Schnabel Foundation Co. v. International Union of Operating Engineers Local 542

Court Rules Against Union in Work Assignment Dispute

This case involved a disagreement between Schnabel Foundation Company and Operating Engineers Local 542 over which workers should perform certain job tasks. The union filed a grievance claiming their members had the right to do specific work, but the company argued this was a "jurisdictional dispute" - meaning it was about which union or group of workers gets to do particular jobs, rather than a regular workplace complaint.

The court sided with the employer, ruling that the union's complaint was indeed a jurisdictional dispute under their collective bargaining agreement. Because of this classification, the case had to follow different procedures than a typical grievance. The court dismissed the arbitration process the union was trying to use and granted the company's request for summary judgment.

What This Means for Workers:
This ruling shows how important the specific language in union contracts can be. When unions file grievances, courts will look closely at whether the issue falls under regular dispute procedures or special jurisdictional rules. Workers should understand that jurisdictional disputes - fights over who gets to do what work - may be handled differently than other workplace complaints, potentially limiting the remedies available through standard grievance processes.