Kress v. Local No. 776, International Brotherhood of Teamsters

42 F.R.D. 643, 11 Fed. R. Serv. 2d 416, 65 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2337, 1967 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7762
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedMay 15, 1967
DocketCiv. A. No. 8886
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 42 F.R.D. 643 (Kress v. Local No. 776, International Brotherhood of Teamsters) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kress v. Local No. 776, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, 42 F.R.D. 643, 11 Fed. R. Serv. 2d 416, 65 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2337, 1967 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7762 (M.D. Pa. 1967).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM

FOLLMER, District Judge.

On March 4, 1965, this action was commenced in the Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. On March 23, 1965, the defendant filed a petition for removal to this court under 28 U.S.C. § 1441, alleging that this Court has original jurisdiction under Section 301(a) of the Labor Management Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. § 185. The gist of the complaint, which consists of thirty-nine paragraphs, is as follows: Plaintiff, while employed by Standard Motor Freight, Inc. (hereafter referred to as employer), was a member, and still is, in good standing of Local No. 776, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen and Helpers of America (hereafter referred to as union) which union was the bargaining agent for plaintiff and its other members with his employer. In February, 1961, plaintiff began noticing pay shortages and submitted written grievances to his steward, within forty-eight hours, as provided in Article 7, Section 1, of the contract between the union and the employer. Since no action was taken, he subsequently filed grievances at the union hall and demanded action from certain officers of the union, who allegedly told him that although they had merit, the union would not process them. In September, 1962, approximately one and one-half years after the first pay shortage, plaintiff ceased submitting grievances “suspecting the futility of the gesture.” (Complaint, ¶ 17.) On September 27, 1963, plaintiff obtained a substitute to make a trip for him because of illness, and two days later was orally notified by the shop steward that his employment would be terminated. He did not receive a letter of discharge and on October 8, 1963, he filed a grievance for unlawful discharge under Article 10 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Subsequently he discovered that many of his written grievances were in the steward’s car trunk and had received no further processing. This was reported to officers of the union who again told plaintiff they would not receive further consideration. On January 22, 1964, the Pennsylvania Unemployment Compensation Board ruled that plaintiff was discharged without cause and was entitled to unemployment compensation benefits. (Complaint, Exhibit 3.) There then follows certain allegations concerning discussions between plaintiff’s counsel and the union’s counsel, the outcome of which, it is alleged, was an agreement to present plaintiff’s grievances to the Joint Grievance Committee, as provided in Article 7, Section 3 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. On October 2, 1964, the said Committee filed a report that stated it was decided by majority [645]*645vote that the claim for reinstatement to employment with back pay was untimely filed and improperly before the committee. It is then averred that the union “failed to act in good faith and in a reasonable manner in processing and presenting plaintiff’s grievances.” (Complaint, ¶ 35.) For relief, plaintiff requests this court to “enjoin defendant from breaching their fiduciary duty to process any of plaintiff’s future grievances and that judgment in favor of the plaintiff and against the defendant be entered for $6,300.00 in loss of reinstatement pay, $3,877.16 in back wages, $25,-000.00 as punitive damages and the costs and legal fees incurred by plaintiff in bringing this complaint in equity.” (Complaint, p. 10.)

On March 23, 1965, the defendant filed motions to strike matters from plaintiff’s complaint, for more definite statement and to dismiss. Briefs and affidavits were filed by both parties relative to said motions. By Order dated August 27, 1965, all proceedings in this case were stayed pending the determination of an action instituted by the union against the employer, instituted on September 30, 1964, and docketed to Civil Action No. 8670, International Broth. of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen & Helpers of America, Local No. 776 v. Standard Motor Freight, Inc., D.C., 260 F.Supp. 269, because a determination in that case “may be dispositive of the issues here raised.” On November 3, 1966, this court filed Memorandum and Order in Civil Action No. 8670, in which it was ordered, inter alia, that certain claims of Kress for pay shortages be arbitrated and that the arbitration award denying Kress’ grievance concerning his discharge not be remanded for reconsideration and clarification. By Order dated November 10, 1966, the Order dated August 27, 1965, staying these proceedings was vacated. The motions to strike, for more definite statement and to dismiss are currently before this court for determination.

The motions to dismiss will' be considered first. The union filed motions to dismiss on the following grounds: (1) Failure to join an indispensable party— the employer; (2) Pendency of a prior action by the union against the employer — Civil Action No. 8670; (3) Order of the National Labor Relations Board refusing to issue a complaint in effect dismissed charges made here; (4) Lack of jurisdiction over the subject matter because: (a) pre-emption by the National Labor Relations Board, (b) failure to exhaust contractual remedies, and (c) failure to exhaust internal union remedies; and (5) Failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.

The first motion to dismiss alleges that the employer, Standard Motor Freight, Inc., is an indispensable party. A recent case in the Third Circuit deals with the indispensable party doctrine and Rule 19 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. In Provident Tradesmens Bank and Trust Company v. Lumbermens Mutual Casualty Company, 365 F.2d 802 (3d Cir. 1966), it is stated:

“It has been settled for more than a century and a half that a party is indispensable when his rights may be affected and that a court ‘cannot proceed to a final decision of the cause’ until he is made a party. Russell v. Clark’s Executors, 7 Cranch 69, 98, 3 L.Ed. 271 (1812).
“The indispensable party doctrine is not procedural. It declares substantive law and accords a substantive right to a person to be joined as a party to an action when his interests or rights may be affected by its outcome. The indispensable party doctrine is beyond the reach of, and not affected by, Rule 19 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, since the Rules, as later developed, cannot ‘abridge, enlarge or modify any substantive right.’ 28 U.S.C.A. § 2072 (emphasis supplied).” 365 F.2d at 805.
[646]*646“Rule 19 does not, and cannot, effect any alteration, either by way of modification or extension, in the standards by which the existence of an indispensable party may be determined.” 365 F.2d at 812.

In Provident Tradesmen, supra, the court also stated in relation to the determination of what constitutes an indispensable party, as follows:

“In the oft-quoted State of Washington v. United States, 87 F.2d 421 (9 Cir.

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42 F.R.D. 643, 11 Fed. R. Serv. 2d 416, 65 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2337, 1967 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7762, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kress-v-local-no-776-international-brotherhood-of-teamsters-pamd-1967.