Krista Jones v. Interlake Steamship Co.

Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit·Decided August 23, 2021·No. 20-2210·Unpublished

Opinion

NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PUBLICATION File Name: 21a0394n.06

Case No. 20-2210

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SIXTH CIRCUIT

FILED

KRISTA JONES, ) Aug 23, 2021 ) DEBORAH S. HUNT, Clerk Plaintiff-Appellant, )

) ON APPEAL FROM THE UNITED v.

) STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR ) THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF INTERLAKE STEAMSHIP COMPANY;

) MICHIGAN

MARINE ENGINEERS BENEFICIAL )

ASSOCIATION, DISTRICT 1-PCD, )

Defendants-Appellees. )

BEFORE: SILER, MOORE, and DONALD, Circuit Judges.

BERNICE BOUIE DONALD, Circuit Judge. Plaintiff Krista Jones (“Jones”) was a cook for Interlake Steamship Company (“Interlake”). After she missed her ship’s departure, Interlake terminated her. Jones attempted to grieve her termination through her union, Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association District #1-PCD (“MEBA”), but MEBA confirmed that the collective bargaining agreement governing her employment did not bar Interlake from terminating her “without just cause.” Jones filed suit against both Interlake and MEBA (collectively, “Defendants”) for violations of various labor laws. The district court dismissed all of Jones’ claims. For the following reasons, we AFFIRM in part, REVERSE in part, and REMAND for further proceedings. We also DENY Jones’ motion to supplement the record.

I.

Plaintiff Krista Jones alleges that she worked for Interlake beginning in 2011. In 2018, Interlake promoted her to Chief Steward, which is the company’s job title for lead cook. Jones alleges that on May 29, 2019, she spent all day cooking meals on the Stewart J. Cort (“the Cort”), which was set to sail from Superior, Wisconsin to Chicago. She alleges that the Cort had a posted sailing time of 6:00 p.m. but that a wheelsman informed her at 5:40 p.m. that the Cort would not sail for another ninety minutes. Jones alleges that the wheelsman agreed to “give her a one-hour notice call” so that she could go ashore to buy a wall clock for the ship. (R. 28 at PageID 100). Jones alleges that when she returned at 6:54 p.m., the Cort was pulling away from the dock. Jones alleges that she called her supervisor and that the supervisor assured her that “this happens all the time, it is not a big deal, and people don’t get fired for it.” (Id. at PageID 101). However, the following day, Interlake terminated Jones, citing crew member complaints about her performance.

At the time of her termination, Jones was a member of MEBA, and the terms of her employment with Interlake were subject to a collective bargaining agreement (“CBA”) and incorporated side letter agreement (“Side Letter”), which Interlake and MEBA entered into in 2013. The CBA required Interlake to demonstrate “just cause” before terminating members of MEBA (the “just cause provision”), but the Side Letter modified the CBA so as to exclude Masters and Chief Stewards from several provisions of the CBA, including the just cause provision.

Jones alleges the following chain of events following her termination: On May 31, 2019, she spoke with Mark Gallagher (“Gallagher”), MEBA’s contract representative, and Tracy Burke (“Burke”), MEBA’s branch agent. Jones explained what had happened and requested that MEBA file a termination grievance on her behalf. Gallagher told Jones that Burke wielded the authority to grieve, and Burke told Jones that her case was “closed” because she missed the ship. (Id. at

PageID 103). Jones called Gallagher again on June 4, 2019. Gallagher told Jones that the captain and crew had issues with her performance.

After mailing $25 to MEBA, Jones received a copy of the CBA and Side Letter on or about June 28, 2019. At this point, Jones realized that MEBA had agreed with Interlake that MEBA would not process termination grievances for Chief Stewards.

Gallagher referred Jones to Jason Callahan (“Callahan”), MEBA’s vice president. After some back and forth, Jones asked Callahan on August 5, 2019 to pursue arbitration for her termination. Callahan immediately responded that Jones had missed the grievance deadline and that she would not prevail at arbitration. Callahan did not mention the Side Letter. On the same day, MEBA directed Jones to fill out a grievance form, which Jones promptly did.

Sometime between August 5 and 17, Jones appealed Callahan’s decision to MEBA’s District Executive Committee (“DEC”). Jones emailed MEBA President Marshall Ainley (“Ainley”) on August 17 and 19; she told Ainley that she had requested a termination grievance from Gallagher on May 31 and requested from Ainley “all Interlake-MEBA correspondence emails pertaining to her case.” (Id. at PageID 104–05). Ainley acknowledged the request but did not send anything to Jones.

In an August 30, 2019 letter to Jones, DEC reported the results of its investigation and concluded, among other things, that Interlake fired Jones because of her poor performance and failure to follow instructions. MEBA also informed Jones that the Side Letter specifically exempted Jones from grieving her termination.

On November 26, 2019, Jones filed suit in Michigan state court against Interlake and MEBA (collectively, “Defendants”). On December 17, 2019, Defendants removed the action to the district court. Jones then filed an amended complaint on February 26, 2020. In the amended

complaint, Jones alleges that Interlake and MEBA violated the Labor Management Relations Act (“LMRA”). Specifically, Jones alleges (1) a hybrid Section 301 claim against both Interlake and MEBA, asserting that Interlake terminated her without just cause and that MEBA violated its duty of fair representation by failing to adequately represent Jones in pursuing a grievance against Interlake; (2) a standalone claim that MEBA violated its duty of fair representation to Jones based on its handling of her termination (“standalone duty of fair representation claim”); (3) a claim that MEBA violated 29 U.S.C. § 414 (“Section 414”) by making her pay $25 for a copy of the CBA; and (4) claims that both Defendants violated Michigan contract law.

Both MEBA and Interlake moved separately to dismiss the amended complaint for failure to state a claim. MEBA also moved, in the alternative, for summary judgment. Jones also moved for summary judgment. On August 5, 2020, a magistrate judge recommended dismissal of all Jones’ claims, except for her claim under Section 414. Jones objected only to the magistrate judge’s recommendations that the hybrid claim and standalone duty of fair representation claim be dismissed.

On November 30, 2020, the district court dismissed all of Jones’ claims against both Defendants. As to the hybrid Section 301 claim, the district court concluded that Jones failed to state a claim upon which relief could be granted, because Jones could not point to any terms in either the CBA or Side Letter to show that Interlake breached its contractual duties by firing her. The district court also held that Jones’ standalone duty of fair representation claim against MEBA was time-barred and that there was no basis for tolling the limitations period. The district court also rejected the magistrate judge’s recommendation as to the Section 414 claim, concluding that nothing in the statute prohibited MEBA from charging a reasonable copying fee for a printed copy

of the CBA. Finally, the district court concluded that federal law preempted any state law claims Jones had attempted to plead.

Jones then filed this appeal, contesting the district court’s dismissal of the first three claims.

II.

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