Chicago & North Western Railway Co. v. United Transportation Union

Decided June 1, 1971. John Marshall Harlan delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 189 · 402 U.S. 570 (1971) · Cited 271 times

We don’t yet publish a summary of this opinion — read the official text below for the Court’s holding and reasoning.

How the Justices voted

Decided 5–4.

“Concurring” means agreeing with the outcome; any split shown is the Court’s judgment, not each Justice’s reasoning. Source: the Supreme Court Database (Spaeth et al.), Washington University.

Precedents cited

Supreme Court decisions this opinion relies on, ordered by how often it cites each. Cases in our collection link through; others are named.

• Virginian Railway Co. v. System Federation No. 40 · 300 U.S. 515 (1937)
• Detroit & Toledo Shore Line Railroad v. United Transportation Union · 396 U.S. 142 (1969)
• International Ass'n of MacHinists v. Street · 367 U.S. 740 (1961)
• Order of Railroad Telegraphers v. Chicago & North Western Railway Co. · 362 U.S. 330 (1960)
• Graham v. Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen & Enginemen · 338 U.S. 232 (1949)
• National Labor Relations Board v. Insurance Agents' International Union · 361 U.S. 477 (1960)
• Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen v. Jacksonville Terminal Co. · 394 U.S. 369 (1969)
• Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen v. Howard · 343 U.S. 768 (1952)
• Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen v. Chicago River & Indiana Railroad · 353 U.S. 30 (1957)
• Texas & NOR Co. v. Brotherhood of Ry. & Steamship Clerks · 281 U.S. 548 (1930)
• Textile Workers v. Lincoln Mills of Ala. · 353 U.S. 448 (1957)
• Steele v. Louisville & Nashville Railroad · 323 U.S. 192 (1944)
• Boys Markets, Inc. v. Retail Clerks Union, Local 770 · 398 U.S. 235 (1970)
• Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Co. v. Burley · 325 U.S. 711 (1945)
• Switchmen's Union v. National Mediation Board · 320 U.S. 297 (1943)
• Stark v. Wickard · 321 U.S. 288 (1944)
• National Labor Relations Board v. American National Insurance · 343 U.S. 395 (1952)
• Tunstall v. Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen & Enginemen · 323 U.S. 210 (1945)
• Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Co. v. Burley · 327 U.S. 661 (1946)
• Union Pacific Railroad v. Price · 360 U.S. 601 (1959)
• Terminal Railroad v. Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen · 318 U.S. 1 (1943)
• Brotherhood of Railway & Steamship Clerks, Freight Handlers, Express & Station Employees v. Association for the Benefit of Non-Contract Employees · 380 U.S. 650 (1965)
• General Committee of Adjustment of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers v. Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad · 320 U.S. 323 (1943)

Cited by

Later Supreme Court opinions in our collection that cite this case.

• Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Independent Federation of Flight Attendants · 489 U.S. 426 (1989)
• Burlington Northern Railroad v. Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes · 481 U.S. 429 (1987)
• First National Maintenance Corp. v. National Labor Relations Board · 452 U.S. 666 (1981)
• Buffalo Forge Co. v. United Steelworkers · 428 U.S. 397 (1976)
• Communications Workers of America v. Beck · 487 U.S. 735 (1988)
• Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad v. Railway Labor Executives' Ass'n · 491 U.S. 490 (1989)
• Mills Music, Inc. v. Snyder · 469 U.S. 153 (1985)

Official text

Read the official opinion (U.S. Reports, govinfo.gov)

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John Marshall Harlan’s profile · All Supreme Court opinions · The Supreme Court

Source: the U.S. Reports via govinfo.gov; authoring Justice and vote lineup from the Supreme Court Database (Washington University). Citation count from the Free Law Project’s CourtListener bulk data. Data last verified 2026-07-03. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).