International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local Union No. 117 v. Washington Employers, Inc.

Plaintiff, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen and Helpers of America, Local Union No. 117 (the “Union”), appeals from a judgment of the Western District of Washington, McGovern, Judge, entered on October 8, 1975, refusing to enforce and setting aside an arbitrator’s award. Defendant, Washington Employers, Inc., is an employers association acting on behalf of certain wholesale fish firms, also defendants herein (collectively referred to as the “Employers”).

On January 9,1974, pursuant to an agreement to arbitrate, arbitrator Norman A. Stoll found, on the basis of a written record, that the Employers had violated RCW 49.-52.050 by willfully withholding wages due to their employees and awarded the employees double damages, pursuant to RCW 49.52.070. Appellants brought this suit to enforce the award, pursuant to section 301 of the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947, 29 U.S.C. § 185 . The district court granted the Employers’ motion for summary judgment and dismissed the complaint on the grounds that the Washington statutes applied by the arbitrator were in conflict with federal labor policy and were preempted. We hold that under the circumstances the…