United States v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters

945 F. Supp. 609, 153 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2940, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16777, 1996 WL 655808
District Court, S.D. New York·Decided November 8, 1996·No. 88 Civ. 4486 (DNE)·Published·Cited by 14 cases

Opinion

OPINION & ORDER

EDELSTEIN, District Judge:

This opinion emanates from the voluntary settlement of an action commenced by plaintiff United States of America (“the Government”) against, inter alia, defendant International Brotherhood of Teamsters (“the IBT” or “the Union”) and the IBT’s General Executive Board. The settlement is embodied in the voluntary consent order entered March 14, 1989 (“Consent Decree”). The goal of the Consent Decree is to rid the IBT of the hideous influence of organized crime through a two-phased implementation of the Consent Decree’s various remedial provisions. In the first phase of the Consent Decree, these provisions provided for three court-appointed officers: the Independent Administrator to oversee the Consent Decree’s provisions, the Investigations Officer to bring charges against corrupt IBT members, and the Election Officer to supervise *612 the electoral process that led up to and included the 1991 election for International Union Office. In the second phase of the Consent Decree, the Independent Administrator was replaced by a three-member Independent Review Board (“the IRB”), but the position of Election Officer remained unchanged.

The Government brings the instant action against non-party Labatt Brewing Company Limited (“Labatt”), a corporation organized under the laws of Canada with its principal place of business in Toronto. (Memorandum of Labatt Brewing Company Limited in Opposition to the Government’s Application for an Order Directing It to Permit Union Electioneering on Premises in Canada, United States v. International Bhd. of Teamsters, 88 Civ. 4486 (“Labatt’s Memo”), at 1 (Nov. 5, 1996).) This action arises from Labatt’s refusal to abide by a decision of the Election Officer issued October 17, 1996, and affirmed by the Election Appeals Master on October 26, 1996, requiring Labatt “to permit campaigning in the parking lot where IBT members park their personal vehicles____” (Decision of the Election Officer, Election Office Case No. P-942-LAB-CAN (“E.O. Decision”), at 3 (Oct. 17, 1996).) Pursuant to the Consent Decree and the Rules for the 1995-1996 IBT International Union Delegate and Officer Election (“the 1996 Election Rules”), the Government moves this Court for an order directing Labatt to comply with the Election Officer’s decision, and, if Labatt fails to comply with such order, a subsequent order holding Labatt in civil contempt. (Government’s Memorandum of Law in Support of its Motion for an Order of Civil Contempt, United States v. International Bhd. of Teamsters, 88 Civ. 4486 (“Govt.’s Memo”), at 1 (Nov. 1, 1996).) In response, Labatt counters that this Court has no personal jurisdiction over it, that Consent Decree case law is inapplicable to the present dispute, and that ordering Labatt to comply with the Election Officer’s decision would violate the international-law principle of comity. (Labatt’s Memo at 2-7.) After reviewing papers submitted by the Government and Labatt respectively, and considering the arguments put forth by each at oral argument, this Court finds that it has personal jurisdiction over Labatt for purposes of the instant matter, and that the Government’s motion should be granted.

BACKGROUND

On Friday, November 1,1996, the Government applied to this Court for an order directing Labatt to appear before this Court

to show cause why the Court should not enter an order, pursuant to, inter alia, its continuing supervisory jurisdiction over implementation of the Consent Decree, the All Writs Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1651, and the Court’s inherent equitable powers, (i) directing Labatts to comply fully, within twenty-four hours, with the October 17, 1996 decision of the Election Officer in Election Case No. P-942-LAB-CAN, by allowing Mr. Hoffa, and/or any other non-employee IBT members to have access for campaign purposes to the parking lot at Labatts’ facility in LaSalle, Quebec, Canada where IBT members park their personal vehicles; (ii) in the event of Labatts’ failure to take.the actions directed in (i) above, adjudging Labatt in civil contempt ...; (iii) awarding the Government and the Election Officer such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper

(Order to Show Cause, United States v. International Bhd. of Teamsters, 88 Civ. 4486 (Nov. 1, 1996) (“November 1 Order”), at 2.) In support of its application, the Government submitted a memorandum of law and exhibits explaining the facts underlying the instant motion.

According to the Government, Labatt “has violated the Rules for the 1995-1996 IBT International Union Delegate and Officer Election by preventing Mr. James P. Hoffa (“Hoffa”), an IBT member and candidate for IBT General President, from gaining campaign access to a parking lot at a Labatt facility in LaSalle, Quebec, Canada.” (November 1 Order at 1.) Under the 1996 Election Rules, IBT members and candidates have a limited, rebuttable right of access to distribute literature and seek support for their campaigns in parking lots used by union members to park their ears at their *613 places of employment. (Govt.’s Memo at 2); (Rules for the 1995-1996 IBT International Union Delegate and Officer Election, Art. VIII, § 11(e).) The Government explains that Labatt denied Hoffa and other IBT members campaign access to the parking lot at the Labatt facility in question, and that Labatt removed Hoffa from the Labatt employee parking lot. (Govt.’s Memo at 2.) The Government maintains that “Labatt did not attempt to demonstrate that access to its employee parking lot was neither necessary nor appropriate to meaningful exercise of democratic rights in the course of the 1996 IBT election pursuant to Article VIII, Section 11(e) of the Election Rules.” Id. Instead, Labatt asserted only that Rule 11 conflicts with Labatt’s safety regulations, and that Labatt is not bound by the Election Rules. Id. at 2 & Ex. F.

Hoffa filed an election protest regarding this matter with the Election Officer appointed by this Court to oversee the 1995-1996 IBT Election. Id. at 2; (E.O. Decision at 1.) In a decision dated October 17, 1996, the Election Officer granted Hoffa’s protest and directed Labatt to comply with the Election Rules and “to permit campaigning in the parking lot where IBT members park their personal vehicles, in conformity with Article VIII, Section 11(e) of the Rules.” (E.O. Decision at 3.) The Election Appeals Master affirmed this decision on October 26, 1996. (Decision of the Election Appeals Master, In re: James P. Hoffa and Labatt Breweries, 96-Elec. App. 259 (KC) (Oct. 26, 1996) (“E.A.M. Decision”).) This Court’s review of these two decisions indicates that Labatt appeared before neither the Election Officer nor the Election Appeals Master. See (E.O. Decision); (E.A.M. Decision at 1).

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United States v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters, 945 F. Supp. 609, 153 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2940, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16777, 1996 WL 655808 (S.D.N.Y. 1996).

945 F. Supp. 609 (United States v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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