Comunidad Agrícola Bianchi v. Puerto Rico Labor Relations Board
Comunidad Agrícola Bianchi v. Puerto Rico Labor Relations Board
Opinion of the Court
Unión de Trabajadores Agrícolas of Barrio Palmar in Aguadilla, affiliated to the Free Federation of Labor of Puerto Rico signed a collective agreement covering the workers employed by the employer-petitioner — Comuni-dad Agrícola Bianchi — on April 3, 1961. By virtue of that contract the employer bound itself to contribute five cents for each ton of cane cut and ground to a Welfare Fund to be administered by the Union for the benefit of the workers covered by the agreement. The employer bound itself also to pay two cents per ton of cane cut and ground to the Free Federation, to which the contracting Union was affiliated. These payments were to be made at the end of each grinding season. The Welfare Fund was to be administered by a special committee of the Union and its administrators had to be bonded. This agreement was to be in effect until December 31, 1963.
Pursuant to an order of September 25 of 1962 of the Labor Relations Board, elections were held on February 9, 1963 and the workers chose the Sindicato de Trabajadores (Packinghouse AFL-CIO) to represent them at collective bargaining talks and other pertinent matters. This selection was certified by the Board on March '6, 1963.
On June 3, 1963 the Employer represented by the Sugar Growers Association signed a collective agreement with the Sindicato (Packinghouse) covering its employees and it was
The Employer did not deliver either the 5% cents for the Fund or the 3 cents for the Insurance within the 30 days following the 1963 grinding season. It argued that as the 'Free Federation claimed those contributions for the period in which it represented the Employer’s workers, until March 6, 1963, and the Sindicato (Packinghouse) also claimed them during the grinding season, it did not know for sure who was entitled to them. The Employer then resorted to judicial deposit or action so that the Unión, de Trabajadores Agrícolas
On October 1, 1963 the Sindicato charged the Employer with unfair practice for not having paid the amounts. After the proper proceedings the Board issued a Decision and Order on July 1, 1964, compelling the Employer to comply with the Official Examiner’s decision and the latter decreed that the employer shall remit to the Retirement and to the Insurance Funds administered by the Sindicato (AFL-CIO) 5Y2 and 3 cents, respectively, for each ton of cane ground during the 1963 grinding season.
The Employer has challenged the foregoing Decision and Order in this Court. There are several questions involved, the Board’s and the Superior Court’s jurisdiction on the matter, among them, as well as the faculty of the Board to consider a controversy of a proprietary nature between two Unions, as alleged.
If the Employer did not comply with its collective agreement with the Sindicato the exclusive jurisdiction of the Labor Relations Board to deal in this matter as an unfair practice is beyond any doubt, and such jurisdiction cannot be curtailed or suspended by the fact that the matter has been taken to court. If legal jurisdiction has been acquired the Board exercises it fully, including the affirmative actions which it must issue as a result of its decisions.
Concerning the contributions to the Welfare and Retirement Fund, it is clear that the Employer violated the provisions of the contract by failing to deliver said contribu
Regarding that Fund, the affirmative action of the Board shall be enforced. If we consider that whether under representation by the Union (FLT) or under that of the Sindicato the beneficiary in the Fund is the same, and that either Union only had and has the administration of the Fund, we do not believe that the Employer should be required in the long run to pay twice for the same purpose because that Fund was not a separate property of either one or the other representative. If the Union (FLT) already lost its administration and the Sindicato has it at the time the Order went into effect, it is logical and acceptable that the Sindicato receive the funds for the whole grinding season or since January 1, 1963. This likewise binds the Sindicato to take care, as administrator, of the workers’ claims against the Fund for the whole season or as of January 1, although it had taken over their representation in March.
Regarding the 3-cent contribution to the Life Insurance Fund, the record does not show that the obligation was binding on the Employer retroactively to January 1, 1963. See the áforecited Examiner’s conclusions. In that case the Employer’s obligation to contribute to this Fund started as of June 3, and not January 1. The foregoing does not in any way prejudge the right of the Free Federation of Labor to require from the Employer the 2 cents per ton of ground cane the latter bound itself to contribute as property of said
The Decision and Order of the Board shall be modified in the sense stated so as to eliminate therefrom the Employer’s duty to contribute to the Sindicato for the Life Insurance Fund for the period prior to June 3, 1963, and as modified it will be enforced by this Court.
Direct quotation from the Official Examiner’s Conclusions and Report. ' • ’ -
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.