Opinion ID: 3050556
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Soremekun’s Complaints

Text: Beginning in 1998, Soremekun made repeated complaints regarding his wages to his managers at Rite Aid, either through the computer message system or in written correspondence.25 Soremekun also wrote numerous letters to his Union representatives detailing his complaints.26 He did not, however, file an official grievance form with the Union.27 As a result, Thrifty asserts that Soremekun never invoked the grievance procedure set forth in the CBAs regarding his unpaid wages claims.28 25 Def.’s Facts, ¶ 3; Pl.’s Facts, ¶ 3. 26 See Briggs Decl. Exh. E at 76 (Oct. 27, 2000 Letter from Soremekun to Rite Aid re: Adediji A. Soremekun — Employee #802731, SS# 375-727886), Exh. E at 77 (Dec. 4, 2001 Letter from Soremekun to Mike Calderella, Union Representative and Mike A. Straeter, President re: NonPayment of Salary by Rite Aid), Exh. E at 78-82 (Dec. 18, 2001 Letter from Soremekun to Calderella), Exh. E at 83-84 (Undated Letter from Sorekemun to Calderella and Straeter re: Adediji A. Soremekun, Pharmacist at Rite Aid Store 5489. Member Local 1442), Exh. E at 85 (Dec. 30, 2001 Letter from Soremekun to Calderella), Exh. E at 86 (Nov. 15, 2001 Letter from Soremekun to Calderella and Straeter re: Adediji A. Soremekun, Pharamacist at Rite Aid Store 5489. Member UFCW Local 1442). See also Soremekun Decl., ¶¶ 14, 15, 16; Exh. 2 (Oct. 27, 2000 Letter from Soremekun to Rite Aid re: Adediji A. Soremekun — Employee #802731, SS# XXX-XX-XXXX), Exh. 3 (June 6, 2000 Letter from Soremekun to Calderella), Exh. 4 (Dec. 4, 2001 Letter from Soremekun to Calderella and Straeter re: Non-Payment of Salary by Rite Aid), Exh. 5 (Dec. 18, 2001 Letter from Soremekun to Calderella), Exh. 6 (Undated Letter from Sorekemun to Calderella and Straeter re: Adediji A. Soremekun, Pharmacist at Rite Aid Store 5489. Member Local 1442), Exh. 7 (Nov. 15, 2001 Letter from Soremekun to Calderella and Straeter re: Adediji A. Soremekun, Pharamacist at Rite Aid Store 5489. Member UFCW Local 1442), Exh. 8 (Dec. 30, 2001 Letter from Soremekun to Calderella). 27 Def.’s Facts, ¶ 4; Briggs Decl., Exh. B (Deposition of Adediji Adesola Soremekun (“Soremekun Depo.”) at 26:21-24, 28:15-29:4). 28 Thrifty contends that the Union never communicated Soremekun’s claim for unpaid wages to Rite Aid, but offers no admissible evidence supSOREMEKUN v. THRIFTY PAYLESS, INC. 15211 In December 2001, Soremekun communicated a grievance regarding warning notices and a suspension that he had received to Michael Calderella, his Union representative. In response to the grievance, Calderella sent a letter to Rite Aid’s Human Resources Manager, stating that “[t]he warning notices and suspension were unwarranted and should be rescinded,” and requesting a grievance meeting with Rite Aid to resolve the matter.29 Soremekun resigned his position at Rite Aid on June 27, 2003.30 Prior to his resignation, in February 2003, Soremekun filed a claim for unpaid wages with the California Department of Labor Standards Enforcement, seeking nearly $51,000 in porting the assertion. (Def.’s Facts, ¶ 5.) Soremekun contends that the Union advised him it had communicated his complaints to Rite Aid, and assured him that the payment problems would be resolved. (Pl.’s Facts, ¶ 5.) The reference to Soremekun’s declaration that is cited, however, does not support this contention. (See Soremekun Decl., ¶ 9 (“. . . I contacted both the union representative, Mike Calderella, and Rite Aid manager, and he was [sic] that they were going to look into my paycheck problem”).) Soremekun’s declaration, if proved true, would simply establish that the Union representative was going to investigate the paycheck complaint, not that the Union was going to communicate, or had already communicated, the grievance to Rite Aid in accordance with the formal procedures set forth in the CBAs. Moreover, Soremekun’s testimony regarding the purported statements of the Union representative is inadmissible hearsay, as it is a statement by an out-of-court declarant offered for the truth of the matter asserted. See FED.R.EVID. 801, 802. 29 Declaration of Theresa A. Whitman in Support of Defendant Thrifty Payless, Inc. d/b/a Rite Aid Corporation’s Reply Supporting its Motion for Summary Judgment or, in the Alternative, Partial Summary Judgment (“Whitman Decl.”), Exh. A (Dec. 10, 2001 Letter from Michael Calderella to Laura Peyto, Human Resources Manager, Rite Aid Corp., re: Adediji Soremekun SS# XXX-XX-XXXX, Store #5489). 30 [Proposed] Statement of Uncontroverted Facts and Conclusions of Law (“Def.’s Facts”), ¶ 1; Plaintiff Adediji A. Soremekun’s Separate Statement of Disputed Material Facts (“Pl.’s Facts”), ¶ 1. 15212 SOREMEKUN v. THRIFTY PAYLESS, INC. allegedly unpaid wages for the period from February 1998 to November 2002.31