Mallard v. Laborers International Union of North America Local Union 57

# Mallard v. Laborers International Union of North America Local Union 57 **What Happened** Mallard filed a lawsuit against Local Union 57, claiming the union breached its responsibility to fairly represent him. Specifically, Mallard believed the union wrongly refused to pursue his case through arbitration—a process used to resolve workplace disputes. **What the Court Decided** The Third Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the lower court's decision in favor of the union. The court found that Local 57 did not violate its duty of fair representation when it declined to arbitrate Mallard's case. The union's decision was not arbitrary, unfair based on personal bias, or made dishonestly. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling clarifies that unions have some discretion in choosing which cases to pursue for members. However, unions cannot reject cases arbitrarily or based on discrimination. Workers should understand that while unions must treat members fairly, they cannot guarantee representation for every dispute. If you believe your union has treated you unfairly or denied representation based on bias, you may have grounds to challenge that decision.