Dragados Worker Bound by Union Arbitration Pact in Wage Lawsuit

Infrastructure contractor Dragados USA won its bid to require a unionized construction worker to individually arbitrate his would-be class suit alleging California wage and breaks violations, according to a federal judge in Fresno’s ruling.

Gustavo Burmudez is subject to a union agreement that sets out a specific grievance procedure, including mandatory arbitration, for all employment disputes, Judge Anthony W. Ishii of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California said.

Burmudez was employed by Dragados as a construction worker on a high-speed rail project through his union, Laborers’ Local 29, from August 2018 to August 2020.

When Burmudez ...