Opinion ID: 576675
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Fair and Reasonable Reading

Text: 27 The district court found it quite apparent that the Trustees' interpretation is in direct conflict with the language of the Plan. Kennedy, 755 F.Supp. at 706. We agree that a fair reading of the controlling language would entitle Kennedy to receive credit for his years as an apprentice. The relevant language from the Plan, as amended in 1976, has been quoted previously in this opinion. A reading of this language does not support Appellants' position that the Plan requires initiation into the Union for entitlement to past service credits. The language plainly states that employees who were active members of the Collective Bargaining Unit in October 1970 will receive past service credit for every year of continuous and unbroken service in the collective bargaining unit. As we read the Plan, Kennedy's continuous membership in the collective bargaining unit between October 1950 and October 1970, entitled him to Plan coverage. 28 There is simply no language in the Plan to support the Trustees' interpretation. Initiation into the Union is not specified as a prerequisite for such credit. Moreover, the language that requires submission of proof of other items (i.e., dependency and successive employment) further demonstrates that the past service credits are not hinged to initiation in the union. 8 It is undisputed that apprentices were members of the collective bargaining unit, and the facts show that Kennedy's membership in the collective bargaining unit (through his employment with participating employers) was continuous and unbroken. For these reasons, we conclude that a fair reading of Section 4.01(b) would entitle Kennedy to past service credits. At least in Kennedy's case, the Trustees reading of the Plan was unfair and unreasonable.