Faye M. Barras v. Salt River Valley Water Users' Association, an Arizona Corporation

Thirty-five women brought action against Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association, under the Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C.A. § 201 et seq., for unpaid wages. It was alleged each was respectively an employee of the Association and that the latter refused to pay anything for services of any of them. The Association filed answer denying that any one of these women was its employee. It alleged that any work or service performed by any of these women was done without knowledge of the Association, was voluntary, and was performed without expectation of compensation by the particular woman.

At the trial, it was shown that waters are collected by the Association from a 13,000 square mile watershed and converge at Granite Reef Dam, near Phoenix, Arizona. From this dam, the water is diverted into canals. Through the canals, the water flows into laterals and ditches. Thereby it is distributed to lands of farmers and other users. This water is augmented by an additional supply obtained by pumping.

The area controlled by the Association was divided into sixty-two divisions, each in charge of a zanjero, who was admittedly an employee of the Association. It was his responsibility to…