California State Council of Carpenters v. Associated General Contractors of California, Inc.

Good Law

648 F.2d 527·105 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 3311

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitNovember 20, 1980No. 77-2323California9,634 words

Opinion

lead Opinion

Pregerson, J.

This is an appeal from an order of the district court granting defendants’ motions to dismiss under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.

Two carpenters’ unions filed an antitrust action against a contractors’ association for conspiracy to boycott union-signatory subcontractors. The complaint also charged breach of contract, various business torts, and violations of state antitrust laws. The district court granted the motion to dismiss on the ground that unions are barred from bringing antitrust actions “against an employer in the normal type of labor dispute.” California State Council of Carpenters v. Associated General Contractors of California, Inc., 404 F.Supp. 1067, 1070 (N.D.Cal.1975). We find that the district court erred in dismissing appellants’ claim for relief under the Sherman Act. As to appellants’ remaining claims, however, we affirm the district court’s order of dismissal.

BACKGROUND

The California State Council of Carpenters is the collective bargaining agent for carpenters and their affiliated local unions with respect to master collective bargaining agreements governing the California carpentry industry. The…

dissent Opinion

Sneed, J.

dissenting:

I respectfully dissent.

The proper disposition of this case turns on what is the proper characterization of the plaintiffs’ complaint. The majority characterize it as alleging an agreement “to coerce owners of property, general contractors, and ‘other letters of construction contracts,’ with whom the Unions had no collective bargaining relationship, to hire only construction firms, primarily subcontractors, who had not signed with the Unions.” P. 532. When so characterized the majority concludes that the “flip side” or obverse of Connell Construction Co. v. Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 100, 421 U.S. 616 , 95 S.Ct. 1830 , 44 L.Ed.2d 418 (1975), compels the conclusion that an antitrust cause of action was properly alleged by the complaint.

It is my view that the majority has mischaracterized the complaint. The district court’s characterization was proper. The pertinent portion of its Memorandum and Order in which the proper characterization appears is set forth is as follows:

California State Council of Carpenters v. Associated General Contractors, 404 F.Supp. 1067, 1070 (N.D.Cal.1975).

This characterization makes clear that, rather than being the “flip side” of…

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Parties

CALIFORNIA STATE COUNCIL OF CARPENTERS, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, AFL-CIO
Plaintiff
ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF CALIFORNIA, INC.
Defendant

Judges

Alarcon
Pregerson
Sneed

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648 F.2d 527