons and related services. ORNL is a major research and development center conducting research on energy-related technologies including nuclear research and development. Because of the nature of the work performed, both institutions are provided with a high degree of physical security. This security is supplied in part by the presence of armed security inspectors provided by private contractors such as Martin Marietta.

Pursuant to its statutory authority under the Atomic Energy Act, DOE has issued extensive regulations and orders dealing with the security of these facilities. By the terms of its contract with DOE, Martin Marietta is expressly required “to conform to all security regulations and requirements of DOE.”

The plaintiffs in this case are former security inspectors employed by Martin Marietta who have been demoted to the position of guard. Plaintiffs’ local union is a party to a collective bargaining agreement with Martin Marietta. The collective bargaining agreement defines grievances as “complaints, disputes, or misunderstandings involving questions of interpretation or application of any clause of this Contract.” Collective Bargaining Agreement, Article XV, Section 3. The agreement fur[615]*615ther limits arbitration to three types of grievances, those involving either the “discharge or suspension of an employee, or the interpretation of provisions of this Contract, or an alleged violation of the Contract.” Collective Bargaining Agreement, Article XVI, Section 1. The collective bargaining agreement also contains “Administrative Understanding No. 3”, which deals specifically with the contractual rights of “employees who fail to qualify as Security Inspectors because of a failure to meet necessary standards (physical fitness, medical, firearm) ...” under 10 C.F.R. Part 1046. Paragraph 5 of this Understanding states that “the DOE standards referred to in this Understanding [10 C.F.R. Part 1046] ... are not subject to the grievance procedure or arbitration.”

As early as January 31, 1978, DOE published physical fitness requirements for both security inspectors (armed protective force personnel) and guards (unarmed protective force personnel). These initial standards were withdrawn in March, 1980. DOE subsequently retained Professional Management Associates (PMA) to develop and validate physical fitness qualifications for security inspectors. On September 30, 1982, PMA submitted the results of its study to DOE. On May 14, 1984, DOE issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (49 Fed.Reg. 20436) setting forth proposed physical fitness standards for contractor-employed protective force personnel. During the rulemaking process, DOE held hearings in four cities, including Oak Ridge, and accepted written comments until June 13, 1984. During the process, DOE solicited comments from union officials representing the plaintiffs.

On November 23, 1984, DOE published final regulations adopting medical and physical fitness standards. 10 C.F.R. Part 1046. The regulations “require incumbent and applicant protective force personnel at Government-owned facilities to meet certain medical and physical fitness standards, including professionally developed and validated physical fitness standards for persons authorized to carry firearms pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 2201(k) ...” (49 Fed.Reg. 46097). The regulations further provide that DOE contractors, including Martin Marietta, “shall not employ as protective force personnel any individual who fails to meet the applicable medical and physical fitness qualification standards ...” contained therein “twelve months from the effective date of regulation.” See 10 C.F.R. § 1046.11(a) and (b). In addition, 10 C.F.R. § 1046.12 provides for the creation of physical fitness training programs for incumbent security inspectors as follows:

(a) Beginning January 24, 1985, each incumbent security inspector, who has not met the applicable physical fitness qualification standard, shall participate in a DOE approved physical fitness training program. Once an incumbent security inspector has begun a physical fitness training program, it must be completed before the security inspector may take the applicable physical fitness qualification standards test. Once a physical fitness training program is completed, an incumbent security inspector has thirty (30) days to meet the applicable physical fitness qualification standards.

Effective December 24, 1985, the DOE regulations prohibited Martin Marietta from employing anyone as a security inspector who had not met the following standard:

Offensive Combative Standard: One mile run in 8 and xk minutes or less and forty yard prone-to-running dash in eight seconds or less.
Defensive Combative Standard: .5 mile run with a maximum qualifying time of 4 minutes 40 seconds; a forty yard prone-to-running dash in 8.5 seconds or less.

10 C.F.R. Part 1046, Appendix A to Sub-part B, Section F(l)(2). Plaintiffs in this case were “Defensive Combative” personnel and were therefore subject to the less stringent requirements. These physical fitness standards were applicable to all security inspectors regardless of age, sex or any other classification such as handicap status.

As required by its contract with DOE, Martin Marietta put these standards into [616]*616effect at the Y-12 Plant and at ORNL. Martin Marietta first advised plaintiffs’ union of the DOE regulation in a meeting conducted on December 12, 1984. Later, Martin Marietta officials notified plaintiffs that security inspectors who failed to pass the running test by December 24, 1985 would be demoted to a position of guard. No one was permitted to participate in the physical fitness training program until approved by Martin Marietta’s Medical Department as physically able to do so. Martin Marietta’s training program was not implemented until June, 1985.

During the remainder of 1985, many of the plaintiffs participated in the fitness training program.

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Bluebook (online)
797 F. Supp. 613, 137 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2870, 1990 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20043, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/davidson-v-martin-marietta-energy-systems-inc-tned-1990.