Hall

Background

Plaintiff Donald Hall (“Hall”), a beneficiary of the Aireonditioning and Refrigeration Industry Pension and Health & Welfare Plans (“the Plans”), alleges that defendants James Steinmetz (“Steinmetz”) and James Burge (“Burge”) breached ERISA fiduciary duties under 29 U.S.C. §§ 1104-05 and engaged in an ERISA prohibited transaction under 29 U.S.C. § 1106 by approving decreases in the employer contributions required by the Plans without obtaining union ratification of the changes.

The terms of the Plans are governed by a collective bargaining agreement negotiated by representatives of the Aireonditioning and Refrigeration Contractors Association of Southern California, Inc. (“ARCA”) and the Cold Side Division of Local 250 of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada (“Cold Side Division”). ARCA is a multi-employer contractors association representing employers in the air conditioning and refrigeration industries, while the Cold Side Division is a local labor organization representing the employees of those contractors. The Cold Side Division and ARCA periodically negotiate an…