Kalish v. Hosier

256 F. Supp. 853
CourtDistrict Court, D. Colorado
DecidedDecember 27, 1965
DocketCiv. A. No. 8687
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 256 F. Supp. 853 (Kalish v. Hosier) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kalish v. Hosier, 256 F. Supp. 853 (D. Colo. 1965).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

ARRAJ, Chief Judge.

Plaintiff brings this action under the provisions of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959, 29 U.S.C. § 401 et seq. This Court has jurisdiction pursuant to 29 U.S.C. § 412.

On October 1, 1963 the plaintiff was a member in good standing of defendant local union and defendant national union. He did not attend a regular monthly meeting of the local union held in October 1963. Section 76 of the by-laws of defendant local union provides, inter alia

“Local dues shall be % of one percent of total earnings a month with one dollar ($1.00) minimum plus $1.00. The one dollar to be rebated if the member answers roll call. No excuse shall be accepted other than a doctor’s certificate of the member’s illness, member working in an adjacent city or a member not actively engaged in the milling trade and living beyond a twenty-five (25) mile radius of the City of Denver * * * ”

In November 1963 plaintiff did not pay the additional one dollar provided by the above section. Thereafter he was denied the right to vote in union elections held on December 18, 1963, January 5, 1964 and January 8, 1964. The additional $1.00 to be rebated was a form of inducement to encourage members to attend the monthly meetings. The basis for plaintiff’s refusal to pay the additional one dollar was his conclusion, allegedly fortified by a ruling of the National Labor Relations Board, that such an additional charge was, in reality, an [855]*855illegal fine and hence unenforceable. Plaintiff’s action did not affect his employment relation or his right to attend and be heard in union meetings.

Subsequently, the plaintiff sought internal review of this action taken by the union. During the course of this review, the plaintiff alleges that a conspiracy was formed by the officers of the union to discourage these efforts and to injure the plaintiff in his quest to secure his rights claimed under the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (hereinafter referred to as LMR DA). As evidence of such conspiracy, the plaintiff testified about several incidents that occurred during this time between him and other members of the union, including some of the defendants. A majority of the other union members refused to talk to him, or otherwise associate with him. Defendant Axelson involved himself in an altercation with the plaintiff, and, although it was unclear as to who made the first contact, struck the plaintiff. On numerous occasions, various union members would blow smoke in the face of the plaintiff. Many of the other incidents that the plaintiff contends were acts arising from and forming a part of this alleged conspiracy appear to be nothing more than incidents of ‘horseplay’ common among all the workers at the place of employment. No purpose would be gained by describing the various ‘pranks’ that make up this activity; it is sufficient to point out that, at one time or another, practically all of the workers were the victims of one sort of a ‘prank’ or another of which the plaintiff here claims were acts of conspiracy against him.

The evidence established that the plaintiff’s own conduct detracted from the good faith that he allegedly held throughout the entire time. His consistent refusal to cooperate with the officers in respect to the alleged illegal fine shows that he was more desirous of “setting up the union and its officers for a law suit” rather than effecting a settlement of the dispute that would be beneficial to both sides. It also appears from the evidence that, rather than being silenced in voicing his views concerning local union activities, plaintiff rejected every opportunity accorded him whereby he could make his voice heard. He refused to attend meetings although the floor was always open to him provided he discussed business that was properly before the meeting after gaining the floor in the proper manner. He was offered, and refused, the opportunity to serve as the Local’s correspondent to the International’s monthly magazine, “The Mailer”. Sometimes when a malfunction occurred in the folding machine, plaintiff caused irritation among his fellow workers, by displaying in a braggadocio fashion, a button imprinted with the words “Bad Papers”. At other times, in pantomime, the plaintiff would indicate, by a stirring gesture, that he was instigating trouble within the union. In addition, he openly supported, in a manner offensive to his fellow union members, another individual who was also involved in litigation with the International Mailer’s Union in Pennsylvania. Such support was evidenced by another button worn by the plaintiff stating: “Win Sagot Win”. Lastly, in response to a request from defendant Rosenblatt to meet with the union and settle the dispute over the alleged illegal fine, the plaintiff not only refused to attempt to reach a satisfactory settlement, but retorted with, “ * * * there would be more.” In sum, plaintiff’s conduct with his co-workers and fellow union members was unpleasant, offensive and obnoxious; he invited his ostracism.

The issues before the Court for determination are basically two:

1. Was the additional one dollar assessed by the union an illegal fine?
2. Did the defendants engage in a conspiracy to harass and punish the plaintiff to discourage his efforts in contesting the action taken by the union; and, if so, what damages were suffered by the plaintiff?

The LMRDA provides for the protection of union members in their [856]*856relationship with the union. In enacting section 411, Congress provided for a union member’s “Bill of Rights”; but also recognized the need of a union, as an organization, to provide for and enforce reasonable rules and regulations to insure the union’s effectiveness, both internally and in its relationship with management. The legislative policy appears in the proviso to section 411, which states

“ * * * nothing herein shall be construed to impair the right of a labor organization to adopt and enforce reasonable rules as to the responsibility of every member toward the organization as an institution * * *. 29 U.S.C. § 411(a) (2)”

and also appears in a proviso to section 158(b) (1) of the Taft-Hartley Act. There, in providing that a labor organization shall not restrain or coerce an employee in the exercise of his rights otherwise guaranteed by the National Labor Relations Act, Congress nevertheless specifically provided that a union shall have the right

“ * * * to prescribe its own rules with respect to the acquisition or retention of membership therein *

The interpretation and implementation of such a legislative policy devolves primarily upon the National Labor Relations Board, bolstered by the enforcement authority of the Federal Courts. In applying this Congressional policy, there has developed the principle that a labor union may make rules, and enforce them through the process of levying fines, so long as such enforcement does not amount to a condition of employment, thereby violating 29 U.S.C. § 158(b) (1) (A).

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Bluebook (online)
256 F. Supp. 853, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kalish-v-hosier-cod-1965.