Chicago & North Western Railway Co. v. United Transportation Union
402 U.S. 570 · Decided June 1, 1971 · Supreme Court of the United States
Record summary. This page is generated from the Supreme Court Database’s coded data about the case. It describes who decided what, not the Court’s reasoning. Read the opinion itself before relying on it. Not legal advice.
At a glance
Chicago & North Western Railway Co. v. United Transportation Union was decided on June 1, 1971 by a vote of 5–4. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice John M. Harlan II wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Labor-management antistrike injunctions” in the Unions area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 402 U.S. 570 · 91 S. Ct. 1731 · 29 L. Ed. 2d 187 · 1971 U.S. LEXIS 102
- Docket number
- 189
- Decided
- June 1, 1971
- Argued
- January 18, 1971
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- John M. Harlan II
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Labor-management antistrike injunctions
- Issue area
- Unions
- Legal provision
- Railway Labor Act
- Type of law
- Federal statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Dissent | |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Dissent | |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Dissent | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority |
Full case caption
Chicago & North Western Railway Co. v. United Transportation Union
SCDB identifiers: case 1970-111, docket 1970-111-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Labor-management antistrike injunctions”
- International Longshoremen's Association v. Philadelphia Marine Trade Association
- Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers v. Louisville & Nashville Railroad Co.
- Chauffeurs v. Yellow Transit Freight Lines, Inc.
- Sinclair Refining Co. v. Atkinson
- Jacksonville Bulk Terminals, Inc. v. International Longshoremen's Association
- Order of Railroad Telegraphers v. Chicago & North Western Railway Co.
Cases on the same legal provision: Railway Labor Act
- Andrews v. Louisville & Nashville Railroad Co.Altered precedent
- Detroit & Toledo Shore Line Railroad Co. v. United Transportation Union
- Transportation-Communication Employees Union v. Union Pacific Railroad Co.
- Walker v. Southern Railway Co.
- Brotherhood of Railway & Steamship Clerks v. Florida East Coast Railway Co.
- Gunther v. San Diego & Arizona Eastern Railway Co.
Same Term, same area (Unions)
- National Labor Relations Board v. Local 825
- Magnesium Casting Co. v. National Labor Relations Board
- International Brotherhood of Boilermakers v. Hardeman
- Ramsey v. United Mine Workers of America
- National Labor Relations Board v. Natural Gas Utility District of Hawkins County
- Amalgamated Association of Street v. Lockridge
Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error