Wade v. Ports America Management Corp.

218 Cal. App. 4th 648, 13 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 8382, 160 Cal. Rptr. 3d 482, 2013 WL 3963965, 196 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2496, 2013 Cal. App. LEXIS 615
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedAugust 2, 2013
DocketB238224
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 218 Cal. App. 4th 648 (Wade v. Ports America Management Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wade v. Ports America Management Corp., 218 Cal. App. 4th 648, 13 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 8382, 160 Cal. Rptr. 3d 482, 2013 WL 3963965, 196 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2496, 2013 Cal. App. LEXIS 615 (Cal. Ct. App. 2013).

Opinion

Opinion

MANELLA, J.

INTRODUCTION

Camargo v. California Portland Cement Co. (2001) 86 Cal.App.4th 995 [103 Cal.Rptr.2d 841] (Camargo) held that a labor arbitration pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) has no preclusive effect on a claim pursuant to the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Government Code section 12940 et seq., unless the parties expressly agreed to arbitrate FEHA claims. (Camargo, at p. 1008.) On appeal, Calvin Wade contends this holding should be extended to common law claims related to the FEHA, such as a claim for wrongful termination in violation of public policy. We disagree, as there is no comprehensive statutory scheme applicable to FEHA-related common law claims comparable to the FEHA. In the alternative, appellant contends the arbitration had no preclusive effect, as it did not address his racial discrimination claim. We conclude the arbitration encompassed that claim. Accordingly, we affirm the grant of a summary judgment in favor of respondents Marine Terminals Corporation and Ports America Management Corporation (collectively MTC) on appellant’s cause of action for wrongful termination in violation of public policy.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Appellant, an African-American male, was employed as a steady vessel planner by MTC. 1 Appellant was a member of Local 63 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU or the Union). The ILWU is certified as the exclusive bargaining representative for longshore employees employed by MTC.

*651 As a member of Local 63, appellant was subject to a CBA, the Pacific coast longshore and clerks’ agreement contract document for clerks and related classifications (PCCCD). Section 13.1 of the PCCCD prohibited discrimination against union members. It provided in pertinent part: “There shall be no discrimination . . . either in favor of or against any person because of membership or nonmembership in the Union, activity for or against the Union or absence thereof, race, creed, color, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation), age (forty or over), national origin, religious or political beliefs, disability, protected family care or medical leave status, veteran status, political affiliation or marital status. Also prohibited by this policy is retaliation of any kind for filing or supporting a complaint of discrimination or harassment.”

The PCCCD required Union members to submit any grievances related to their employment to binding arbitration. Section 13.2 of the PCCCD provided in pertinent part: “All grievances and complaints alleging incidents of discrimination or harassment... in connection with any action subject to the terms of this Agreement based on race, creed, color, sex ... or alleging retaliation of any kind for filing or supporting a complaint of such discrimination or harassment, shall be processed solely under the Special Grievance/Arbitration Procedures For The Resolution of Complaints Re Discrimination and Harassment Under the Pacific Coast Longshore & Clerk’s Agreement. . . .”

On September 5, 2008, appellant was laid off. He was the fourth steady vessel planner released by MTC that year. Jeff Blaschko, the manager who made the decision to release appellant, stated that he selected appellant because of his poor work performance. At the time appellant was released, he had more seniority than three of the six steady vessel planners MTC retained.

Following his release, appellant filed a grievance alleging that he had been laid off in violation of the PCCCD. In his written grievance, he stated:

“Section 18 of the PCC[C]D Contract has a Good-Faith Guarantee. The following planners were hired and laid off according to seniority, with the exception of myself: [Names].
“There are three Planners with less seniority than myself that are still employed at MTC. Section 13 of the PCC[C]D Contract has been violated, and as a result, I feel discriminated against.
“On record are Grievances I have filed with the Union against MTC employees for discriminatory practices in the past. The Grievances were upheld, and disciplinary action was taken against MTC employees and management.
*652 “MTC continues to demonstrate unfair discriminatory practices against minority employees.”

The grievance was arbitrated in early 2009. At the arbitration hearing, appellant was represented by a Union lawyer. The lawyer framed the grievance as whether appellant was released in violation of the seniority system, and whether appellant was discriminated against in violation of section 13.1 of the PCCCD for his Union activity. Appellant’s written grievance was read into the record, three witnesses (including appellant) were called in support, and numerous documents were introduced into evidence. Appellant’s earlier grievances, alleging that two MTC employees had made inappropriate racial remarks and that MTC had failed to discipline them for those remarks, were also introduced into evidence.

On February 17, 2009, the arbitrator issued a written decision. In his decision, the arbitrator stated that the issues presented were: “Whether Calvin Wade, hereafter Wade, was released improperly from the position of steady vessel planner. Also was Wade released in violation of Section 13.1 of the PCCCD?” The arbitrator concluded that “the PCCCD governs this dispute and permits the Employer to properly release Wade in the instant dispute.” The arbitrator also found “no compelling evidence to support the claim of the Union that Section 13.1 was violated by the Employer.”

On August 25, 2010, appellant filed an action in the superior court, alleging a single cause of action: retaliation and wrongful termination in violation of public policy. Specifically, he alleged he was terminated in violation of the public policy against racial discrimination and retaliation, as codified by the Legislature in the FEHA.

After filing an answer generally denying the allegations, respondents moved for summary judgment. They asserted that appellant’s claim was barred by res judicata, as the identical claim had been adversely decided against appellant in the labor arbitration.

Appellant opposed summary judgment. He contended his claim was not barred by res judicata, as the arbitration involved discrimination on the basis of his union activities, not racial discrimination. He further contended the arbitration award did not bar his claim, citing federal and state cases holding that an adverse decision by an arbitrator had no preclusive effect on statutory discrimination claims.

Respondents filed a reply, asserting the arbitration had encompassed appellant’s racial discrimination claim. They further asserted that as appellant did not assert a claim under the FEHA or any other statute, he could not rely upon cases addressing the preclusive effect of arbitration on statutory claims.

*653 On December 9, 2011, the superior court granted respondents’ motion for summary judgment.

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218 Cal. App. 4th 648, 13 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 8382, 160 Cal. Rptr. 3d 482, 2013 WL 3963965, 196 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2496, 2013 Cal. App. LEXIS 615, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wade-v-ports-america-management-corp-calctapp-2013.