The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers et al. v. Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad Co. et al., 1959, is a case that revolved around labor disputes and the interpretation of collective bargaining agreements in the railroad industry. The Supreme Court ruled that federal courts have jurisdiction to interpret these agreements under the Railway Labor Act when there's a major dispute between parties about their meaning or application, even if one party believes it should be resolved through arbitration instead of litigation. This decision was significant because it clarified how disagreements over collective bargaining agreements could be handled legally within this specific sector.

In the dissenting opinion for Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers et al. v. Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad Co. et al., Justice Brennan, joined by Chief Justice Warren and Justices Black and Douglas, argued that the Court's decision was a departure from established principles governing judicial review of administrative action under the Railway Labor Act (RLA). They contended that it is not within the jurisdiction of courts to decide on matters related to collective bargaining agreements in this context unless there is a major dispute or if an adjustment board has made its ruling on minor disputes. The dissenters believed that allowing courts to intervene prematurely would undermine Congress' intention when they enacted RLA - which was designed to encourage settlement through negotiation between parties without court interference. In their view, such intervention could lead to unnecessary strikes disrupting commerce and public peace as well as undermining labor-management relations in general.