Pennsylvania Railroad v. Transport Workers Union

196 F. Supp. 867, 48 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2944, 1961 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3654
Procedural entryThis page is a short order in Pennsylvania Railroad v. Transport Workers Union. Read the opinion of the Court — 202 F. Supp. 134
District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania·Decided August 30, 1961·No. Civ. A. No. 30167·Published

Opinion

WOOD, District Judge.

Findings of Fact

1. Plaintiff, The Pennsylvania Railroad Company, a carrier operating in interstate and intrastate commerce in thirteen states and the District of Columbia, operates a system which is an integral part of the national railway system and connects and interchanges freight and passengers with other railroads at many points in the United States.

2. Defendant, Transport Workers Union of America, C. I. 0., is a labor union and an unincorporated association which represents, for the purpose of the Railway Labor Act, 45 U.S.C.A. § 151 et seq., approximately 11,000 of plaintiff’s employees.

3. Defendants, Michael J. Quill, Eugene Attreed and Andrew Kaelin are international executive officers of the defendant Transport Workers Union of America and defendant C. A. Quigley is the International Representative of defendants Quill and Transport Workers Union of America in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

4. Defendant, Local 2013 of United Railroad Workers of Transport Workers of America, A. F. L.-C. I. O. represents, for the purpose of the Railway Labor Act, certain of plaintiff’s employees and is doing business in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Defendants John W. Mellon, Jr., Edward B. Quigley, W. S. Usner, V. J. Elliott, E. D. Halstead, H. T. Flood, W. Friel, A. Fanucchi, W. W. Wilson are the executive officers of this defendant union.

5. The interests of all of the various local unions of the Transport Workers Union of America and all of the membership of the TWU will be adequately represented in the premises by the defendants.

6. There are presently in effect collectively bargained labor agreements, concluded in accordance with and under the terms of the Railway Labor Act, between plaintiff and defendant union, the latter acting as the representatives of some of plaintiff’s employees, which agreements govern the rates of pay, rules and working conditions of some of plaintiff’s employees.

7. On August 1,1958, defendant TWU submitted to plaintiff proposals requesting changes in the provisions of the then existing collective bargaining agreement. Among these proposals was a request to eliminate Regulation 2-A-4 and to include a regulation which subsequently became numbered as Regulation 2-A-l(e).

8. Defendant TWU’s proposals were discussed with plaintiff and, prior to the strike of September 1, 1960, plaintiff and defendant TWU agreed to a modification of Regulation 2-A-4 and also agreed to include, in substance, defendant TWU’s proposal as Regulation 2-A-l(e).

9. The strike by defendant TWU against plaintiff in September, 1960, was settled on September 12, 1960 by the execution of a collective bargaining agreement which was to become effective on October 15, 1960. Such agreement included Regulation 2-A-4, as modified, and Regulation 2-A-l(e) in the form agreed to by the plaintiff and defendant TWU prior to the strike of September, 1960.

10. The agreement effective October 15, 1960 provides that it constitutes full and complete settlement of numerous matters, including defendant TWU’s proposal of August 1, 1958.

[869]*86911. Rule 2-A-4 concerns the upgrading of employees in the course of filling vacancies and Regulation 2-A-l(e) concerns the payment of a penalty by plaintiff for a transfer of an employee from one position to another position on the same shift.

12. Subsequent to October 15, 1960, a disagreement arose between plaintiff and defendant TWU concerning the interpretation and application of Regulations 2-A-4 and 2-A-l(e).

13. Plaintiff and defendant TWU were unable to resolve their disagreement, and accordingly, they agreed to submit the disputes to an impartial arbitrator for final and binding decision pursuant to the provisions of the Railway Labor Act. Such agreement was reduced to writing and signed by plaintiff and defendant TWU on March 9, 1961.

14. The arbitrator held hearings on April 27 and 28,1961. At these hearings it was agreed by the parties that plaintiff could submit an affidavit from its Director of Labor Relations and the parties also agreed that they would “abide by the judgment of the Arbitrator as to how soon his decision is to be rendered.”

15. An affidavit from plaintiff’s Director of Labor Relations was submitted to the arbitrator on June 8, 1961, and a counter-affidavit was submitted by defendant TWU on June 29, 1961. The submission of the TWU affidavit closed the record before the arbitrator.

16. The arbitrator has not as yet rendered his decision.

17. On August 24,1961 defendant At-treed notified plaintiff that defendant TWU and its locals intended to strike plaintiff’s entire system as of 12:01 A. M., Friday, September 1, 1961.

18. On August 29, 1961, defendant TWU’s Wilmington local distributed on plaintiff’s property a written notice stating that a strike would commence as of 12:01 A.M., Friday, September 1, 1961.

19. The basis and the cause for the strike threat of defendant TWU and its locals is the disputes presently pending before the impartial arbitrator.

20. The disputes concerning Regulations 2-A-4 and 2-A-l(e), presently pending before the impartial arbitrator, involve the interpretation and application of the collective bargaining agreement in effect between plaintiff and defendant TWU.

21. Plaintiff’s terminals, shops and yards, which would be affected by a strike or work stoppages by defendants are vital parts of plaintiff's facilities for handling freight and passengers moving interstate to and from various points on plaintiff’s system. Competition with other railroads and motor carriers as well as the requirements of patrons for prompt service make it imperative that passenger and freight cars and trains be handled expeditiously in these terminals and yards.

22. A strike or work stoppage by members of defendant Unions would involve many facilities located throughout plaintiff’s system, such as car shops, enginehouses, power plants and other facilities and would result in great inconvenience and damage to the traveling public and shippers and would prevent the movement of mail and United States Government supplies.

23. A strike or work stoppage by the members of defendant Unions would cause serious interruption to the national railway transportation system, prevent or interrupt the transportation of passengers, prevent the transportation of freight over the lines of plaintiff and from and to connecting carriers, and prevent the transportation of military supplies over the lines of plaintiff and from and to connecting carriers:

24. A strike or work stoppage by members of defendant Unions would result in. a loss to plaintiff of approximately $2,000,000 per day during the continuance of any such strike or work stoppage and in addition would cause plaintiff to lose traffic which would be permanently and irrevocably diverted from plaintiff to other and competitive forms of transportation.

[870]*87025. The threat of an imminent strike or work stoppage by members of defendant Unions results in a substantial loss of revenue per day to plaintiff during the continuance of such threat and causes plaintiff to lose traffic which will be permanently and irrevocably diverted from plaintiff to other competitive forms of transportation.

Conclusions of Law

1.

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Pennsylvania Railroad v. Transport Workers Union, 196 F. Supp. 867, 48 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2944, 1961 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3654 (E.D. Pa. 1961).

196 F. Supp. 867 (Pennsylvania Railroad v. Transport Workers Union) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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