Shapiro v. Cook United, Inc.

557 F. Supp. 127, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17108
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Ohio
DecidedDecember 9, 1982
DocketCiv. A. No. C 82-580
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 557 F. Supp. 127 (Shapiro v. Cook United, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Shapiro v. Cook United, Inc., 557 F. Supp. 127, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17108 (N.D. Ohio 1982).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

ANN ALDRICH, District Judge.

Pending before the Court are alternative motions for dismissal or for summary judgment, filed by defendants Cook United, Inc., (“Cook”) and Teamsters Union Local 507 (“Union”). The defendants claim that the plaintiff failed to file his action within the applicable period of limitations. For the reasons set forth below, the Motions for Summary Judgment are granted, pursuant to Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

This Court has jurisdiction pursuant to Section 301 of the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947, 29 U.S.C. § 185 (“LMRA”).

The facts relevant to these motions are not in dispute. Plaintiff, Jose Shapiro, was an employee of Cook and a member of the Union. On June 4, 1981 he was discharged by Cook for dishonest acts and he promptly filed a grievance on June 6,1981. Shapiro’s requests for arbitration were refused by the [129]*129Union and the dismissal was finalized on August 7, 1981. Seven months later, on March 8, 1982, Shapiro filed suit against Cook for breach of the collective bargaining agreement and against the Union for breach of its duty of fair representation. The Union counter-claimed for $15,000.

I

Cook and the Union correctly argue that, under United Parcel Service, Inc. v. Mitchell, 451 U.S. 56, 101 S.Ct. 1559, 67 L.Ed.2d 732 (1981) and Badon v. General Motors Corp., 679 F.2d 93 (6th Cir.1982), Ohio’s three month statute of limitations period applies in this case.

Shapiro erroneously argues that principles newly enunciated by the judiciary are limited to prospective application, based upon Griffen v. Illinois, 351 U.S. 12, 76 S.Ct. 585, 100 L.Ed. 891 (1956). Griffen is distinguishable, as it was a criminal case involving unconstitutional legislation. The general approach taken by the Supreme Court is that a judicial precedent has retroactive effect, and the burden to prove nonretroactivity is upon the plaintiff. Chevron Oil Company v. Huson, 404 U.S. 97, 92 S.Ct. 349, 30 L.Ed.2d 296 (1971). A three-prong test was established in Chevron, and evidence must be provided to meet all three prongs. Cochran v. Birkel, 651 F.2d 1219 (6th Cir.1981).

The first prong requires that a new precedent be established by the overruling case. Applied to the facts at bar, Mitchell provided the applicable statute of limitations, which is 90 days in Ohio, O.R.C. § 2711.13, the same duration as in Mitchell. Contrary to Shaprio’s contention, Badon was foreseeable, and Shapiro fails to carry the burden of proving nonretroactivity here.

The second prong of Chevron requires that the policy underlying the new rule be promoted when applied to the specific set of facts. The policies underlying Mitchell and Badon are the rapid disposition of labor disputes and the continued integrity of the collective bargaining system. “Rapid” is defined by the state law regarding vacation of an arbitration award. In the instant case Shapiro waited approximately seven months, or twice as long as Ohio law provides. Here again, Shapiro fails to meet his burden.

The third and final prong of Chevron considers the equity of a retroactive application of the new principle. Shapiro claims reliance on the former statute of limitations, as well as the inapplicability of Ba-don, because Badon was decided two months after he filed suit. This argument is without merit. The Supreme Court precedent of Mitchell clearly foreshadowed Badon and presented a fact pattern on all fours with this case. To allow employees extra time is unfair to the unions and to the employers, who are entitled to repose. This Court also rejects usage of the six-year statute of limitations provided by the anomalous decision of Newton v. Local 801, 507 F.Supp. 439 (S.D.Ohio 1980), because Newton was decided prior to both Mitchell and Badon.

Shapiro has failed to satisfy any prong of the Chevron principles. Accordingly, Ba-don will be applied retroactively.

II

Shapiro argues in the alternative that if Badon and Mitchell are applied, he still meets the three-month statute of limitations because it was tolled until January of 1982. Since suit was filed March 8, 1982, it is not entirely evident to the Court that this version of the facts satisfies the three-month statute of limitations, either. Nevertheless, the other arguments will be considered.

Where the plaintiff acts in a manner adverse to his interests due to fraudulent concealment or some other action of the defendant, the statute of limitations may be tolled. Hayden v. Ford Motor Company, 497 F.2d 1292 (6th Cir.1974); Estes v. Kentucky Utilities Company, 636 F.2d 1131 (6th Cir.1980). To maintain a case of fraudulent concealment, Shapiro must prove: (1) wrongful concealment by the defendants of [130]*130their actions; (2) failure to discover operative facts within the alleged time period; and, (3) due diligence until the facts were discovered. Dayco Corp. v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., 523 F.2d 389, 394 (6th Cir.1975) quoting Weinberger v. Retail Credit Co., 498 F.2d 552 (4th Cir.1974).

Shapiro fails to meet the first requirement that defendants secreted their actions or the rights of Shapiro, because the available evidence shows that the Union and Cook behaved in accordance with the binding collective bargaining agreement. Shapiro’s attorney confuses the 30-day limitation for arbitration under the collective bargaining agreement with the federal statute of limitations. Presumably, the fact that the Union did not go to arbitration is to be interpreted as a dubious effort by the Union to avoid their duty to Shapiro, but Vaca v. Sipes, 386 U.S. 171, 192, 87 S.Ct. 903, 917, 17 L.Ed.2d 842 (1967) holds that failure to go to arbitration, alone, is insufficient to establish a breach of the duty of fair representation. This Court cannot find that defendants have wrongfully concealed anything when their behavior comports with the known standards.

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557 F. Supp. 127, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17108, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/shapiro-v-cook-united-inc-ohnd-1982.