RCA del Caribe, Inc. v. Silva Recio

429 F. Supp. 651, 20 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 865, 1976 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14167, 15 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 7851
CourtDistrict Court, D. Puerto Rico
DecidedJuly 13, 1976
DocketCiv. No. 75-1117
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 429 F. Supp. 651 (RCA del Caribe, Inc. v. Silva Recio) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
RCA del Caribe, Inc. v. Silva Recio, 429 F. Supp. 651, 20 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 865, 1976 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14167, 15 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 7851 (prd 1976).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

TOLEDO, Chief Judge.

This is a class action brought by plaintiff RCA del Caribe, Inc., an employer in Puerto Rico, on its own behalf and on behalf of other employers in Puerto Rico similarly situated, seeking declaratory and injunctive relief pursuant to Title 42, United States Code, Sections 1983 and 2000e et seq. The class was defined as consisting of all employers in Puerto Rico engaged in industries affecting commerce and having fifteen or more employees for each working day in each of twenty or more calendar weeks in the current or the preceding calendar year.

Pursuant to a Stipulation signed and filed by plaintiff and defendant, the Court entered an Order providing that this case be maintained as a class action under Rules 23(b)(1)(B) and 23(b)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and authorizing plaintiff to file an amended complaint.

Jurisdiction of the Court was invoked under Title 28, United States Code, Sections 1331, 1337, 1343, and 2201. The Court entered an order questioning its jurisdiction over this matter and directed both parties to discuss the jurisdiction of the Court. After considering both briefs submitted, this Court finds that plaintiff has satisfied the jurisdictional amount required under Section 1331 of Title 28, United States Code.

In the amended complaint filed by plaintiff, it asks the Court to issue a declaratory judgment declaring that the provisions of Puerto Rico Act No. 73 of June 21, 1919, as amended, (29 LPRA, Sections 457-466), the Regulations adopted by defendant Secretary of Labor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico concerning night work by fe[653]*653male employees and the provisions of Article 1 of Puerto Rico Act No. 25 of November 12, 1975 that keeps alive for affected employees any cause of action arisen under Puerto Rico Act No. 73 of June 21, 1919 prior to the effective date of Puerto Rico Act No. 25 of November 12, 1975, conflict with Title VII of the U. S. Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, and are therefore invalid under the provisions of Article VI, Clause 2 (the Supremacy Clause) of the Constitution of the United States; and to issue a permanent injunction enjoining defendant, his agents and successors from enforcing against plaintiff and the members of the class, the provisions of said statutory provisions of the Laws of Puerto Rico that conflict with Title VII of the U. S. Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Defendant has not denied the allegations of the complaint. He has raised as only defense to plaintiff’s action the allegation that the case at bar is moot because Puerto Rico Act No. 73 of June 21, 1919, was repealed by Puerto Rico Act No. 25 approved by the Governor of Puerto Rico on November 12, 1975.

Through another stipulation, the parties stated and agreed that there is no controversy between them as to the facts stated on a sworn statement of Mr. Fred Hargrave, plaintiff’s Vice-President and General Manager, dated November 20, 1975, which sworn statement was part of the stipulation; and that there is no genuine issue between them as to any material fact.

There being no genuine issue as to any material fact and being fully advised in the premises, the Court now makes the following findings of fact and conclusions of law and in accordance therewith, enters the order set forth hereinafter:

I. FINDINGS OF FACT

1. Plaintiff RCA del Caribe, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware and duly authorized to do business in Puerto Rico, is engaged in a plant it operates in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, in the manufacture of electrical components for television sets that it exports to the United States of America.

2. Plaintiff is engaged in an industry affecting interstate commerce and has employed around 275 employees for each working day in each of twenty or more calendar weeks in the preceding and the current calendar year. It imports and has been importing yearly from the United States goods with a value exceeding $50,000 and it exports and has been exporting yearly to the United States goods manufactured in its plant in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, with a value exceeding $50,000.00.

3. Plaintiff has brought this action as a member and representative of a class consisting of all employers in Puerto Rico engaged in industries affecting commerce and having fifteen or more employees for each working day in each of twenty or more calendar weeks in the current or the preceding calendar year.

4. Defendant Luis Silva Recio, Secretary of Labor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is charged with the administration and enforcement of the laws of Puerto Rico regulating wages, hours of work, and other terms and conditions of employment of workers in Puerto Rico.

5. In the operation of its plant in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, plaintiff employs both female and male employees. A group of said employees works and has been working from 6:00 a. m. to 2:00 p.m.; another group works and has been working from 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.; and another group works and has been working from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Both female and male employees work and have been working in each of the aforementioned three working shifts since a date prior to the filing of the instant complaint.

6. Plaintiff is applying and has been applying to all the male and female employees of its Barceloneta plant, without taking into consideration the sex of the employees, the provisions of the wage and hour laws of Puerto Rico contained in Title 29, Laws of Puerto Rico Annotated, Sections 271 — 283, and the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement covering said employees, ex-[654]*654ecu ted between plaintiff and Local Union 2333, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

7. In a letter sent by defendant on July 7, 1975, to Mr. Fred Hargrave, plaintiff’s Vice-President and General Manager, defendant stated that Puerto Rico Act No. 73 of June 21, 1919, as amended, continued in full force.

8. Under the provisions of Title 29, Laws of Puerto Rico Annotated, Section 457, no woman may be employed or allowed to work at any lucrative occupation during the hours between twelve o’clock at night and six o’clock in the morning except women over 18 years of age who are employed in certain occupations and industries therein enumerated and women employed as executives, managers and professionals as such terms are defined by the Minimum Wage Board of Puerto Rico. It is therein further provided that in the industries in which such employment is allowed, the work shifts will be rotated among the working women at least once a week.

9. Under the provisions of Title 29, Laws of Puerto Rico Annotated, Section 457, the Secretary of Labor is authorized to grant permits for the employment of women over 18 years of age after twelve o’clock at night in other industries provided, among other things, that an adequate differential be provided in the wage for work performed between midnight and six o’clock in the morning. In such event, the employment of women will be subject to the requirement of rotating shifts and such other restrictions and conditions as the Secretary of Labor may establish in the permit, including provisions to guarantee the transportation and safety of these workers when traveling to and from their place of work.

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Bluebook (online)
429 F. Supp. 651, 20 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 865, 1976 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14167, 15 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 7851, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rca-del-caribe-inc-v-silva-recio-prd-1976.