The Railroad Lawsuit That Could Not Stop

John Gallagher, one of surviving railroad workers.

The Wall Street Journal

Today's Wall Street Journal takes a fascinating look at one of the longest legal disputes in the nation's history -- a railroad workers' case that spanned 44 years and was once described by a judge as a "Dickensian" odyssey through the court system. It began in the aftermath of a failed merger in 1968 between Pennsylvania Railroad and New York Central Railroad. Thirty-two workers who lost their jobs and seniority sued, arguing they were covered by a job-protection deal, and sought damages from the merged Penn Central Transportation Corp. Penn Central, which paid millions in benefits to other workers, said the Cleveland-area men weren't entitled to the protection because they weren't direct employees but worked for a subsidiary. The case wandered through several courts and arbitration panels, as well as the federal Surface Transportation Board. Finally, in September, a federal appeals-court panel upheld a $14.2-million award to the workers for back pay and wages, interest included. It's not the longest case on record though.

Source: http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2013/11/26/the-railroad-lawsuit-that-could-not-stop/?mod=WSJBlog

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