Mills v. United Ass'n of Journeymen & Apprentices of the Plumbing & Pipefitting Industry Local Union No. 60

**What Happened** A worker named Mills sued his local plumbing union (Local Union No. 60), claiming the union broke its promises to him and misled him about something. Mills argued the union had a duty to look out for his interests as a member and failed to do so. **What the Court Decided** The court dismissed Mills' case entirely in favor of the union. The judge ruled that Mills' claims were covered by federal labor law rather than state law, which meant his case had to follow different rules. More importantly, the court found that Mills waited too long to file his lawsuit - federal labor law requires workers to sue within six months, and Mills missed this deadline. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case shows two important things for union members: First, disputes with your union are usually handled under federal labor law, not state law, which can limit your options. Second, timing is critical - if you believe your union has wronged you, you typically have only six months to file a lawsuit or you lose your right to sue. Workers should act quickly and consider consulting with an attorney if they have serious disputes with their union.