Court Lets Carpenter Protest Local 57

A federal court has halted an effort by the Carpenters District Council of St. Louis and Vicinity to silence members expressing opposition to the formation of the Carpenters Local 57 electrical division.

On March 17 the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois lifted a temporary injunction and  issued an agreed-upon permanent injunction barring the Carpenters' District Council (CDC). CDC reached the settlement in the action on behalf of Andrew Kevin Price, a member of the union.

The injunction stems from internal union charges that the CDC filed last year against member Price for expressing opposition to the CDC's formation of a carpenters' electrical division - Local 57. Price, a dues paying member of CDC, openly opposed the formation of Local 57 by Terry Nelson, executive secretary/treasurer of the CDC. In summer 2010, Price refused to remove an anti-Local 57 sticker on his personal vehicle.

When he was then brought up on charges by the CDC, Price filed a lawsuit, alleging that the CDC's action violated the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA). On Oct. 8, 2010, U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. Reagan granted Price a preliminary injunction. Reagan made the injunction permanent in a ruling issued on March 17.

The permanent injunction prevents the CDC from filing charges against Price and retaliating against any CDC member for expressing opposition to Local 57. The CDC is also to rescind previous disciplinary actions and reimburse fines against members for opposing Local 57.

In its October ruling, the court characterized Price as "... a carpenter and a loyal union member. He earnestly believes that the council should spend the union's money assisting carpenters, rather than electricians. Price believes that Nelson formed Local 57 to raid other unions (trying to capture electrical work that other unions historically did), and that this policy is detrimental to the future and long-term goals of the Carpenters' union. Price also believes that Local 57 harms union solidarity and runs contra to the traditional notion of ‘brotherhood.'"

More details on the case can be found at the U.S. District Court website by clicking this link.

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