Torbett v. Internationall Typographical Union

1975 OK CIV APP 31, 536 P.2d 1332, 90 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2043, 1975 Okla. Civ. App. LEXIS 141
CourtCourt of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedMay 20, 1975
DocketNo. 47280
StatusPublished

This text of 1975 OK CIV APP 31 (Torbett v. Internationall Typographical Union) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Torbett v. Internationall Typographical Union, 1975 OK CIV APP 31, 536 P.2d 1332, 90 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2043, 1975 Okla. Civ. App. LEXIS 141 (Okla. Ct. App. 1975).

Opinion

ROMANG, Presiding Judge:

Plaintiff, H. B. Torbett, brought this action against the defendant, International Typographical Union, alleging that for a period in excess of fifty years he was a union member and as such he was required to and did pay into said Union sums of money designated by the Union as Old Age Pension Benefits in accordance with the Union rules and regulations as shown in its Book of Laws; that he is now eligible to receive a pension of $100.00 per month but the Union had failed and refused to pay it. Plaintiff prayed, inter alia, that the court find plaintiff is entitled to such pension benefits, and direct the Union to make payment of the same.

On January 25, 1971, the trial court entered judgment finding that the Union must pay the pension to plaintiff unless the Union can show that plaintiffs earnings as operator of the Torbett Printing Shop were in excess of those permitted by Article II § 3 of the Union by-laws. The trial court retained jurisdiction for the purpose of hearing evidence pertaining to the plaintiff’s earnings.

On July 26, 1971, the trial court entered a further judgment which reads in part:

“The Court finds that the plaintiff’s earnings did not exceed the allowed two days pay per week and that therefore the plaintiff is entitled to receive pension benefits for the years 1969, 1970, and 1971 unless and until it appears that his annual earnings will exceed the equivalent of two days pay, based on the current scale in Tulsa.”

The Union appealed to the Oklahoma Supreme Court. In Torbett v. International Typographical Union, 508 P.2d 268 (Okl.1973), the trial court was affirmed and the opinion reads in part:

. . [W]e hold that to require this member under the facts of this case to exhaust his remedy before the International Convention would be a practical denial of justice. This is a well recognized exception to the rule. Hickman v. Kline, 71 Nev. 55, 279 P.2d 662, 669 [6, 7], The Nevada Supreme Court quoted the Alabama Supreme Court with approval: ‘If requiring exhaustion of internal remedies would, under the circumstances, be unreasonable and a practical denial of justice .... such a course is not a condition precedent to equitable relief.’ Local Union No. 57, Brotherhood of Painters, Decorators and Paperhangers of America v. Boyd, 245 Ala. 227, 16 So.2d 705, 712. The denial of justice is accentuated by the arbitrary and capricious conduct of the Executive Council in rejecting the member’s application.
⅛ ‡ ‡ ⅛ ‡ ‡
“. . . The arbitrary nature of the Executive Council’s action lay in its decision, contrary to Art. XX, § 3, that the member seeking a pension may not engage in a pursuit inside the trade. This action was an attempted denial of the member’s legal rights.
“We turn now to the Union’s attack on the final order of July 26, 1971, wherein the trial court found ‘that the daily earning rate should be figured on the Tulsa scale for each of the years [1969, 1971, 1972] involved in this litigation.’ In this same order the trial court decreed that ‘plaintiff [the Member] shall not receive pension payment past or current unless and until he pays his union dues up to date, plus any applicable penalties for late payment and pays the court costs of this action.’ ”

Plaintiff through his attorney made a tender to defendant’s attorney which was refused and sent back. Still the Union paid no pension.

On August 29, 1973, plaintiff filed a motion which reads in part:

“Plaintiff would further show to the Court that the defendant has assets within the jurisdiction of this Court, same being money received by the secretary of the International Typographical Union in Tulsa, Oklahoma and that such mon[1334]*1334eys are subject to the jurisdiction and control of this Court. Plaintiff would further show to the Court that such moneys are in the hands and control of the secretary of the local union of the International Typograhical Union in Tulsa, Oklahoma and that such secretary is a member of the defendant union liable to, and under the control and jurisdiction of this Court.
WHEREFORE plaintiff prays that this Court order and direct the secretary of the International Typographical Union at Tulsa, Oklahoma to pay unto the plaintiff, all sums which are, or shall come into his hand belonging to the International Typographical Union until such time as said Order of the Court has been complied with to date and that such secretary further be ordered and directed to pay unto the plaintiff from and after such date the sum of $100.00 per month in accordance with the Order of the Court.”

On January 31, 1974, the trial court entered an order which is the subject of attack by the Union in this appeal, and which reads in pertinent part:

“THAT the Motion of the plaintiff should be and hereby is sustained, and the Secretary of the Tulsa local, of the International Typographical Union, Donald R. Rogers, and/or his successor in office if any, is herewith directed to make payment into the Court all sums of money in his possession, or coming into his possession, belonging to the International Typographical Union until the Judgment of the Court heretofore entered on the 26th day of July, 1971 has been brought to date, with interest thereon at the rate of ten (10%) per cent per annum from date of tender of plaintiff’s dues, that is, April 6, 1973, and to further make such payment of $100.00 per month from such fund to the plaintiff in compliance with said Order.
******
“CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
“The Court finds that the Judgment as heretofore entered was a Declaratory Judgment settling and defining the right of the plaintiff to a pension, and ordering and directing the defendant to make such payment.
“The Court further finds that the Judgment rendered herein is a Declaratory Judgment defining the rights of the parties, and ordering and directing compliance with such finding, and that the Court has continuing jurisdiction under Title 12 OSA § 1655 to direct compliance with such Judgment and Order.
“The Court further finds that the members of the Tulsa local of the International Typographical Union are not third parties, but are members of the defendant, holding assets of the defendant, and as members of an unincorporated association, defendants, in fact, and not third parties.”

The Union has appealed and presents four propositions for reversal which read:

“PROPOSITION I. The District Court erred in concluding that the judgment of July 26, 1971, was a Declaratory Judgment and that the District Court had continuing jurisdiction of this case under Title 12, O.S. § 1655.
“PROPOSITION II. The District Court’s order of January 31, 1974, cannot properly be a Declaratory Judgment and it is therefore null and void.
“PROPOSITION III. The District Court erred in finding that the Tulsa local union and its members were not third parties to the present suit.
“PROPOSITION IV. The District

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Related

Seventeen Hundred Peoria, Inc. v. City of Tulsa
1966 OK 155 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1966)
Local Union No. 57, Brotherhood of Painters v. Boyd
16 So. 2d 705 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1944)
Torbett v. International Typographical Union
1973 OK 28 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1973)
Hickman v. Kline
279 P.2d 662 (Nevada Supreme Court, 1955)

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Bluebook (online)
1975 OK CIV APP 31, 536 P.2d 1332, 90 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2043, 1975 Okla. Civ. App. LEXIS 141, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/torbett-v-internationall-typographical-union-oklacivapp-1975.