United States Sixth Circuit

In a labor suit brought by Northwest Airlines Quality Service Agents (QSAs) against a labor organization and others, claiming that between 2000 and 2006 defendants breached their duty of fair representation relating to the negotiation and administration of contracts on behalf of QSA employees and in handling their dues-objector status requests, district court's grant of defendants' motion for summary judgment and an order issuing Rule 11 sanctions against the plaintiffs' counsel for failing to adequately investigate the law and facts before filing their complaint are affirmed where: 1) the mere fact that the plaintiffs were a minority group within their union organization and were adversely affected by the actions of the union does not establish that the union acted with hostile or discriminatory intent; 2) plaintiffs have failed to submit any evidence that the defendant improperly handled the dues-objector status requests; and 3) Rule 11 sanctions were properly imposed.

Appellate Information

• Argued 01/14/2010
• Decided 07/22/2010
• Published 07/22/2010

Judges

• McCALLA, Chief District Judge

Court

• United States Sixth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Dennis M. Devaney, Carmen R. Parcelli