Railway Clerks v. United Air Lines, Inc.

Background

This case involved a dispute brought by the Brotherhood of Railway & Steamship Clerks, Freight Handlers, Express & Station Employees (a labor union) against United Air Lines (an airline). The case was argued on October 22, 1964, and the United States, through the Solicitor General, participated as an amicus urging reversal. The Supreme Court had accepted the case for review but then dismissed that review without deciding the underlying legal questions.

Reasoning

The Court issued a brief per curiam order stating only that the writ of certiorari was dismissed as improvidently granted, which means the Justices declined to rule on the merits of the dispute. No full majority opinion explaining the legal issues or the Court’s reasoning was published in this decision. Although the Solicitor General appeared and urged reversal, the Court nonetheless chose not to address the substantive claims presented.

Real world impact

Because the Supreme Court declined to decide the case, the result reached in the lower court remains in effect and the legal questions the parties raised stay unresolved. The union, the airline, and others with similar disputes must rely on lower-court rulings unless the Court takes up the issue again in a future case. This order is not a final merits decision and could be revisited later.

Dissents or concurrances

Justice Harlan dissented from the dismissal, stating that the questions presented should be decided by the Court. Justice Goldberg did not participate in the consideration or decision.