Food Handlers Local 425 v. Pluss Poultry, Inc.

23 F.R.D. 109, 1 Fed. R. Serv. 2d 187, 1958 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4410
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Arkansas
DecidedDecember 17, 1958
DocketCiv. A. No. 363
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 23 F.R.D. 109 (Food Handlers Local 425 v. Pluss Poultry, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Food Handlers Local 425 v. Pluss Poultry, Inc., 23 F.R.D. 109, 1 Fed. R. Serv. 2d 187, 1958 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4410 (W.D. Ark. 1958).

Opinion

JOHN E. MILLER, Chief Judge.

On December 3, 1957, the plaintiff filed its complaint praying for a judgment against the defendant as follows:

“1. That defendant, its officers, servants, agents and attorneys, and all persons acting in aid of, or in conjunction with them, or any of them, be enjoined and restrained from violating the Agreement and Award by refusing to abide by the [110]*110decision of the Board of Arbitration directing the deduction of dues and the posting of the job vacancy.
“2. That this Court issue an order confirming the Award of the Board of Arbitration directing the dues deduction and the posting of the job vacancy.
“3. That plaintiff be awarded its costs, disbursements and expenses in this action.
“4. That the Court grant such other and further relief as justice and equity may require.”

On December 27, 1957, the defendant filed its answer in which it incorporated a motion to dismiss.

On January 6, 1958, the defendant filed its motion for summary judgment on the ground that the pleadings and affidavit attached to the motion show that the defendant is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.

On January 13, 1958, the plaintiff filed its motion for summary judgment on the ground that the pleadings and affidavit attached thereto show that the plaintiff is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.

The parties submitted briefs in support of their respective contentions, and on February 7, 1958, the court filed its written opinion, 158 F.Supp. 650, and in accordance therewith judgment was entered overruling the motion of plaintiff for summary judgment and sustaining the motion of defendant for summary judgment, “subject to the leave which is hereby granted to the plaintiff, if it so desires, to serve and file, on or before February 24, 1958, an amendment to its complaint to seek specific performance of the provisions of the contract providing for arbitration, and that if the said amendment is not so served and filed the complaint of the plaintiff will be dismissed.”

At page 658 of 158 F.Supp., the court, after reaching the conclusion that the motion of plaintiff for summary judgment should be denied and the motion of defendant for summary judgment sustained, said:

“The remaining question is whether the Court should dismiss finally plaintiff’s complaint, or should allow plaintiff time in which to amend its complaint, if it so desires, to seek specific performance of the contract.
“In paragraph 9 of the complaint the plaintiff alleges:
“ ‘Plaintiff has made repeated demands upon the defendant to comply with the agreement respecting dues deduction and job posting. This, defendant has refused to do.’
“In paragraph 7 of its answer the defendant alleges:
“ ‘Defendant admits the allegations contained in paragraph 9 to the extent that such averments referred to demands by certain of plaintiff’s claimed representatives who inquired concerning dues deduction authorization cards which expired by their own terms under the 1956 agreement, and defendant admits that plaintiff made demands upon defendant seeking to arrange for a collusive agreement concerning membership of the employees in the union to which defendant did not accede because it was violative of the Arkansas law prohibiting such. Defendant admits that certain of plaintiff’s representatives discussed the subject of job posting, but denies that it had any relationship to the subject of dues deduction. Defendant further admits that it refused to make any dues deduction without proper authorization cards signed by the employees as required by law, but denies that it refused to do se contrary to the agreement or understanding reached with certain of the international representatives of the plaintiff. * * * ’
“In view of the issues involved, and since the plaintiff in the prayer of its complaint prays that the Court [111]*111‘grant such other and further relief as justice and equity may require,’ the judgment of the Court dismissing the motion for summary judgment of plaintiff and granting the motion of defendant for summary judgment should provide that the plaintiff, if it so desires, may file and serve on or before February 24, 1958, an amendment to its complaint, and seek specific performance of the provisions of the contract providing for arbitration.”

The plaintiff did not proffer for filing any amendment to the complaint as suggested by this court, and on February 28, 1958, four days after the time fixed by the court for the filing of the amendment had expired, the court entered a final order dismissing the complaint of the plaintiff.

On March 7, 1958, plaintiff filed its notice of appeal, and in due time perfected an appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. The appeal was heard, and on November 6, 1958, 260 F.2d 835, the court rendered its decision affirming the judgment. The mandate was issued December 3, 1958, and filed in this court on December 5, 1958.

On December 16, 1958, the plaintiff filed an application for leave to amend the complaint to include the following prayer for relief:

“That the Court order the defendant to submit the dispute with respect to job posting and cheek off of •dues to arbitration in accordance with the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, and that it shall cooperate with the plaintiff in submitting these matters to arbitration.”

In the application for leave to amend the complaint the plaintiff states that the Court of Appeals in its opinion held that the two disputes involved herein were arbitrable matters, and that the plaintiff has sought by letter to arbitrate the dispute but defendant continues to refuse to arbitrate, and further alleges that, “the interest of justice and stable labor relations would be served by allowing plaintiff’s application to amend the complaint.”

An examination of the opinion of this court, 158 F.Supp. 650, discloses that the court held that the arbitration agreement existing between the parties did not permit one party to initiate and prosecute to a conclusion an arbitration proceeding without any participation by the other party, and further on page 657 of the opinion said:

“The Court is of the opinion that the plaintiff should have followed the procedure outlined by the Supreme Court of the United States in Textile Workers Union of America v. Lincoln Mills of Alabama, supra. [353 U.S. 448, 77 S.Ct. 912, 923, 1 L.Ed.2d 972.] The provision in the contract for arbitration contains no provision for an ex parte arbitration, and, upon the refusal of the defendant to enter into the arbitration, the remedy of the plaintiff was that provided in Section 301 of the Labor Management Relations Act [29 U.S.C.A. § 185] as construed in the Lincoln Mills case, supra.”

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
23 F.R.D. 109, 1 Fed. R. Serv. 2d 187, 1958 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4410, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/food-handlers-local-425-v-pluss-poultry-inc-arwd-1958.