Dunton

Plaintiffs, union plumbers, filed suit against their local union and others on a cause of action not disclosed by the record. The case was removed to federal court, where an amended complaint was filed, seeking money damages on four causes of action: (1) for improper discrimination by the union; (2) for breach of fair union representation; (3) for breach of a collective bargaining agreement; and (4) pursuant to California decisional law for intentional infliction of emotional distress. They ultimately moved to dismiss the first three causes of action, which motion the federal court granted with prejudice. They then obtained an order retransferring the case to the San Luis Obispo Superior Court. There they obtained jury verdicts against United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada, Local Union No. 403, San Luis Obispo, California (local union), and two individual defendants, Stolper and Ward, local union officers, for a total of $218,320 compensatory damages. In addition, there were punitive damage awards of $100,000 against the local union, $2,460 against Stolper, and $1,060 against Ward.…