Valdez v. United Food & Commercial Workers Union Local 7

# Valdez v. United Food & Commercial Workers Union Local 7 **What Happened** Valdez filed a lawsuit against the United Food & Commercial Workers Union Local 7, claiming the union breached its duty to fairly represent him and discriminated against him based on a protected characteristic. He sought damages for harm he believed he suffered. **What the Court Decided** The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Valdez and upheld the lower court's decision in favor of the union. The court found two main problems with his case: First, he waited too long to sue—he filed his breach of duty claim more than six months after the events occurred, which exceeded the legal time limit. Second, regarding the discrimination claim, Valdez provided no evidence showing the union acted with discriminatory intent or as a cover-up for unfair treatment. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case shows that workers must act quickly when filing complaints against unions. There are strict deadlines—missing them can result in losing your case entirely. Additionally, to win discrimination claims, workers need concrete evidence of discriminatory intent, not just suspicions.