Transportation-Communication Employees Union v. Harriman & Northeastern Railroad

270 F. Supp. 582, 65 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2141, 1967 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7843
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Tennessee
DecidedMarch 30, 1967
DocketCiv. A. No. 5666
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 270 F. Supp. 582 (Transportation-Communication Employees Union v. Harriman & Northeastern Railroad) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Transportation-Communication Employees Union v. Harriman & Northeastern Railroad, 270 F. Supp. 582, 65 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2141, 1967 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7843 (E.D. Tenn. 1967).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM

ROBERT L. TAYLOR, Chief Judge.

On June 22, 1966 complaint was filed in this case by the Transportation-Communication Employees Union (the Union) against Harriman and Northeastern Railroad Company (the Railroad) for enforcement of an Award and Order of the National Railroad Adjustment Board, Third Division (the NRAB) pursuant to 45 U.S.C. § 153, First (p).

Subsequently, on January 31, 1967, and after the answer was filed by defendant on August 11, 1966 and the Pre-Trial hearing held on January 3, 1967 — the Union filed a motion “for judgment on the pleadings in its favor, enforcing Award No. 12478 of the National Railroad Adjustment Board, Third Division.”

The facts are briefly that Mrs. I. M. Hobbs, a member of the Union and £gent telephoner for the Railroad at the Petros Station, lost her job through abolition of the position by the Railroad at that station and transfer of her functions to another carrier, the Southern Railway, at Harriman. The Union filed a claim against the Railroad for violation [583]*583of the collective bargaining agreement, sought correction of the violation and recompense for the employee’s loss of earnings suffered by reason of the violation. The matter went through the grievance procedures provided by the Agreement but no settlement was achieved and the Union filed a claim with the NRAB. The NRAB issued an order on April 30, 1964 sustaining the claim and making an award effective July 1, 1964. The defendant Railroad failed and refused to comply with the order. The NRAB did not specify the amount of the award but, rather, directed: “The Carrier shall compensate Mrs. Hobbs at the rate of the discontinued position for each day the work of her position is performed by others not covered by the agreement.” Hence the complaint asking enforcement of the Award and Order.

As noted, the complaint was filed on June 22,1966. Two days prior thereto on June 20, 1966 the President approved an amendment to Sect. 153 First (p) of Title 45. The amendment presents a question as to the scope of the review powers of the Court with respect to enforcing or setting aside an order of a division of the Adjustment Board.

Prior to June 20, 1966, pertinent portions of Sect. 153, First (p) read as follows:

“(p) If a carrier does not comply with an order of a division of the Adjustment Board * * *, the petitioner * * * may file in the District Court of the United States, * * * a petition setting forth briefly the causes for which he claims relief, and the order of the division of the Adjustment Board in the premises. Such suit in the District Court of the United States shall proceed in all respects as other civil suits, except that on the trial of such suit the findings and order of the division of the Adjustment Board shall be prima facie evidence of the facts therein stated, * * * If the petitioner shall finally prevail he shall be allowed a reasonable attorney’s fee, to be taxed and collected as a part of the costs of the suit. The district courts are empowered, under the rules of the court governing actions at law, to make such order and enter such judgment, by writ of mandamus or otherwise, as may be appropriate to enforce or set aside the order of the division of the Adjustment Board.”

Pertinent portions of Sect. 153 (p) after the Amendment of June 20, 1966 read as follows:

“(p) If a carrier does not comply with an order of a division of the Adjustment Board * * * the petitioner, * * * may file in the District Court of the United States * * a petition setting forth briefly the causes for which he claims relief, and the order of the division of the Adjustment Board in the premises. Such suit in the District Court of the United States shall proceed in all respects as other civil suits, except that on the trial of such suit the findings and order of the division of the Adjustment Board shall be conclusive on the parties * * *. If the petitioner shall finally prevail he shall be allowed a reasonable attorney’s fee, to be taxed and collected as a part of the costs of the suit. The district courts are empowered, under the rules of the court governing actions at law, to make such order and enter such. judgment, by writ of mandamus or otherwise, as may be appropriate to enforce or set aside the order of the division of the Adjustment Board: Provided, however, That such order may not be set aside except for failure of the division to comply with the requirements of this chapter, for failure of the order to conform, or confine itself, to matters within the scope of the division’s jurisdiction, or for fraud or corruption by a member of the division making the order.”

It will be noted that there were two important changes in the Section. The clause providing that the findings and order of the Adjustment Board “shall be prima facie evidence of the facts therein [584]*584stated” was changed to read that such findings and award “shall be conclusive on the parties” with the proviso at the end, “That such order may not be set aside except for failure of the order to conform, or confine itself, to matters within the scope of the division’s jurisdiction, or for fraud or corruption by a member of the division making the order.”

Thus it can be seen that the authority of the Court to deal with the findings and order was sharply curtailed by the amendment. From being “prima facie evidence of the facts” they were made “conclusive on the parties,” subject to the provisos set forth above.

Further, the 1966 amendment removed from Sect. 153, First (o) the exception as to money awards. All findings of the NRAB are now conclusive, subject to the provisos.

Even prior to the amendment of June 20, 1966, the Supreme Court of the United States in Gunther v. San Diego & Arizona Eastern Railway Co., 382 U.S. 257, 86 S.Ct. 368, 15 L.Ed.2d 308 had ruled that even though there was a money award, “ * * * The basic grievance * * * that is, the complaint that petitioner has been wrongfully removed from active service as an engineer because of health — has been finally, completely and irrevocably settled by the Adjustment Board’s decision. Consequently, the merits of the wrongful removal issue as decided by the Adjustment Board must be accepted by the District Court.” Although the Supreme Court was specifically deciding in Gunther that the presence of a money award in the case did not open up the “basic grievance” it went much further than any court had theretofore gone in endowing with finality the findings of the Adjustment Board on the basic grievance.

Even if the amendment of June 20, 1966 does not apply to the grievance before this Court — a contention asserted by defendant on the theory that the amendment could not apply retroactively to a proceeding already initiated before the Adjustment Board — this Court would, under the Gunther decision, have to enforce the Board’s ruling except for extreme derelictions not appearing here and not called to its attention. See Hodges v. Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company, 363 F.2d 534 (C.A.5) which held, “ * * * Gunther necessarily precludes our determination of the disability issue raised by the Railroad * * *.

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270 F. Supp. 582, 65 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2141, 1967 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7843, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/transportation-communication-employees-union-v-harriman-northeastern-tned-1967.