Commer v. American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees

**What Happened** Steven Commer sued his union, the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME), claiming the union broke its contract with him. This case appears to be connected to previous legal disputes between Commer and the same union that had already been resolved in court. **What the Court Decided** The federal court in New York dismissed all of Commer's claims against AFSCME. The court ruled it didn't have the authority to hear the case and that the issues had already been decided in earlier court proceedings. Essentially, the court said Commer couldn't relitigate the same disputes that had already been settled in previous cases. Commer received no money damages. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case shows that workers generally cannot keep suing their union over the same issues that have already been decided by a court. Once a dispute between a union member and their union has been resolved through the legal system, that decision is usually final. Workers should be aware that they typically get one chance to pursue their claims against their union in court, making it important to present their strongest case the first time.