Delia v. Riley Stoker Corp.

20 Pa. D. & C.3d 173, 1980 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 67
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Bucks County
DecidedOctober 2, 1980
Docketno. 74-653-09-1
StatusPublished

This text of 20 Pa. D. & C.3d 173 (Delia v. Riley Stoker Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Bucks County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Delia v. Riley Stoker Corp., 20 Pa. D. & C.3d 173, 1980 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 67 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1980).

Opinion

RUFE,J.,

This action concerns plaintiff Michael Delia’s claim for disability retirement benefits (benefits) pursuant to a retirement plan (plan) created and funded by his former employer, defendant Riley Stoker Corporation/ Baudenhausen Corporation (corporation).

Plaintiff is a former employe of the corporation and member of Local Union No. 5586 (local) of the United Steelworkers of America (USWA), to which Local the corporation’s employees belonged. He applied for benefits after suffering a severe heart attack of October 27, 1971, but the Retirement [174]*174Committee (Committee) charged with administering the plan denied his application. Plaintiff brought this action against the corporation challenging the committee’s denial and against USWA for its failure to arbitrate his claim pursuant to the Local’s contract with the corporation.

Although both defendants were served, only the corporation has appeared and defended the action. This court tried this case without a jury, hence this opinion.

STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES

The issues are:

1. Whether the corporation is contractually obligated to provide plaintiff benefits pursuant to the plan;

2. Whether the committee’s determination concerning plaintiff’s application for benefits is subject to judicial review;

3. Whether plaintiff’s absences from work due to illness, or strikes accrued toward his “continuous service,” as defined by the plan;

4. Whether plaintiff must have completed 15 years continuous service before he became “totally and permanently disabled,” as defined by the plan, to qualify for benefits;

5. Whether plaintiff became “totally and permanently disabled,” as defined by the plan, while he was still an employe;

6. Whether plaintiff may recover damages for anticipatory breach of an obligation to pay installments of money not due at the time he instituted this action.

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. The corporation hired plaintiff on March 12, 1957.

[175]*1752. As a result of his employment plaintiff became a member of Local No. 5586, USWA.

3. On or about March 17, 1969, the corporation and USWA on behalf of the local executed an “Agreement between Baudenhausen Corporation and the United Steelworkers of America— A.F.L. — C.I.O. Local Union No. 5586, March 17, 1969.”

4. At all times relevant to this action the corporation maintained a “Retirement Plan for Employees of Baudenhausen covered by Collective Bargaining Agreement with Local No. 5586” (“Plan”).

5. Section I of the plan defines “employee” as follows:

(9) “Employee” means a regular fall time employee covered by the collective bargaining agreement with United Steelworkers of America, AFL-CIO, Local No. 5586.

6. Section XVI of the plan provides in pertinent part, that:

The general administration of the Plan shall be placed in a Retirement Committee of at least three members appointed from time to time by the Board of Directors of the [Corporation] to serve at the pleasure of said Board.

Subject to limitations of the Plan, the Retirement Committee, from time to time, shall establish rules for the administration of the Plan and the transaction of its business. The determination of the Retirement Committee as to any question involving the general administration of the Plan shall be conclusive.

Any discretionary actions to be taken under this Plan by the Retirement Committee with respect to the classification of Employees, contributions, or benefits, shall be uniform in their nature and applicable to all Employees similarly situated.

[176]*1767. Section IV of the plan provides, in pertinent part, as follows:

Disability Retirement Date:

Effective January 25, 1963, an Employee included in the Plan who has completed at least fifteen (15) years Continuous Service and who becomes totally and permanently disabled on or after such date may retire and receive a Disability Retirement Benefit.

An employee shall be deemed to be totally and permanently disabled only if he has been totally disabled by bodily injury or disease so as to be prevented thereby from engaging in any occupation or employment for remuneration or profit; and if such total disability shall have continued for a period of six (6) continuous months, and, in the opinion of a qualified physician, it will be permanent and continuous during the remainder of his life.

8. Section I of the plan defines “Continuous Service” as follows:

(10) “Continuous Service” means the actual total full years of continuous service rendered by the Employee to the [Corporation] excluding periods of layoff except as hereinafter provided. In determining “Continuous Service” there shall be included:

(a) Service with wholly owned subsidiaries and with corporations affiliated with the [Corporation] and affiliated with Riley Stoker Corporation.

(b) The period of service with the Armed Forces of the United States of America, provided that an Employee who left active service with the [Corporation] to enter and did directly enter such Armed Forces returned to active service with the [Corporation] within ninety (90) days of his honorable discharge from such Armed Forces, but an Em[177]*177ployee will accrue no Future Service Benefits during such absence.

(c) The period during any authorized leave of absence.

(d) The first eighteen months of involuntary layoff.

9. Paragraph 98 of the agreement provides as follows:

Continuous employment, seniority and all its benefits shall cease except as otherwise provided for in this agreement, when an employee:

(a) Voluntarily quits

(b) Retires

(c) Has been discharged for cause

(d) Has taken other employment during his scheduled working hours with the [Corporation] or during leave of absence or during sick leave, if he is able to perform work available to him at this [Corporation]

(e) Does not return to work within three (3) working days after receipt of proper notice of recall unless able to present reasons for such failure to return to work which are acceptable to and approved by the Personnel Department and the Union Committee. Notice of recall shall be made by certified mail or telegram and when such notices are issued the Union Committee shall be furnished with a copy of same. Notice sent by certified mail (postage prepaid) or by telegram to the last address of the employee as it appears on the records of the company shall be sufficient. The employee takes the responsibility that the last address on the employment records of the [Corporation] is correct.

(f) Absences due to layoff in excess of the periods outlined below:

[178]*178Active employment of Seniority terminates

Up to 2 years 2 years after layoff

Over 3 years 3 years after layoff

Over 4 years 4 years after layoff

Over 5 years 5 years after layoff

10. Plaintiff was absent from work from May 6, 1968 to May 7, 1969 due to a heart attack.

11.

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Bluebook (online)
20 Pa. D. & C.3d 173, 1980 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 67, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/delia-v-riley-stoker-corp-pactcomplbucks-1980.