Sams v. Brotherhood of Railway & Steamship Clerks
Opinion of the Court
This is an appeal from a summary judgment for defendant in an action by a former employee of an express company engaged in interstate commerce,
The union shop agreement was entered into in the spring of 1952 pursuant to the provisions of 45 U.S.C.A. § 152, eleventh. Plaintiff joined the Brotherhood in June of that year and paid dues up until September 1. He failed to pay dues for September and October or for any period thereafter. He was given due notice that he would be dropped for nonpayment of dues and was afforded a hearing by the company at which he admitted his failure to pay the dues. When his'employment was terminated following the hearing, he accepted the result and did not take an appeal to a higher official of the company, as he might have done under the collective bargaining agreement. Under that agreement, it became the duty of the company to discharge him if he ceased to be a member of the brotherhood as the result of failure to pay dues.
There was nothing in this to sustain the allegation of conspiracy. The discharge of plaintiff was pursuant to the terms of the union shop contract; and there was nothing in the law of South Carolina at that time rendering such a contract invalid. Cf. Colgate Palmolive-Peet Co. v. N. L. R. B., 338 U. S. 355, 70 S.Ct. 166, 94 L.Ed. 161; 31 Am.Jur. p. 876. The South Carolina Right to Work statute, section 40-46 of Title 40 of the Supplement to 1952 Code of Laws of South Carolina, was not passed until 1954 and was consequently not in effect at the time of the acts here complained of; but, even- if it had been in effect, we think it would have made- no difference, as it would have had to yield to the federal statute regulating intei'state commerce, which authorized the contract. Hudson v. Atlantic C. L. R. Co., 242 N.C. 650, 89 S.E.2d 441; Cf. Hanson v. Union Pacific R. Co., 160 Neb. 669, 71 N.W.2d 526. Plaintiff’s contention that the requirements of that act were not met by the contract is without substance.
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Lawrence SAMS v. BROTHERHOOD OF RAILWAY AND STEAMSHIP CLERKS, SUMTER LODGE NUMBER 6193, R. S. Hughes, General Chairman, B. of R. C., S. E. Futrell, Vice-Chairman, B. of R. C., W. E. McIntosh, Secretary and Treasurer of B. of R. C., and Railway Express Agency, Inc.
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published