1857 Woods v. International Union, UAW

This case involves an action taken by the Local Shop Committee.  Therefore, the first level of appeal was to the Local membership.  However, at the point in time when Appellant sent his appeal letter to the International President’s office, the Local membership had yet to consider his appeal.  Subsequently, the Local membership did consider the appeal, but there is no indication in the Record that the President’s office was advised of that fact within the deadline for appeal.  Appellant’s later letters to the President’s office seeking to appeal the Local’s decision were correctly determined to be untimely.

Although the President’s office correctly rejected this appeal on procedural grounds, the PRB notes that the Local Bylaws are silent on the matter at issue in this case.  It is undisputed that the Shop Committee followed its past practice in retaining the longest-serving Chief Steward following redistricting.  In the absence of any Bylaws provision governing redistricting, the Local was entitled to follow this past practice.