Williams v. Nat'l. Football League, No. 09-2247

In an action for breach of a collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the NFL players' union based on drug testing issues, the district court's order concluding that the Minnesota statutory claims alleged by football players against the NFL were not preempted by section 301 of the Labor Management Relations Act is affirmed, where: 1) the district court had no need to consult the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in order to resolve the players' Minnesota Drug and Alcohol Testing in the Workplace Act (DATWA) claim; 2) the NFL's defenses to liability under the Minnesota Consumable Products Act (CPA) were not relevant to the Section 301 analysis; and 3) the NFL did not demonstrate that, by agreeing to be bound by the CBA, the players waived their rights under the CPA.

Read Williams v. Nat'l. Football League, No. 09-2247

Appellate Information

Submitted: August 18, 2009

Filed: September 11, 2009

Judges

Opinion by Judge Shepherd