International Union of United Brewery, Flour, Cereal & Soft Drink Workers v. California State Brewers' Institute

25 F. Supp. 870, 1938 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1515
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. California
DecidedFebruary 23, 1938
DocketNo. 1197-J
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 25 F. Supp. 870 (International Union of United Brewery, Flour, Cereal & Soft Drink Workers v. California State Brewers' Institute) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
International Union of United Brewery, Flour, Cereal & Soft Drink Workers v. California State Brewers' Institute, 25 F. Supp. 870, 1938 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1515 (S.D. Cal. 1938).

Opinion

JAMES, District Judge.

This action was brought by the plaintiffs to secure injunctive relief against the California State Brewers’ Institute, a corporation et al., member brewers, and International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Stablemen and Helpers, an unincorporated association. The facts as alleged in the complaint were treated of in a written opinion heretofore filed embodying a ruling on the motion of plaintiffs to strike portions of the answer, and the whole of the cross-complaint of defendant International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Stablemen and Helpers. It will be unnecessary here to restate the issues proposed by such pleadings. The defendant Brotherhood of Teamsters, etc., in its cross-complaint set up that the American Federation of Labor had decreed that local teamsters attached to the brewery organizations forming the State Brewers Institute should affiliate with the Teamsters Brotherhood; and that as both organizations, to-wit, International Union of United Brewery, Flour, Cereal and Soft Drink Workers of America and said International Brother of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Stablemen and Helpers, were members of the American Federation of Labor, the teamsters so attached to the brewery organizations were compelled to obey the mandate of the American Federation of Labor. This mandate had at all times been repudiated by the union of brewery workers. The latter organization included a joint association, the brewers of beer, bottlers and the local deliverymen. They had always acted in unison and dealt with their employers harmoniously. In fact the evidence shows that there had been, with respect to wages, hours or other incident conditions of employment of the brewery workers, no conflict whatsoever as against the brewery owners in the'regards stated; they are all satisfied. At a period several years distant in the past the independence of the brewery workers’ union (including local teamsters) had been acknowledged by the American Federation of Labor. At one time, also several years in the past, a written agreement was made between the brewery workers and the Brotherhood of Teamsters, which on the part of the teamsters acknowledged the independence of the brewery workers, including local delivery men, making certain exceptions which are not here involved and which had no connection with the operation of the manufacture or delivery of beer. Notwithstanding all this, the matter was again presented to the executive council of the American Federation of Labor, which formulated a report recommending the separation of the brewery teamsters or delivery men from the brewery workers’ union, and the attaching thereof to the Brotherhood of Teamsters. This report was approved by the convention of the American Federation of Labor. As before stated, the brewery workers’ union refused to accept that mandate and have consistently ever since resisted the dismembering of the three component crafts which made up their union organization. With this condition of internal union dissension, the Brotherhood of Teamsters threatened to and did inaugurate a systematic boycott against the breweries employing teamster delivery men who belonged to the union of brewery workers (there were no others). It is shown that because of this strife existing between the union forces, the brewery owners have and will continue to suffer great loss. Their products have been [872]*872boycotted by the Brotherhood of Teamsters in the West and within this jurisdiction, and in some cases violence has been offered and threatened as against local teamstérs delivering the manufactured products of their employers.

The brewery owners endeavored in every way to bring the warring union factions together. Their representative visited Mr. Green, the head of the American Federation of Labor, and he (Green) earnestly attempted to adjust the dispute, all to no satisfactory end. It will be remembered that breweries have employed and still do employ none but American Federation of Labor men in their establishments; their products are marketed interstate. They have been and are willing to deal with the proper representatives of their employees, and as before stated, no disputes of any kind exist except that which has been brought on by the strife described. On first thought it is at once suggested that under the existing labor law the National Labor Board might have the jurisdiction and duty to settle the controversy. Such appears not to be the case. It is represented to the court that the Labor Board has declared that it will not take jurisdiction of the controversy. Quite apparent it is that the ruling is consistent with rulings of that body where no dispute exists as to bargaining between the employers and the workers.

The crucial question is the same as that presented on the motion of the plaintiffs to strike certain portions of the answer and to strike the cross-complaint of International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The particular portion of the cross-complaint so pointed to was that where the teamsters set up the jurisdiction and orders as made of the American Federation of Labor and asserted that the orders of that body are binding on the plaintiffs. Preferring to have the whole case presented on evidence, with entire freedom extended to all parties to offer their various conclusions as to the law and their rights under it, I denied the motion to strike, but stated: “I express no final opinion as to whether the decision of the American Federation of Labor, within or without a proper construction of its articled power over its union members, may be subject to review by the court. The question may be left for further argument and decision.” A lengthy hearing resulted and evidence in great volume was introduced. Plaintiffs have insisted that they present their case in a capacity, as alleged, representative of the voice of the workers in the breweries, separate and distinct from any rule or mandate from the American Federation of Labor; that if such is not the case, then they deny the authority of the American Federation of Labor under the articles of their association with it to make any such binding order as the one hereinbefore referred to.

There is no question, as will appear from what has already been stated, that the brewery workers are fully organized; that they perform the work of manufacturing and delivering the manufactured product of the breweries, and that they assume to be and have heretofore been recognized by the brewers as having the sole voice in the matter of all disputes arising by reason of differences as to wages, hours or working conditions.

I remarked in ruling on the motion to strike that it-was unfortunate that a great labor organization such as the American Federation of Labor would not adjust disputes between its union members as to jurisdiction, etc., and I repeat that observation. That there are ways and means within that organization’s power to bring this dispute to a close, I entertain no doubt.

Why, it may well be asked, if the Federation order referred to is thought to be of binding effect and is not obeyed, does not the Federation take disciplinary action, such as canceling the certificate of affiliation or charter, or whatever it may be called, which the brewery workers hold? I am decidedly not of the view that courts should attempt to interfere with the Federation in the pursuit of any lawful policy that it may undertake to carry out. It has within its own organized articles the power to make its regulations effective as to constituent members, so long as the mandate of the express law of the Government is not transgressed thereby.

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Bluebook (online)
25 F. Supp. 870, 1938 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1515, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/international-union-of-united-brewery-flour-cereal-soft-drink-workers-casd-1938.