Autoridad De Energia Electrica v. Union De Trabajadores De La Industria Electrica Y Riego

**Court Rules Employer Must Follow Contract Procedures Before Firing Worker** This case involved a dispute between Puerto Rico's electric utility company and an electrical workers' union over an employee termination. The employer fired a worker without following the proper procedures outlined in their collective bargaining agreement, which required an administrative hearing before termination could occur. The Puerto Rico Supreme Court sided with the union, ruling that the electric utility violated the employee's due process rights by skipping the required hearing. The court found that employers must follow the termination procedures they agreed to in their contracts with unions. The case was sent back to lower courts to ensure the proper hearing process takes place. This decision matters for unionized workers because it reinforces that employers cannot simply ignore the protections built into collective bargaining agreements. When a union contract requires specific steps before firing someone—like hearings or investigations—employers must follow those rules. Workers in unions can rely on these contractual protections, and courts will enforce them when employers try to take shortcuts in the termination process.