Perero v. Hyatt Corp.

151 F. Supp. 3d 277, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 170592, 2015 WL 9433841
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedJanuary 23, 2015
Docket13-cv-7381 (SLT) (RER)
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 151 F. Supp. 3d 277 (Perero v. Hyatt Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Perero v. Hyatt Corp., 151 F. Supp. 3d 277, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 170592, 2015 WL 9433841 (E.D.N.Y. 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

TOWNES, United States District Judge

Plaintiffs Frank Perero, Noel McCarthy, Jadwiga Mills, Valin Tin, Gilbert Ramos, Felix Marte, Eric Hoang, Roosevelt Davis, Scott Nollenbergers, Anthony Di Sante, Ivan Steinberg, Paolo Prall, Andres Mor-ante, Michael Worrell, Joseph Fernandez, [279]*279and Bess Morrison (collectively, “Plaintiffs”) bring this action against their- employer — -Hyatt Corporation d/b/a - Grand Hyatt New York (“Hyatt”), and -against their Union(s) — the New York Hotel & Motel Trades Council, AFL-CIO and-the Hotel, Restaurant & Club Employees and Bartenders Union, Local 6 (collectively, the “Union”). Plaintiffs, all of whom are employed as “B-List” banquet workers at the Hyatt, allege that the Hyatt and the Union violated various state and federal statutory and common laws by “failpng] to treat a category of unionized workers ‘B-List Banquet -Workers’ in the same manner as ‘A-List Banquet Workers?.” (Compl. ¶ 6.) .Currently befpre the Court are Hyatt’s and-.the Union’s motions for judgment on the pleadings brought pursuant to Rule 12(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. For the following reasons, the motions are granted and the complaint is dismissed in its entirety., ¡ ,,

Legal Standard

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure -12(c) (“Rule 12(c)”)' provides that “[ajfter the pleadings are closed — but early enough not to delay trial — a party may move for judgment on the pleadings.” Under Rule 12(c), “a party is entitled to judgment .on the pleadings only if it has established that no material -issue of fact remains to be resolved and that [it] is. entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Bailey v. Pataki, No. 08 Civ. 8563(JSR), 2010 WL 234995, at *1 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 19, 2010) (quotation marks and citations omitted), (alteration in original).

“The same standard applicable to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6) motions to dismiss applies to [Rule] 12(c) motions for judgment on the pleadings.” Bank of New York v. First Millennium, Inc., 607 F.3d 905, 922 (2d Cir.2010). Thus, the Court applies the Rule 12(b) “plausibility standard,” which is guided by “[t]wo working principles.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009). ’ District courts should first “identify! ] pleadings that, because they are no more-than conclusions, are not entitled to the assumption of truth,” and second, if a complaint contains “well-pleaded factual allegations, a court should assume their veracity and then determine whether they plausibly give rise to an entitlement to relief.” Id. at 679, 129 S.Ct. 1937. Because' “hasty or imprudent use of this summary procedure by the courts violates the policy in favor of ensuring to each litigant a full and fair hearing on the merits of his or her claim or- defense,” district courts should not “grant a motion under Rule 12(c) unless the movant clearly establishes that no material issue of fact remains to be resolved land that he is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” 5C Charles Alan Wright & Arthur R. Miller, Fed. Prac. & Proc. Civ. § 1368 (3d ed.).

In deciding a Rule 12(c) motion, the district court may only consider the facts as presented within the four corners of the complaint. Sira v. Morton, 380 F.3d 57, 66-67 (2d Cir.2004).' “A complaint is deemed to include any written instrument attached to it as 'an exhibit, materials 'incorporated in it by reference, ... documents that, although not incorporated by reference, are ‘integral’ to the complaint,” id. (citations omitted), and any facts of which judicial notice may be taken, Chambers v. Time Warner, Inc., 282 F.3d 147, 153 (2d Cir.2002). The Second Circuit has emphasized that “a plaintiffs reliance on the terms and effect of a document in drafting the complaint is a necessary prerequisite to the court’s consideration of the document on a dismissal- motion;, mere notice or possession is not enough.” Id. (emphasis in original). However, documents-that are “neither expressly cited in [280]*280the complaint nor integral to the claims raised” may not be considered, even if the ■complaint makes “limited quotations] from or reference^] to” those documents. Sira, 380 F.3d at 67 (citing Cosmas v. Hassett, 886 F.2d 8, 13 (2d Cir.1989)) (rejecting argument that short quotations from an annual report and 10K statement incorporated those documents into the complaint). “[I]f the motion includes material ‘outside the pleadings’ and that material is ‘not excluded by the court’ ” the district court must convert the motion-to one for summary judgment. Id. (quoting Rule 12(c)).

Factual Background

The following facts are taken from the complaint and documents relied upon therein. Plaintiffs are employed as banquet workers at' Hyatt and are members of the Union, (Compl. ¶ 7.) The Union is the exclusive collective bargaining agent for all Union members employed by Hyatt and has entered into an industry-wide collective bargaining agreement (the “CBA”) with the Hotel Association of New York City, of which Hyatt is a member. (Compl. ¶ 10.) Accordingly, the terms and conditions of Plaintiffs’ employment at the Hyatt are governed by the CBA. The CBA provides, inter alia, that banquet workers will be paid an additional sum for serving tables with 13 or more guests. (Compl. ¶ 12-13 (citing Ex. II, IWA Schedule A-l).) The CBA defines such tables as “splits” and “doubles,” depending on the number of guests, and mandates a proportionately higher wage for banquet workers servicing such tables. (Id.)

Since 1986, Hyatt has maintained two rosters for banquet workers, an “A-List” and a “B-List.” (Compl. ¶ 14.) According to Plaintiffs, there is no difference between “A-List” and “B-List” banquet workers, other than that, because of their seniority, “A-List” banquet workers are called before “B-List” banquet workers to fill jobs. As a result of a 1998 arbitration award in favor of the Union for the benefit of “B-List” .banquet workers, (the “1998 Arbitral Ruling”), Hyatt is required to fill open “A-List” jobs from the “ ‘B-List,” according to '.the “B-List” banquet workers’ seniority, rather than from other sources. (Compl. ¶-15 (quoting Ex. Ill, 1998 Arbitral Ruling.)) According bo Plaintiffs, the ruling requires Hyatt to treat “B-List” banquet workers “identically” to- “A-List”- workers in all respects, because the only difference between. “A-List” and “B-List” banquet workers is their seniority. (Compl. ¶¶ 15-16.)- .

Plaintiffs’ principal complaint arises out of a memorandum issued by Hyatt on or about' April 22, 2013, which provides that “A-List” 'banquet workers may be called to work “doubles” and “splits” before “B-List” workers, and as a result “B-List workers only get to work if not enough A-list workei-s are available.” (Compl.

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151 F. Supp. 3d 277, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 170592, 2015 WL 9433841, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/perero-v-hyatt-corp-nyed-2015.