The Puerto Rico Court of Appeals recently ruled on a case involving transport workers and their claims against ESSROC, San Juan Italcementi Group, regarding unpaid wages. The court upheld a lower court's decision, which dismissed the workers' claims for payment of transportation services. This ruling affects the workers who provided services to ESSROC and may influence similar cases in the future.

The case, titled Ada Mojica Rodríguez Y Otros v. Essroc, San Juan Italcementi Groups, was filed under docket number TA2025AP00047. The appeal was heard by a panel consisting of Judge Hernández Sánchez, Judge Bonilla Ortiz, and Judge Mateu Meléndez. The court's decision was issued on June 18, 2026, confirming the lower court's ruling.

The dispute began when Ada Mojica and a group of transport workers filed a lawsuit against ESSROC in 2015. They claimed that they provided transportation services to the company from 2005 to 2013 but were paid less than the rates established by the Puerto Rico Public Service Commission (CSP). The workers argued that ESSROC owed them money for the difference in rates and for fuel adjustments.

ESSROC responded by filing a motion to dismiss the case, arguing that the claims were barred by the doctrine of res judicata and that the statute of limitations had expired. They contended that the workers had previously raised similar issues before the CSP and that the claims were therefore no longer valid. The company also asserted that the workers were aware of the lower rates since 2005, meaning any claims should have been filed much earlier.

On March 24, 2025, the lower court ruled in favor of ESSROC, granting their motion for summary judgment and dismissing all claims against the company. The workers then appealed the decision, leading to the recent ruling by the Puerto Rico Court of Appeals.

The Court of Appeals confirmed the lower court's decision, stating, "We affirm the appealed ruling." The judges emphasized that the workers had acknowledged the lower rates in their contracts with ESSROC and had accepted payments under those terms. The court found that the claims were indeed barred by the statute of limitations and that the workers had failed to demonstrate that their claims were valid.

This ruling has significant implications for the transport workers involved in the case. It suggests that workers who accept contracts with specific payment terms may have limited recourse for claims related to those terms, especially if they are aware of the discrepancies at the time of acceptance. The court's decision may also set a precedent for similar cases in the future, particularly in disputes involving contracts and payment terms in the transport industry.

Looking ahead, the workers may consider appealing the decision to a higher court, but details on whether they plan to do so were not available in the court filing. The outcome of this case may influence other ongoing disputes in Puerto Rico's transport sector, particularly those involving claims of unpaid wages and the interpretation of contracts.