Painting & Decorating Contractors Ass'n of Sacramento, Inc. v. Painters & Decorators Joint Committee of the East Bay Counties, Inc.

In this appeal from the grant of a preliminary injunction, we are faced with the question of whether a non-signatory to a *1069 collective bargaining agreement is a proper party to a suit brought under § 301(a) of the Labor Management Relations Act. We conclude it is and affirm the order of the district court granting the preliminary injunction.

I. Facts and Proceeding Below

Plaintiff-appellee, Painting and Decorating Contractors Association of Sacramento (“Sacramento Association”) is a multi-employer trade group consisting of painting and decorating contractors in a six-county area of Northern California. The Sacramento Association, along with two other multi-employer trade groups, the Painting and Decorating Contractors Association of Napa-Solano Counties, Inc. (“Napa-Solano Association”) and the Painting and Decorating Contractors of the East Bay Counties, Inc. (“East Bay Association”), is signatory to a collective bargaining agreement (“Agreement”) with the District Council of Painters No. 16 (“District Council”), which is a labor organization composed of several local unions within the California counties covered by the Agreement. The employer-members of the Sacramento…