Trainor Faces Suit
February 23, 2012

by Sahely Mukerji, smukerji@glass.com

The Trustees of the Indiana State Council of Roofers Health and Welfare Fund filed a complaint against Trainor Glass of Farmers Branch, Texas, in the United States District Court of Northern District of Indiana, Lafayette Division, on February 22.

"This is an action brought pursuant to Section 301 of the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947 ... and also Section 502 of the Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974 ... to compel defendant to comply with the aforesaid Acts and the payments required under its Collective Bargaining Agreement," according to court documents.

Trustees of the Indiana State Council of Roofers Health and Welfare Fund is a multi-employer employee benefit plan that provides health, welfare and other benefits for employees of employers who contribute into its plan, the court documents say.

Trainor Glass signed an agreement with the plaintiff to make payments including for pension and health and welfare fund payments, the complaint states. However, beginning in November 2011, Trainor Glass breached that agreement and failed to make the contributions on behalf of the employees, alleges the court documents. Therefore, the Trustees requested the court to award "whatever damages, including attorney fees, which will compensate them for the defendant's breaches of contract, that the defendant be ordered to comply with said contracts and pay the amounts provided for in said contracts to plaintiff, said health and welfare fund and all other proper remedies, legal and equitable, plus interest and costs," according to court documents.

Trainor Glass closed all its nine locations and let go all its employees on February 21.

Reaction to the news continued to pour in from around the country.

"[It's] sad," says Glenn Heitmann, president and CEO of Heitmann & Associates in St. Louis. "[From what I have heard] this is now the second glazing sub in the last couple months that the bank has ceased [its] operations. Many individuals, companies and projects will be impacted by this abrupt closing."

There has been quite a bit of discussion on the USGNN™ discussion forum and consumer media also is publishing stories about the closure:

Trainor Glass ceases operations with projects under way

Trainor Glass shuts down operations with construction projects under way

Trainor Glass has ceased operations after just completing Omni Hotel

Stay tuned to USGNN.com™ for updates.

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