Biberaj v. Pritchard Industries, Inc.

859 F. Supp. 2d 549, 2012 WL 892184, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 33831
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedMarch 12, 2012
DocketNo. 08 Civ. 07993 (PGG)
StatusPublished
Cited by48 cases

This text of 859 F. Supp. 2d 549 (Biberaj v. Pritchard Industries, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Biberaj v. Pritchard Industries, Inc., 859 F. Supp. 2d 549, 2012 WL 892184, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 33831 (S.D.N.Y. 2012).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION & ORDER

PAUL G. GARDEPHE, District Judge:

Pro se Plaintiff Duljia Biberaj was formerly employed by Pritchard Industries, Inc. (“Pritchard”) as an office cleaner, and is a former member of Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union (“Local 32BJ” or “Union”), Biberaj filed this action on September 15, 2008, alleging violations of the Labor Management Relations Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), and the New York Labor Law (“NYLL”), and infliction of emotional distress. (See Cmplt.)

On November 12, 2008, Local 32BJ, Frank Booth, and Oscar Pineda (collectively “Union Defendants”), and Pritchard, Gregory Morabito, Tom Calderone, Ramiz Gjombalaj, and Maliot Balidenaj1 (collectively “Pritchard Defendants”) moved to dismiss the Complaint for failure to state a claim under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6). On September 28, 2009, this Court issued an order granting in part and denying in part Defendants’ motions to dismiss. (Dkt. No. 23)

The Court dismissed the Complaint’s first and second causes of action — for breach of the collective bargaining agreement and breach of the duty of fair representation — to the extent that they relied on time-barred conduct set forth in Paragraphs 46-48, 50-52, 62-64, and 73 of the Complaint. This Court also dismissed the Complaint’s third and fourth causes of action — for alleged violations of the FLSA and the NYLL — as to the Union Defendants because Local 32BJ and its agents were not Plaintiffs employer. These claims were likewise dismissed as to the Pritchard Defendants to the extent that they were based on alleged record-keeping violations and an alleged failure to provide meal time and breaks.

This Court further dismissed the fifth and sixth causes of action' — alleging retali[553]*553ation in violation of the FLSA and NYLL — because of Plaintiffs failure to allege that she had engaged in “protected activity” or that she had been retaliated against because of her participation in “protected activity.” Plaintiffs seventh cause of action, which asserted a claim for respondeat superior, was dismissed because respondeat superior is not a standalone cause of action. The eighth cause of action — for negligent infliction of emotional distress — was dismissed because Plaintiff failed to allege that Defendants owed her a special duty. Finally, the ninth cause of action — for intentional infliction of emotional distress — was dismissed as to the Union Defendants because Plaintiffs allegations as to them did not meet the “extreme outrage” standard set by New York courts.2 (Dkt. No. 23 at 31)

The Union now moves for summary judgment on the remaining claims in the first and second causes of action, set forth in Paragraphs 49, 53-61, 65-68, 72, 75, and 76 of the Complaint, arguing that these claims are either time-barred or that there is no evidence from which a reasonable factfinder could find that the Union breached its duty of fair representation. (Dkt. No. 50) The Pritchard Defendants also move for summary judgment as to the claims remaining against them. (Dkt. No. 44) For the reasons stated below, Defendants’ motions for summary judgment will be granted.

BACKGROUND

Plaintiff Duljia Biberaj was employed by Pritchard, a commercial cleaning contractor doing business throughout the New York City area, as a full-time office cleaner at 5 Times Square in Manhattan from 2002 through 2009. (Def. R. 56.1 Stmt. ¶¶ 1-3; Calderone Aff. ¶ 3)3 Defendant Local 32BJ, a labor organization under Section 2(5) of the National Labor Relations Act, represented Biberaj as a member of a bargaining unit of employees employed by Pritchard at 5 Times Square. (Def. R. 56.1 Stmt. ¶¶ 4-5)

The terms and conditions of Biberaj’s employment were established under successive collective bargaining agreements between Local 32BJ and a multi-employer bargaining association called the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations, Inc. (“RAB”), of which Pritchard is a member. (Id. ¶ 11) The relevant collective bargaining agreements in this action are the 2002 Contractors Agreement (effective January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2004), the 2005 Contractors Agreement (effective October 1, 2004 through December 31, 2007), and the 2008 Contractors Agreement (effective January 1, 2008 through December [554]*55431, 2011) (individually and collectively referred to as “CBA”). (Id. ¶ 12)

Articles V and VI of the CBA contain a grievance and arbitration procedure through which Local 32BJ and Pritchard process and adjust grievances under the CBA on behalf of bargaining unit members. (Id. ¶ 13) The grievance procedure under the CBA consists of three stages; (1) the Union investigates the employee’s complaint and attempts to informally adjust the complaint with employer representatives; (2) if the dispute is not resolved after the first step, and the Union believes further action is warranted, the Union may advance the dispute as a grievance to a Step II Grievance Meeting between Union and employer representatives; and (3) if the dispute is not resolved at the second step, and the Union believes further action is necessary, the Union will proceed to an arbitration hearing at the Office of the Contract Arbitrator (“OCA”). (Id. ¶ 14)

During her Pritchard employment, Biberaj made numerous complaints to the Union about Pritchard’s treatment of her. The following allegations survived the Court’s ruling on Defendants’ motions to dismiss:

• On December 2, 2004, Biberaj was one of several Pritchard employees who filed a complaint with the Union claiming that Pritchard did not increase their wage rate as required under the CBA from 80% of the minimum rate to 100% after completing an initial 30-month period of employment. (Id. ¶ 15) Local 32BJ pursued the grievance through the third step — scheduling the grievance for arbitration at OCA on July 8, 2005. (Id. ¶ 16) At the arbitration, Pritchard and the Union entered into a written settlement for back wages. (Id. ¶ 17) Payments were not timely made under the settlement agreement, however, and the Union resumed the grievance at an arbitration on October 17, 2006. (Id. ¶ 18) At the arbitration, the parties consented to the arbitrator issuing an award requiring Pritchard to pay the employees unpaid wages still owed. (Id.) On November 3, 2006, the Union forwarded to Biberaj a check issued by Pritchard in the amount of $748.04 for back wages due her under the arbitration award. (Id. ¶ 19) Biberaj complains that the Union should have obtained more money for her (Biberaj Dep. at 199) but cannot specify how much more in back wages she should have received. (Def. R. 56.1.Stmt.¶ 20)
• Pritchard requires employees who will be absent to give notice to the main office at least three hours before the employee’s starting time. (Id. ¶ 22) Pritchard maintained a record of absences and a call-in log at the main office. (Id.) On February 24, 2006, Pritchard issued a written warning to Biberaj because she failed to call in on February 23, 2006. (Id.) On February 27, 2006, Biberaj filed a complaint with the Union challenging the written warning. (Id. ¶23; Calderone Aff, Exh.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Accettola v. He
S.D. New York, 2025
Bordes, Jr. v. Deveaux
S.D. New York, 2025
Dumel v. Westchester County
S.D. New York, 2023
Haywood v. Annucci
S.D. New York, 2022
Hall v. Annucci
S.D. New York, 2022
Brown v. Venettozi
S.D. New York, 2022
Johnson v. Brown
S.D. New York, 2022
Veras v. Jacobson
S.D. New York, 2022
Aramas v. Pollizzi
S.D. New York, 2022
Kravitz v. State of New York
S.D. New York, 2022

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
859 F. Supp. 2d 549, 2012 WL 892184, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 33831, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/biberaj-v-pritchard-industries-inc-nysd-2012.