Opinion ID: 691309
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Sale of the Hotel: May 14, 1986--May 31, 1986

Text: 16 On May 14, 1986, a deed was executed whereby Horizons purchased the Carib Inn from Rodriguez. The deed provided that possession of the hotel property would be turned over to Horizons on May 31, 1986. 17 On May 19, 1986, Rodriguez hired Juan Rafael Gomez (Gomez) as resident manager. That day, Rodriguez circulated a memorandum (May 19 memorandum) announcing the same. Fernandez had signed the memorandum, expressly indicating his approval of Gomez' hiring. 18 On May 21, 1986, Rodriguez circulated a memorandum (May 21 memorandum) to all employees of the Carib Inn, notifying them that Horizons would assume control of the hotel on June 1, 1986, and that all employees would be terminated on May 31, 1986. The memorandum advised the employees that they could apply for positions with Horizons by submitting applications at a recruiting office set up by Horizons in a nearby condominium. The recruiting office would accept applications for two days only. 19 Later that day, May 21, Felix Ramirez, the Union's general steward, and Valentin Hernandez, the Union's secretary and treasurer, went to Rodriguez' office to discuss with him the memorandum. Rodriguez threatened not to meet with them. He told them that he didn't have to talk with them because they no longer represented the hotel's employees. He stated: [T]he Union is out, and Horizons has nothing to do with the Union. Rodriguez finally agreed to meet with them, however, after Hernandez threatened to report his conduct to the Secretary of Labor for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. During the meeting, however, Rodriguez told Ramirez and Hernandez that they should discuss with Gomez any concerns they may have concerning hotel administration. 20 Prior to the May 21 memorandum, PEC had begun soliciting applications for positions at the hotel. Quinones understood that PEC was to be responsible for hiring Horizons's new employees. It advertised in a local newspaper and collected applications and relevant information on potential employees. It conducted interviews and informed Rodriguez of appealing candidates. Rodriguez, however, advised Quinones that PEC would do no independent hiring, but rather would hire only those individuals whom it was instructed to hire. 21 Horizons's recruiting program, announced in the May 21 memorandum, was carried out. A representative of PEC was present throughout. Several days after the program, Rodriguez provided Gomez a list of individuals to interview. Interviews were thereafter conducted at the hotel. A representative of PEC was present during the interviews. Not one employee of the Carib Inn was interviewed. At one point, Rodriguez told a Carib Inn employee that he had been authorized to hire new employees for Horizons.