Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-01697/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-01697-4/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 791
Nature of Suit: Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
Cause of Action: 29:1132 E.R.I.S.A.: Employee Benefits

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Muriel B. Kaplan, Esq. (SBN 124607) 

Michele R. Stafford, Esq. (SBN 172509) 

SALTZMAN & JOHNSON LAW CORPORATION 

120 Howard Street, Suite 520 

San Francisco, CA 94105 

(415) 882-7900 

(415) 882-9287 – Facsimile 

mkaplan@sjlawcorp.com

mstafford@sjlawcorp.com 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

GIL CROSTHWAITE, et al., as Trustees of the 

OPERATING ENGNEERS HEALTH AND 

WELFARE TRUST FUND FOR NORTHERN 

CALIFORNIA; et al., 

Plaintiffs,

v.

R.E. SERRANO, INC., and RICKY 

SERRANO, 

 Defendants. 

Case No.: C07-1697 MMC 

JUDGMENT PURSUANT TO 

STIPULATION 

 IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED by and between the parties hereto, that Judgment may be 

entered in the within action in favor of the plaintiffs and against defendants R.E. SERRANO, 

INC., a California Corporation, and RICKY SERRANO, individually as follows: 

1. Defendants entered into a valid collective bargaining agreement with the 

Operating Engineers Local 3 (hereinafter "Bargaining Agreement"). This Bargaining Agreement 

has continued in full force and effect to the present time. 

2. This action was filed because Defendants became indebted to the Trust Funds for 

amounts due and owing for unpaid contributions which continued through hours worked for 

Defendants in September, 2007, under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and 

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Trust Agreements. Those contributions were recently received, leaving balances due to Plaintiffs 

as follows: 

12% p/d interest (to dates paid) $16,261.36

Amounts found due on Audit $2,456.55

Audit Costs $2,068.51

Fees/Costs (8/28/07-10/16/07) $4,485.16

$25,271.68

15% Liquidated Damages to 8/07 

8/07

9/07

$51,446.86

$6,470.40

$3,899.14

$61,816.40

$87,088.08

3. Plaintiffs agree to conditionally waive liquidated damages in the amount of 

$61,816.40 as shown above, on the condition that Defendants timely and fully pay all amounts due 

hereunder, including October, 2007 contributions to be timely paid on or before November 25, 

2007

4. Defendants shall conditionally pay the amount of $25,271.68, as follows: 

 (a) On or before December 26, 2007, defendants shall pay $5,204.00 to

Plaintiffs. On or before the 25th of every month thereafter for a period of 10 months (through 

October 25, 2008), defendants shall pay to plaintiffs $2,602.00 per month. Defendants shall have 

the right to increase the monthly payments at any time, which can be made by joint check, if 

endorsed by defendants prior to submission to plaintiffs.

 (b) Payments shall be applied first to unpaid interest at the rate of 12% per 

annum on the unpaid audit principal balance and liquidated damages, in accordance with the 

Collective Bargaining Agreement and plaintiffs' Trust Agreements. 

 (c) Payments shall be made to the Operating Engineers Trust Funds, and 

delivered to Muriel B. Kaplan, Saltzman & Johnson Law Corporation, 120 Howard Street, Suite 

520, San Francisco, CA 94105 on or before the 25th of each month as stated above, or to such 

other address as may be specified by plaintiffs. In the event that any check is not timely submitted 

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or submitted by defendants but fails to clear the bank, or is unable to be negotiated for any reason, 

this shall be considered to be a default on the Judgment entered. If this occurs, plaintiffs shall 

make a written demand to defendants to prove or make said payment by faxing notice to Ricky 

Serrano at 925-957-8121 and 925-944-9387. Default will only be cured by the issuance of a 

replacement, cashier’s check, delivered to Saltzman and Johnson Law Corporation within seven 

(7) days of the date of the notice from plaintiffs. If defendants elect to cure said default, and 

plaintiffs elect to accept future payments, all such payments shall be made by cashier’s check if the 

default was caused by a failed check. In the event default is not cured, all amounts remaining due 

hereunder shall be due and payable on demand by plaintiffs. 

 5. Payment of contributions is due on the 15th of each month pursuant to the Master 

Agreement for Northern California between Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3 and EUCA, 

“Fringe Benefits,” Section 12.01.00. Beginning with contributions due for hours worked by 

defendants’ employees during the month of October, 2007, due on November 15, 2007 and 

delinquent if not received by November 25, 2007 and for every month thereafter until this 

judgment is satisfied, defendants shall remain current in contributions due to plaintiffs under the 

current Collective Bargaining Agreement and under all subsequent collective bargaining 

agreements, if any, and the Declarations of Trust as amended. Defendants shall fax a copy of the 

contribution report for each month, together with a copy of that payment check, to Muriel B. 

Kaplan at 415-882-9287, prior to sending the payment to the Trust Fund office so that timely 

receipt can be confirmed. Failure by defendants to remain current in contributions shall constitute 

a default of the obligations under this agreement and the provisions of Paragraph 6 shall apply. 

Any such unpaid or late paid contributions, together with 15% liquidated damages and 12% per 

annum interest accrued on the total contributions and liquidated damages, shall be added to and 

become a part of this Judgment and subject to the terms herein. Plaintiffs reserve all rights 

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available under the applicable Bargaining Agreement and Declarations of Trust of the Trust Funds 

for collection of current and future contributions and the provisions of this agreement are in 

addition thereto. 

 6. Prior to the last payment pursuant to this Stipulation, plaintiffs shall advise 

defendants in writing, of any additional amounts owed pursuant to this Stipulation, which shall 

include, but not be limited to, any additional attorneys fees and costs incurred in this matter. Said 

amount shall be paid with the last payment, on or before October 25, 2008. 

 7. In the event that defendants fail to make any payment required under Paragraph 4 

above, or fail to remain current in any contributions under paragraph 5 above, then, 

 (a) The entire balance of $87,088.08 plus interest, reduced by principal 

payments received by Plaintiffs, but increased by any unpaid contributions then due, plus 15% 

liquidated damages and 12% per annum interest thereon as provided in above paragraph 5 shall be 

immediately due, together with any additional attorneys’ fees and costs under section (d) below. 

 (b) A writ of execution may be obtained against defendants without further 

notice, in the amount of the unpaid balance, plus any additional amounts under the terms herein, 

upon declaration of a duly authorized representative of the plaintiffs setting forth any payment 

theretofore made by or on behalf of defendant and the balance due and owing as of the date of 

default. Defendants specifically consent to the authority of a Magistrate Judge for all proceedings, 

including, but not limited to, plaintiffs’ obtaining a writ of execution herein.

 (c) Defendants waive notice of entry of judgment and expressly waive all rights 

to stay of execution and appeal. The declaration or affidavit of a duly authorized representative of 

plaintiffs as to the balance due and owing as of the date of default shall be sufficient to secure the 

issuance of a writ of execution, without further notice to defendants.

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 (d) Defendants shall pay all additional costs and attorneys' fees incurred by 

plaintiffs in connection with collection and allocation of the amounts owed by defendants to 

plaintiffs under this Stipulation. 

 8. Any failure on the part of the plaintiffs to take any action against defendants as 

provided herein in the event of any breach of the provisions of this Stipulation shall not be deemed 

a waiver of any subsequent breach by the defendants of any provisions herein. 

 9. Plaintiffs specifically reserve all rights to bring a subsequent action against 

defendants for the collection of any additional contribution delinquencies found to be due for the 

hours worked during the periods preceding the date of this Stipulation. Defendants specifically 

waive the defense of the doctrine of res judicata in any such action. 

 10. In the event of the filing of a bankruptcy petition by either or both of the 

defendants, the parties agree that any payments made by defendants pursuant to the terms of this 

judgment, shall be deemed to have been made in the ordinary course of business as provided under 

11 U.S.C. Section 547(c)(2) and shall not be claimed by defendants as a preference under 11 

U.S.C. Section 547 or otherwise. Defendants nevertheless represent that no bankruptcy filing is 

anticipated. 

11. Should any provision of this Agreement be declared or determined by any court of 

competent jurisdiction to be illegal, invalid, or unenforceable, the legality, validity, and 

enforceability of the remaining parts, terms or provisions shall not be affected thereby and said 

illegal, unenforceable or invalid part, term, or provision shall be deemed not to be part of this 

Agreement. 

 12. Defendants each represent and warrant that they have had the opportunity to be or 

have been represented by counsel of their own choosing as to the terms and conditions set forth 

herein, that they have read this Agreement with care and are fully aware of and understand that 

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they enter into this Agreement voluntarily. 

 13. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by facsimile, 

each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which shall constitute together one and the 

same instrument. 

Dated: November 30, 2007 R.E. SERRANO, INC. 

 By:________________/s/_________________ 

 Its: CEO/President 

Dated: November 30, 2007 RICKY SERRANO 

 ____________________/s/________________ 

 Individually 

Dated: December 5, 2007 OPERATING ENGINEERS LOCAL 3 

 TRUST FUNDS 

 ____________________/s/________________ 

 Wayne McBride 

Dated: December 5, 2007 SALTZMAN & JOHNSON LAW CORPORATION 

 ___________________/s/_________________ 

 Muriel B. Kaplan 

 Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

Approved as to form. SIMPSON, GARRITY & INNES 

Dated November 30, 2007 

 ____________________/s/__________________ 

 By: Paul V. Simpson 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: _________________, 2007 _______________________________________ 

 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT JUDGE 

December 6

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