Case: 14-12971 Date Filed: 03/05/2015 Page: 1 of 9
[DO NOT PUBLISH]
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
________________________
No. 14-12971
Non-Argument Calendar
________________________
D.C. Docket No. 0:12-cv-61577-RNS
JAMIE DANIELS,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
versus
UNITED AUTOMOBILE, AEROSPACE AND AGRICULTURAL
IMPLEMENT WORKERS OF AMERICA, AFL-CIO, AMALGAMATED
LOCAL 2278,
BROWARD TEACHERS UNION,
Defendants-Appellees.
________________________
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Southern District of Florida
_________________________
(March 5, 2015)
Before TJOFLAT, WILSON and BLACK, Circuit Judges:
PER CURIAM:
Case: 14-12971 Date Filed: 03/05/2015 Page: 2 of 9
Jamie Daniels appeals the district court’s grant of summary judgment in
favor of Daniels’ union, the United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural
Workers of America, AFL-CIO, Amalgamated Local 2278 (UAW), and Daniels’
former employer, Broward Teachers Union (BTU). Daniels brought a hybrid
action pursuant to § 301 of the National Labor Management Relations Act
asserting a breach of the duty of fair representation against UAW, and a breach of
contract by BTU. On appeal, Daniels asserts the district court erred in granting
summary judgment in favor of UAW and BTU because (1) the district court erred
in determining Daniels’ Layoff Grievance did not relate back to his Complaint, and
(2) a reasonable jury could find the number of ways the UAW was negligent in its
representation of Daniels’ grievances is enough to show the UAW did not fulfill its
duty of fair representation. After review, 1 we affirm the district court’s grant of
summary judgment to UAW and BTU.
I. BACKGROUND
Daniels was employed by BTU as a business agent. Daniels’ union, UAW,
is the exclusive bargaining agent for BTU’s union organizers. The terms and
conditions of employment applicable to UAW bargaining unit members are
contained in a contract titled “Contract between UAW/Local 2278 Staff Union and
1
We review “the district court’s grant of summary judgment de novo, viewing the
evidence in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion.” Coppage v. U.S. Postal
Serv., 281 F.3d 1200, 1203 (11th Cir. 2002). “This court will affirm a grant of summary
judgment if it is correct for any reason.” United States v. $121,000 in U.S. Currency, 999 F.2d
1503, 1507 (11th Cir. 1993).
2
Case: 14-12971 Date Filed: 03/05/2015 Page: 3 of 9
the Broward Teachers Union, July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2013” (CBA). In July 2011,
BTU laid off Daniels and three other UAW-represented BTU employees, claiming
the layoffs were a result of a financial emergency.
A. Layoff Grievance
On July 31, 2011, UAW filed a grievance (Layoff Grievance), asserting
BTU did not validate the existence “of a financial emergency necessitating the
layoff[s].” The dispute was submitted to the American Arbitration Association
(AAA). UAW and BTU postponed a scheduled hearing, and the AAA wrote
multiple letters to the parties asking for a status on the matter. Receiving no
response, the AAA sent a letter stating it had closed its file on September 7, 2012.
UAW asserts it investigated BTU’s claim a financial emergency existed and
withdrew the Layoff Grievance because it believed it could not prevail. BTU
provided UAW with financial and membership information on August 1, 2011.
Further, in November and December of 2011, multiple news articles reported
BTU’s precarious financial condition. The articles reported BTU’s president
misappropriated funds and covered up a $3.8 million budget shortfall, as well as
the fact he was accepting salary overpayments. Denise Megiel-Rollo, the President
of UAW, testified that, after reviewing the provided information and talking to
BTU employees, she and a UAW International representative decided not to
arbitrate the Layoff Grievance. Megiel-Rollo also submitted an affidavit stating
3
Case: 14-12971 Date Filed: 03/05/2015 Page: 4 of 9
the decision not to pursue the Layoff Grievance was based upon a considerable
investigation.
B. First Recall Grievance
Six months after the layoffs, BTU executed a Memorandum of
Understanding with the School Board of Broward County, providing for the
temporary duty leave of two Broward County teachers. The two teachers
performed various duties, including work performed by the bargaining unit for
BTU.
In February 2012, UAW filed a grievance protesting BTU’s failure to recall
Daniels and other laid-off employees (First Recall Grievance). The First Recall
Grievance asserted “the employer hired 2 new employees into new positions
ignoring the requirement to rehire laid off personnel and posting of vacancies.”
Megiel-Rollo testified UAW later withdrew the First Recall Grievance based on
statements from BTU representatives that the temporary duty leave teachers would
be discontinued at the end of the school year.
C. Second Recall Grievance
In July 2012, BTU executed a second Memorandum of Understanding with
the School Board of Broward County, providing for the temporary duty leave of
the same two teachers for the 2012-2013 school year. In August 2012, UAW filed
4
Case: 14-12971 Date Filed: 03/05/2015 Page: 5 of 9
another grievance protesting BTU’s failure to recall Daniels and the other laid-off
employees (the Second Recall Grievance).
The parties arbitrated the Second Recall Grievance before the AAA in
February 2013. At the hearing, UAW argued BTU violated three provisions of the
CBA. The arbiter heard testimony from two witnesses on behalf of UAW and
three witnesses on behalf of BTU. Although Daniels’ attorney asked to represent
Daniels at the arbitration, UAW declined, and neither Daniels nor his attorney was
present.
UAW argued the CBA required BTU to recall laid-off field staff, including
Daniels, before it could hire temporary-leave teachers. BTU denied violating the
CBA, and argued that another provision of the CBA authorized BTU to employ
the temporary-leave teachers. In a written opinion, the arbiter denied the Second
Recall Grievance.
II. DISCUSSION
A hybrid § 301/fair representation claim is comprised of (1) a claim against
the employer for breach of the collective bargaining agreement, and (2) a claim
against the union for breach of its duty of fair representation. Coppage v. U.S.
Postal Serv., 281 F.3d 1200, 1203-04 (11th Cir. 2002). In order to prevail, the
plaintiff must show both the employer’s discharge was contrary to the contract, and
the union breached its duty of representation, such as in the handling or arbitration
5
Case: 14-12971 Date Filed: 03/05/2015 Page: 6 of 9
of grievances. DelCostello v. Int’l Bhd. of Teamsters, 462 U.S. 151, 164-65
(1983). To show the union breached its duty, a plaintiff must demonstrate the
union’s handling of his or her grievance was “arbitrary, discriminatory, or in bad
faith.” Airline Pilots Assoc., Int’l v. O’Neill, 499 U.S. 65, 67 (1991) (quotation
omitted). This can be shown by evidence the union abandoned or ignored a
grievance for no reason or processed it in a “perfunctory fashion.” Vaca v. Sipes,
386 U.S. 171, 190-91 (1967).
After cross-motions for summary judgment, the district court granted
summary judgment in favor of BTU and UAW. The district court concluded
(1) Daniels’ claim regarding his Layoff Grievance was time-barred, and (2) UAW
did not breach its duty of fair representation as to Daniels’ claims regarding the
First and Second Recall Grievances.2
A. Layoff Grievance
Daniels contends the district court erred in determining his Layoff Grievance
did not relate back to his Initial Complaint, filed on July 16, 2012, and was thus
time-barred. However, even assuming Daniels can show his claim is not time-
barred, his Layoff Grievance claim fails because he cannot show UAW’s handling
of the grievance was “arbitrary, discriminatory, or in bad faith.” Airline Pilots
Assoc. Int’l, 499 U.S. at 67 (quotation omitted). Employees do not have an
2
Because the district court concluded UAW did not breach its duty of fair
representation, it did not address whether BTU violated the CBA.
6
Case: 14-12971 Date Filed: 03/05/2015 Page: 7 of 9
absolute right to have a grievance taken to arbitration, as long as the union’s
decision not to arbitrate made on behalf of the employee is done “honestly and in
good faith.” Vaca, 386 U.S. at 191-92. UAW had ample reason to withdraw the
Layoff Grievance. BTU provided UAW with Profit and Loss Statements,
Management Income Statements, and membership information for 2008-2011.
Further, BTU’s precarious financial position was well-publicized. UAW decided it
could not sustain the claim after reviewing this information. UAW reasonably
believed it would lose on a claim BTU was not in a financial emergency. Daniels’
assertion UAW failed to audit BTU’s accounting ledger does not show bad faith,
as the information UAW had in its possession already showed it could not sustain
the grievance. The evidence shows the decision to withdraw the Layoff Grievance
was made honestly and in good faith. Thus, UAW did not breach its duty of fair
representation as to Daniels’ Layoff Grievance. See id.
B. First and Second Recall Grievances
Daniels asserts UAW engaged in a series of repeated negligent actions,
which supports a claim of a breach of the duty of fair representation. As to the
First Recall Grievance, we affirm the district court’s determination UAW did not
breach its duty of fair representation. As stated above, employees do not have an
absolute right to have a grievance taken to arbitration, as long as the decision not to
arbitrate made on behalf of the employee is done “honestly and in good faith.” Id.
7
Case: 14-12971 Date Filed: 03/05/2015 Page: 8 of 9
UAW investigated this grievance and learned BTU planned to discontinue the
employment of temporary duty leave teachers. The decision to withdraw the
grievance was made in good faith reliance on BTU’s assurances.
As to the Second Recall Grievance, if a “grievance was fairly presented a
court will not second guess an arbitrator’s decision regarding the merits of the
employee's grievance.” Harris v. Schwerman Trucking Co., 668 F.2d 1204, 1206
(11th Cir. 1982). Daniels attempts to show his grievance was not fairly presented
by pointing to multiple ways in which UAW was allegedly negligent in presenting
his claim. However, even if UAW were negligent in presenting his grievance,
“Cases are uniform in holding that neither negligence on the part of the union nor a
mistake in judgment is sufficient to support a claim that the union acted in an
arbitrary and perfunctory manner. . . . Nothing less than a demonstration that the
union acted with reckless disregard for the employee’s rights or was grossly
deficient in its conduct will suffice to establish such a claim.” Id. at 1206-07
The record shows UAW took the grievance to arbitration, called witnesses,
cross-examined BTU’s witnesses, provided the arbiter with a post-hearing brief,
and advanced relevant arguments regarding why BTU’s conduct breached the
CBA. Based on this evidence, UAW’s conduct with regard to the Second Recall
Grievance cannot be characterized as perfunctory, arbitrary, or discriminatory.
8
Case: 14-12971 Date Filed: 03/05/2015 Page: 9 of 9
III. CONCLUSION
UAW did not breach its duty of fair representation of Daniels with regard to
any of the three grievances. Thus, we affirm the district court’s grant of summary
judgment to UAW and BTU.
AFFIRMED.
9