Transport Workers Union v. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

10 Mass. L. Rptr. 637
CourtMassachusetts Superior Court
DecidedNovember 15, 1999
DocketNo. 994672F
StatusPublished

This text of 10 Mass. L. Rptr. 637 (Transport Workers Union v. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Massachusetts Superior Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Transport Workers Union v. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, 10 Mass. L. Rptr. 637 (Mass. Ct. App. 1999).

Opinion

King, J.

This is an action for, inter alia, injunctive relief pursuant to G.L.c. 214, §6 which governs injunctions “in any case growing out of or involving a labor dispute.” Pursuant to G.L.c. 212, §30, the Chief Justice for the Superior Court appointed and convened a panel of three justices of the Superior Court (Panel) to hear this matter. On November 3 and 4, 1999, the Panel held an evidentiary hearing as required by G.L.c. 214, §6. Upon the close of plaintiffs’ argument, witnesses and submissions of extensive exhibits, defendants moved the Panel to direct a verdict on plaintiffs’ claim for injunctive relief. The Panel allowed defendants’ motions, and for the reasons discussed below, denied plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary injunction. Upon request of plaintiffs, the Panel shall, pursuant to G.L.c. 214, §6(6) report the denial of injunctive relief to the Supreme Judicial Court.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Defendants Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and Bay State Transit Services (Bay State) recently executed a contract for Bay State to take over from Amtrak the maintenance and related shop work of the MBTA’s commuter rail service. Plaintiffs, certain railroad unions who represent Amtrak employees working on the commuter rail lines, commenced this action against the MBTA, Bay State, and Bay State’s principal shareholders, Herzog Transit Services, Inc. and Boise Locomotive Company, to enjoin the MBTA and Bay State from implementing their new contract until an arbitrator decides whether the substantive and procedural terms of a “13(c) Agreement” executed between plaintiffs and the MBTA apply to this new contract and to compel the MBTA to submit to arbitration (Count II).3

Specifically, plaintiffs seek an injunction to (1) prohibit the MBTA and Bay State from taking any action regarding “solicitation, recruitment, interviewing, conducting of physicals or hiring of persons to perform maintenance of equipment and related shop work for the MBTA’s commuter rail service until all disputes with respect to the change from Amtrak to Bay State” have been resolved by arbitration and (2) compel the MBTA to submit the disputed issues to arbitration. Defendants oppose the motion on the grounds that plaintiffs have failed to satisfy both the stringent requirements of the Anti-Injunction Act. G.L.c. 214, §6(A) and the standards for issuance of a preliminary injunction under Mass.R.Civ.P. 65(b).

On October 5. 1999, the court (Brassard, J.) issued a temporary restraining order in favor of plaintiffs enjoining defendants from taking any steps to implement the contract until plaintiffs’ issues have been decided in arbitration. The court noted that “to the extent that the Anti-Injunction Act applies,” the temporary restraining order was issued in accordance with its requirements. Additionally, at the hearing on the current motion, plaintiffs and the MBTA entered into a Stipulation agreeing to submit to arbitration all issues arising under the 13(c) Agreement between plaintiffs and the MBTA, including the threshold issue of whether the 13(c) Agreement applies to the transition to Bay State.

DISCUSSION

A. The 13(c) Agreement

The MBTA, a political and corporate subdivision of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, owns certain lines of railroad which it utilizes for operation of its commuter rail service. The MBTA acquired these lines and associated shops using funds provided by the federal government under the Urban Mass Transportation Act (UMTA), 49 U.S.C. §1601 et seq. (renamed Federal Transit Act. 49 U.S.C. §5301 et.seq.). When the MBTA accepted federal funds for projects, it became subject to § 13(c) of the UMTA (now codified at 49 U.S.C. §5333(b)) which provided that:

c) Interests of employees; protective arrangements; terms and conditions. It shall be a condition of any assistance under section 3 of this Act that fair and equitable arrangements are made, as determined by the Secretary of Labor, to protect the interests of employees affected by such assistance . . .

On December 10, 1974, the MBTA, plaintiffs and other transportation unions entered into a “13(c) Agreement” (Agreement) in order for the MBTA to satisfy the requirements of § 13(c) with respect to a specific grant of federal funds. The Agreement has been repeatedly applied to subsequent grants of federal funds to the MBTA for projects undertaken by the MBTA in connection with the commuter rail service. The Agreement, which applies to any action that is “a result of the [federally funded] Project, including any actions” traceable to the assistance provided, expressly states in paragraph 22 that the Agreement is [638]*638intended to provide employees affected by a Project with the same substantive and procedural protections set forth in § 13(c) of the Federal Transit Act.

Paragraph 5(a) of the Agreement provides that in the event the MBTA contemplates a change in operations as a result of a Project which may adversely affect employees, it shall only effect such change in accordance with the procedures outlined in the Agreement. These procedures, set forth in paragraph 5(b), include the MBTA giving the employees’ unions notice of the impending changes in operations at least 90 days beforehand. Furthermore, paragraph 5(b) of the Agreement also provides that:

At the request of either the [MBTA] or the representatives of the affected employees, negotiations for the purpose of reaching agreement with respect to application of the terms and conditions of this agreement shall commence immediately ... If no agreement is reached within thirty (30) days from the commencement of negotiations, any party to the dispute may submit it in accordance with the procedures contained in paragraph 13(a) hereof.

Paragraph 13(a) of the Agreement provides that “[i]n the event there arises any dispute or controversy . . . with respect to the protection afforded by this Agreement, or with respect to the interpretation, application or enforcement of the provisions of this Agreement,. .. it may be submitted at the written request of any such party, to final and binding arbitration ...” Paragraph 16 of the Agreement provides that an employee affected by a Project may file a claim with the MBTA 60 days after he is terminated or laid off or within 18 months of the date his employment is “worsened” as a result of a Project.

In January 1998, in connection with the MBTA’s application for a federal grant to build the new Boston Engine Terminal, the Department of Labor issued a certification letter in which it made the terms and conditions of the Agreement applicable to that project and part of the contracts of assistance made with respect to that project. Furthermore, the DOL enclosed “Attachment A” which it mandated be included by reference in any contracts of assistance entered into by the MBTA. Specifically, Attachment A requires that the MBTA ensure that any entity which manages or operates the system under a contract with the MBTA agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of the Agreement and that acceptance of responsibility of the Agreement is a condition precedent to such contractual arrangements.

B.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Allen v. School Committee of Boston
487 N.E.2d 529 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1986)
School Committee of Boston v. Labor Relations Commission
512 N.E.2d 1151 (Massachusetts Appeals Court, 1987)
Packaging Industries Group, Inc. v. Cheney
405 N.E.2d 106 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1980)
Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, Inc. v. Operation Rescue
550 N.E.2d 1361 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1990)
Seekonk Family Drive-In Theatre, Inc. v. Madino
164 N.E.2d 880 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1960)
GTE Products Corp. v. Stewart
610 N.E.2d 892 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1993)
Hansen v. Commonwealth
181 N.E.2d 843 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1962)
Hull Municipal Lighting Plant v. Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Co.
506 N.E.2d 140 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1987)
Mengel v. Justices of the Superior Court
47 N.E.2d 3 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1943)
Sanford v. Boston Edison Co.
56 N.E.2d 1 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1944)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
10 Mass. L. Rptr. 637, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/transport-workers-union-v-massachusetts-bay-transportation-authority-masssuperct-1999.