Zeman v. Office & Professional Employees International Union Local 35

**Zeman v. Office & Professional Employees International Union Local 35** This case involved a worker named Zeman who was fired from Miller Brewing Company and believed his union failed to properly represent him during the grievance process. After an arbitrator upheld his termination, Zeman sued his union, claiming they didn't fulfill their legal obligation to fairly represent him as a union member. The court ruled in Zeman's favor, finding that the union had indeed breached its "duty of fair representation" - the legal requirement that unions must represent all members fairly and without discrimination. The court awarded Zeman $21,960 in attorney fees as compensation for the union's failure. Notably, Miller Brewing Company was dismissed from the lawsuit since the arbitrator had already ruled on the termination itself. **What this means for workers:** This case reinforces an important protection for union members. Even though unions have broad discretion in handling grievances, they cannot act arbitrarily, discriminatorily, or in bad faith when representing workers. If your union fails to meet this standard, you may have legal recourse against the union itself, separate from any dispute with your employer. Workers should document their interactions with union representatives if they suspect inadequate representation.