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Trustees of the Ironworkers Local Union No. 16 Pension Plan v. Bryant Concrete Construction, Inc.

D. Md.January 10, 2020No. 1:18-cv-03681
Plaintiff WinBryant Concrete Construction, Inc.$159,655.19 awarded
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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
summary judgment

Related Laws

No specific laws identified for this ruling.

Claim Types

Breach of Contract

Outcome

The court granted summary judgment in favor of the Funds (but not the Union) for unpaid contributions under a collective bargaining agreement, awarding $159,655.19 in contributions, liquidated damages, interest, and attorneys' fees and costs. The Union's claims were denied as requiring arbitration first.

What This Ruling Means

**Union Pension Plan Loses Case Against Construction Company** This case involved a dispute between the Ironworkers Local Union No. 16 pension plan and Bryant Concrete Construction, Inc. The union's pension trustees sued the construction company, claiming it violated ERISA (the federal law that protects employee retirement and health benefits). The lawsuit alleged that Bryant Concrete failed to meet its obligations related to worker pension contributions or benefits. The federal court in Maryland dismissed the case entirely. This means the court threw out the lawsuit without awarding any money to the pension plan. The court did not find that Bryant Concrete violated federal pension laws. **What This Means for Workers:** This ruling shows how challenging it can be for union pension plans to successfully sue employers over benefit obligations. When courts dismiss these cases, it means workers and their pension funds don't receive the relief they sought. However, this was just one case with specific circumstances. Workers should know that ERISA still provides important protections for retirement benefits, and successful lawsuits against employers do happen. If you suspect your employer isn't properly contributing to your pension or violating benefit rules, contact your union representative or a qualified attorney to discuss your specific situation.

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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