International Brotherhood of Boilermakers v. Local Lodge D238

678 F. Supp. 1575, 128 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2136, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1212
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Georgia
DecidedFebruary 10, 1988
DocketCiv. A. 87-230-2-MAC (WDO), 87-231-3-MAC (WDO) and 87-232-1-MAC (WDO)
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 678 F. Supp. 1575 (International Brotherhood of Boilermakers v. Local Lodge D238) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
International Brotherhood of Boilermakers v. Local Lodge D238, 678 F. Supp. 1575, 128 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2136, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1212 (M.D. Ga. 1988).

Opinion

ORDER

OWENS, Chief Judge.

In this consolidated action, plaintiff International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (“Boilermakers”) seeks the assistance of the court in enforcing trusteeships imposed upon defendants Local Lodges D233, D237 and D238. Plaintiff further moves this court for a preliminary injunction prohibiting those lodges, certain named officers and defendant Independent Workers of North America (“IWNA”) from interfering with the trusteeships. Defendants attack both the jurisdiction of this court and, alternatively, the validity of the trusteeships. To supplement the pleadings submitted by the parties, this court held an evidentiary *1577 hearing on October 6, 1987. The transcript of this hearing is a part of the record and has been read and considered by the court.

FACTS

Both plaintiff Boilermakers and defendant IWNA are labor organizations, and they are in competition for the loyalty of various local affiliates throughout the country. 1 Prior to April 1, 1984, defendants D233, D237 and D238 were affiliated with the Cement, Lime, Gypsum and Allied Workers International Union (“Allied”). On April 1, 1984, pursuant to a merger agreement, Allied merged into plaintiff Boilermakers. That agreement established the Boilermakers’ constitution as the supreme law of the merged organization. Thus, the local lodges which are parties in this case became affiliates of plaintiff Boilermakers and were obliged to abide by the Boilermakers’ constitution.

At the Boilermakers’ constitutional convention held in August of 1986, delegates to the convention reaffirmed the merger. An election for the position of vice-president-at-large of the Allied division was held. Though both candidates for the post were from this division of the merged organization, all of the delegates present at the convention voted in the election. The outcome of this election created dissension among some of the affiliates.

On November 17,1986, by a vote of 33-0, Local Lodge D233 voted to disaffiliate from the Boilermakers. Approximately 350 persons were members of D233 at the time of the vote. No notice of this meeting was given to plaintiff by the local’s officers. Similar votes under similar circumstances occurred both at Local Lodge D237 on November 25, 1986, and at Local Lodge D238 on December 20, 1986.

Both the validity of these disaffiliations and the effective date of same are in dispute. IWNA purportedly petitioned the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) for representation elections at Englehard facilities (employer for members of the local lodges), a petition subsequently withdrawn at IWNA’s request. On January 29, 1987, an arbitration hearing was held, the results of which were included in a report dated the following day. The arbitrator found IWNA to be the collective bargaining agent for the local lodges which are parties to this action. Plaintiff did not participate in the arbitration proceeding. A letter dated May 6, 1987, purports to establish April 10, 1987, as the effective date of a new collective bargaining agreement entered into by employer Englehard and the locals. The disaffiliation issues and the propriety of the employer’s subsequent recognition of IWNA as collective bargaining agent are presently pending before the NLRB in the form of plaintiff’s allegations that some or all of the defendants involved in this case and Englehard have engaged in unfair labor practices.

Not disputed is the failure of the three local lodges to remit certain per capita taxes to the parent organization for some undefined period of time prior to the respective disaffiliation votes. These taxes represent a portion of each union member’s monthly dues. The local affiliates are in arrears as follows: Local Lodge D233— $15,000.00; Local Lodge D237 — $21,000.00; and Local Lodge D238 — $4,700.00 (figures are approximate). Depending upon the resolution of both the disaffiliation and the recognition issues, the parties have stipulated that any future liability of the local lodges to plaintiff Boilermakers for per capita taxes will be based upon the following monthly figures: Local Lodge D233— $5,000.00; Local Lodge D237 — $10,000.00; Local Lodge D238 — $1,977.00.

While failing to remit per capita taxes to plaintiff, the local lodges have paid certain monies to defendant IWNA. The figures that follow indicate the amounts paid to IWNA as of April 10, 1987. Local Lodge D233 has paid $20,000.00. Local Lodge D237 has paid $19,000.00. Local Lodge D238 has paid $1,892.00.

*1578 Pursuant both to the disaffiliation efforts and to the per capita tax dispute, plaintiff Boilermakers imposed trusteeships upon the local lodges. On April 14, 1987, an emergency trusteeship was imposed upon Local Lodge D233 pursuant to Article XVIII, Section 3 of the Constitution. Section 3 reads as follows:

In any situation where, in the judgment of the International President, grounds for the establishment of a trusteeship exist, or grounds for suspension of a subordinate body officer exist, and in addition the activities of the subordinate body or of its officers or membership are such as to create an emergency imminently threatening the welfare, funds or property of the subordinate body, then he may summarily place a subordinate body in trusteeship, subject to a subsequent hearing by the Executive Counsel as set forth in Section 1 of this Article. Such hearing shall be held within fifteen (15) days after the imposition of such emergency trusteeship. If in his judgment the situation warrants, the International President may at any time within thirty (30) days of the imposition of the emergency trusteeship terminate same. In the event the International President does not terminate the emergency trusteeship within thirty (30) days, the Executive Council as soon as practicable thereafter upon the evidence introduced at the trusteeship hearing and all the circumstances relating thereto shall take action in accordance with Section 1 of this Article.

Included among the reasons propounded for the imposition of the trusteeship are: (1) promotion of disaffiliation, secession or dissolution by certain officers; (2) breach by certain officers of their oaths of office; and (3) financial malpractice, including both transfer of funds to IWNA and failure to remit per capita taxes.

Plaintiff notified the members of Local Lodge D233 on April 15, 1987, of the date, location and time for the trusteeship hearing. Plaintiff notified the defendant officers of the local of their right to attend the meeting and of their right to present evidence against the imposition of the trusteeship. Though the hearing was held on April 29, 1987, the defendant officers did not attend. By letter dated June 4, 1987, plaintiff notified the defendant officers that the imposition of the trusteeship had been ratified by the Boilermakers’ Executive Council. The Executive Council found both a pattern of financial malpractice and evidence of disaffiliation or secession activities. As of the date of this order, the defendant officers have failed to turn over to plaintiff’s appointed trustee the books, records, property, funds and assets of Local Lodge D233.

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Related

International Brotherhood of Boilermakers v. Szoke
715 F. Supp. 696 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 1989)
Int'l Broth. of Boilermakers v. Local Lodge
858 F.2d 1559 (Eleventh Circuit, 1988)
Int'l Broth of Boilermakers v. Local Lodge 714
845 F.2d 687 (Seventh Circuit, 1988)

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Bluebook (online)
678 F. Supp. 1575, 128 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2136, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1212, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/international-brotherhood-of-boilermakers-v-local-lodge-d238-gamd-1988.