Nowak v. Major League Soccer, LLC

90 F. Supp. 3d 382, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13713, 2015 WL 480530
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedFebruary 5, 2015
DocketCivil Action No. 14-3503
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 90 F. Supp. 3d 382 (Nowak v. Major League Soccer, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Nowak v. Major League Soccer, LLC, 90 F. Supp. 3d 382, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13713, 2015 WL 480530 (E.D. Pa. 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM

McLAUGHLIN, District Judge.

This tortious interference with contractual relations case arose when the plaintiff, Piotr Nowak, was terminated from his position as the team manager of the Philadelphia Union (“PU”), a professional soccer team. Nowak has sued Major League Soccer, LLC (“MLS”) and the Major League Soccer Players Union (“MLSPU”) for tortious interference with contractual relations. Nowak alleges that MLS and MLSPU demanded that PU terminate No-wak’s employment contract.

MLSPU has moved to dismiss the claim asserted against it pursuant to Fed. R.Civ.P. 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6). The Court grants MLSPU’s motion qnd dismisses the claim asserted against MLSPU because it is preempted by the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”), 29 U.S.C. §§ 151 et seq.1

I. Allegations in the Complaint

The plaintiff is a professional soccer coach. PU is a professional soccer team that is part of MLS. In June 2009, PU hired Nowak as the Team Manager. In December 2011, PU named Nowak as its “Manager and Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations” and extended Nowak’s contract through December 31, 2015. On June 13, 2012, Nowak was notified orally that his employment would be terminated. Complaint ¶¶ 9-10,15-16.

In a letter dated June 13, 2012, PU notified Nowak that his employment would be terminated for several reasons, including: physical confrontations with players and officials; interfering with the rights of players to contact the players’ union; sub[385]*385jecting players to inappropriate hazing activities; and engaging in behavior that put the health and safety of players at risk. Nowak’s complaint alleges that the reasons articulated in this letter were curable and pretextual. Complaint ¶¶ 17-18, Ex. D.

Nowak’s termination was precipitated by an investigation demanded by MLSPU over a disputed training exercise. The investigation was carried out by MLS, which issued a report. Following this investigation, both MLSPU and MLS demanded that PU fire Nowak. Nowak alleges that the termination of his employment contract with PU was caused by MLSPU and MLS. Complaint ¶¶ 25, 27-30.

II. Procedural History

Nowak previously brought suit against PU in this Court, seeking declaratory judgment regarding his termination. Piotr Nowak v. Pennsylvania Professional Sports, LLC, et al, 12-4165. The Court compelled arbitration in that case. It was during discovery in that arbitration that Nowak learned of the investigation ordered by MLSPU and carried out by MLS.

Nowak has not served MLS in this case. Fed.R.Civ.P. 4(m) requires a district court, on motion or on its own after notice to the plaintiff, to dismiss an action against a defendant without prejudice if that defendant has not been served within 120 days after the complaint is filed. Rule 4(m) also requires a district court to extend the time for service if the plaintiff shows good cause for the failure to serve.

Nowak filed his complaint in this case on June 12, 2014 — over 200 days ago. Nowak has not filed an affidavit of service for MLS, nor has he made any motion requesting the Court’s assistance in serving MLS. The Court therefore gives notice to Nowak that unless he makes a showing of good cause for his failure to serve MLS, the Court will dismiss the claim against MLS without prejudice.

III. Legal Standard

On a motion to dismiss pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(1),' dismissal is warranted where a court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over a case. Rule 12(b)(1) motions are either facial or factual challenges. CNA v. United States, 535 F.3d 132, 139 (3d Cir.2008). A facial attack concerns the sufficiency of the pleadings, whereas a factual attack is a dispute over the existence of certain jurisdictional facts alleged by the plaintiff. Id. (citing United States ex rel. Atkinson v. Pa. Shipbuilding Co., 473 F.3d 506, 514 (3d Cir.2007)). “In reviewing a facial attack, the court must only consider the allegations of the complaint and documents referenced therein and attached thereto, in the light most favorable to the plaintiff.” Gould Elecs. Inc. v. United States, 220 F.3d 169, 176 (3d Cir.2000).

By contrast, when a defendant attacks subject matter jurisdiction “in fact,” the court is “free to weigh the evidence and satisfy itself as to the existence of its very power to hear the case.” Mortensen v. First Fed. Sav. & Loan Ass’n, 549 F.2d 884, 891 (3d Cir.1977). In reviewing a factual attack, the court is not confined to the allegations of the complaint. Cestonaro v. United States, 211. F.3d 749, 752 (3d Cir.2000). No presumption of truthfulness attaches to the plaintiffs allegations, “and the existence of disputed material facts will not preclude the trial court from evaluating for itself the merits of jurisdictional claims.” Mortensen, 549 F.2d at 891.

MLSPU is not challenging the Court’s subject matter jurisdiction “in fact,” but rather brings a facial challenge by arguing [386]*386that Nowak’s claim is preempted by the NLRA.

IV. Discussion

In what has become known as “Garmon preemption,” state-law claims are presumptively preempted by the NLRA when they “concern conduct that is actually or arguably either protected or prohibited by the NLRA.” Pennsylvania Nurses Ass’n v. Pennsylvania State Educ. Ass’n, 90 F.3d 797, 801 (3d Cir.1996); see also San Diego Bldg. Trades Council, Millmen’s Union, Local 2020 v. Garmon, 359 U.S. 236, 244-46, 79 S.Ct. 773, 3 L.Ed.2d 775 (1959). A party can show that a claim is arguably protected or prohibited by the NLRA by advancing “an interpretation of the Act that is not plainly contrary to its language and that has not been ‘authoritatively rejected’ by the courts or the Board.” Int’l Longshoremen’s Ass’n v. Davis, 476 U.S. 380, 395, 106 S.Ct. 1904, 90 L.Ed.2d 389 (1986). Garmon preemption deprives a court of the subject matter jurisdiction necessary to adjudicate the claim. Id. at 393, 106 S.Ct. 1904.

There are two exceptions to Garmon

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90 F. Supp. 3d 382, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13713, 2015 WL 480530, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/nowak-v-major-league-soccer-llc-paed-2015.