Press Conference Alert: 'Ten Longtime AAA Employees File Age Discrimination Lawsuit'

OAKLAND, Calif., Nov. 9, 2010 /PRNewswire/ --

WHO

On November 1, 2010, ten longtime employees of California State Automobile Association filed suit in Contra Costa County Superior Court for what they deem a statewide campaign to get rid of older, longtime sales agents from CSAA's branch offices and move their jobs to out of state call centers.  The former employees have 209 combined years of service at CSAA, and report unfair, discriminatory treatment of older, loyal employees of CSAA in branch offices from Fresno and Clovis to Concord, Antioch and Oakland.  

WHAT

All ten former CSAA employees and their attorneys will be available for a press conference and interviews on Wednesday, November 10, 2010. The plaintiffs are represented by Oakland trial attorneys Gary Gwilliam and Randall Strauss of Gwilliam, Ivary, Chiosso, Cavalli & Brewer.  

WHERE

The press conference will be held at the downtown Oakland office of Gwilliam, Ivary, Chiosso, Cavalli & Brewer at 1999 Harrison St. Ste. 1600, Oakland, CA 94612.  The Complaint will be available at the press conference.  

WHEN

November 10, 2010 at 11:00 AM.

FURTHER DETAILS AND QUOTES

The Plaintiffs contend that CSAA, a California business, is shifting jobs away from California sales agents to minimum wage call centers in Oklahoma and Arizona.  During a time when jobs are important to people and loyalty should be valued, CSAA has targeted senior, high performing insurance sales agents for termination by cutting their commissions and shifting their clients to be serviced by out of state call centers.  

Plaintiff Bob Fitzgerald has worked for CSAA as for 26 years.  Mr. Fitzgerald is the first named plaintiff in the lawsuit and said CSAA's treatment of its long time employees is against the values of CSAA as a member owned insurance company.  Mr. Fitzgerald said, "It's very upsetting that a member-owned organization like CSAA would impose a policy of getting rid of longtime, loyal employees like me who have been dedicated to serving CSAA members for over twenty –six years."  

Plaintiff Bob Santarini worked as a sales representative for CSAA for 39 years and was a top-producing agent for CSAA and serviced many of CSAA's long time members.  Mr. Santarini says that CSAA changed for the worse as a work environment when Jim Pouliot took over the company in 2001, and these hostile practices have continued to the present under current CEO Paula Downey.  Mr. Santarini stated," After 39 years and a very successful career filled with helping AAA clients and fellow workers, I was forced to leave my company.  It was very sad to watch Mr. Pouliot destroy so many people with unjust and unnecessary termination."  

Lead Plaintiffs' attorney, Gary Gwilliam stated that, "We believe CSAA is engaging in a pattern and practice of intentionally getting rid of longtime loyal sales representatives.  This kind of conduct should not be tolerated, it's shameful and it's illegal."  

Coincidentally, a recent appellate court case reversed a summary judgment ruling in favor of three former CSAA employees alleging the same issues of age discrimination against long time loyal sales representatives.  The case is McCaskey v. CSAA, Santa Clara County Superior Court, Superior Court Nos. CV042782, CV042792 and CV042793 decided on October 29, 2010.  

CONTACT

Gary Gwilliam ([email protected]), Randall Strauss ([email protected]) or Jayme Burns ([email protected]) at 510-832-5411 with questions.  

SOURCE Gwilliam, Ivary, Chiosso, Cavalli & Brewer