United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Republic Steel Corp. v. Maddox, 379 U.S. 650 (1965)

Republic Steel Corp. v. Maddox

No. 43

Argued November 18, 1964

Decided January 25, 1965

379 U.S. 650

Syllabus

Respondent employee sued his employer for severance pay under a collective bargaining agreement existing between his union and employer, which was subject to the Labor Management Relations Act (LMRA). Judgment for respondent was affirmed in the state courts on the ground that the state law did not require him to exhaust contract grievance procedures before suit, which he had not done.

Held: under federal policy reflected in the LMRA, contract grievance procedures, which apply to severance as well as other types of claims, must, unless specified as nonexclusive, be exhausted before direct legal redress is sought. Moore v. Illinois Central R. Co., 312 U. S. 630, and Transcontinental & Western Air, Inc. v. Koppal, 345 U. S. 653, distinguished. Pp. 379 U. S. 652-659.

275 Ala. 685, 158 So.2d 492, reversed.