United Association Local 198 Pension Fund v. Stevens Plumbing & Piping, LLC
Case Details
- Nature of Suit — the legal category of the dispute
- Labor: E.R.I.S.A.
- Status — whether other courts must follow this ruling
- Unknown
- Procedural Posture — the stage the case had reached
- default judgment
- State
- Louisiana
- Circuit
- Fifth Circuit
Related Laws
No specific laws identified for this ruling.
Claim Types
Outcome
Default judgment granted. Plaintiffs (union pension and welfare funds) awarded $89,265.26 in delinquent fringe benefit contributions, interest, liquidated damages, and attorney's fees against defendant employer for failure to make required payments under a collective bargaining agreement.
What This Ruling Means
Court Rules Against Stevens Plumbing & Piping for Unpaid Worker Benefits
What Happened
Stevens Plumbing & Piping, LLC failed to pay money it owed to union pension and welfare benefit funds. Under a contract with the union, the company was required to contribute funds to support workers' retirement pensions and health benefits. The company stopped making these payments without justification.
The Court's Decision
The court found Stevens Plumbing & Piping broke its agreement and ordered the company to pay $89,265.26. This amount covered the missing contributions, interest penalties, extra damages, and the union's legal fees for pursuing the case.
Why This Matters for Workers
This ruling protects union workers by enforcing employer obligations to fund their benefits. When companies skip these payments, workers lose retirement savings and health coverage they earned through their labor. The court's decision—including penalties and attorney fees—makes it costly for employers to dodge these responsibilities, encouraging companies to honor their benefit commitments. Workers who belong to unions with similar agreements can take action if their employers fall behind on required payments.
This summary was generated to explain the ruling in plain English and is not legal advice.
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This ruling information is sourced from public court records via CourtListener.com. Case outcomes, claim types, and summaries are extracted using AI analysis and may be incomplete or inaccurate. It is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
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