Zaborowski v. Local 74, Service Employees International Union

**Union Member's Lawsuit Dismissed as Too Late** This case involved a union member, Zaborowski, who sued his union (Local 74 of the Service Employees International Union) claiming the union failed to properly represent him. He argued the union breached its duty to fairly represent all members, which unions are legally required to do. The court dismissed Zaborowski's lawsuit, ruling that he filed it too late. There are strict time limits for filing these types of claims against unions. Zaborowski had previously started a federal lawsuit on the same issue but voluntarily dropped it. He then tried to file this state court case, arguing that dropping the federal case should give him more time to file. However, the appeals court disagreed, finding that voluntarily dropping the earlier lawsuit didn't extend his deadline to file a new one. **What this means for workers:** Union members have limited time to challenge their union's representation in court - typically six months from when they knew or should have known about the problem. If you believe your union isn't representing you fairly, it's crucial to act quickly and seek legal guidance promptly. Simply dropping one lawsuit and starting another won't reset the clock.