For immediate release
2/28/08
COURT ENTERS JUDGMENT IN CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST CLUB MED FOR “LADIES FLY FREE PROMOTION”
Los Angeles, CA (February 28, 2008) – Today, the Los Angeles and San Diego Chapters of the National Coalition of Free Men (“NCFM”) announced support for a judgment entered on February 25, 2008 by the Orange County Superior Court in Alfred Rava v. Club Med Sales (Case No. 03CC09858), a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of the California men who were denied free air travel during Club Med’s 2003 “Ladies Fly Free” promotion.
The lawsuit alleged Club Med held a promotion in 2003 for travel to its Cancun and Turks & Caicos resorts that violated California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act and Gender Tax Repeal Act by providing female consumers with free air fare – up to $400 in value, while denying male consumers the same free air travel.
The Unruh Act and Gender Tax Repeal Acts have been successfully applied in recent years to end the scourge of promotions in California that charged customers different prices based on the their sex. Examples include “Ladies Nights” or “Ladies Days” where nightclubs charge men higher prices than women for cover charges, or car washes, billiard halls, dating services, casinos or theaters that charge men higher prices than women for the same services. The California Supreme Court recognized California’s strong public policy to eradicate sex discrimination when it ruled last year that men did not have to ask a Los Angeles supper club to pay the same cover charge as women in order to have a sex discrimination claim. Angelucci v. Century Supper Club (2007) 41 Cal.4th 160.
Club Med and the class of male plaintiffs entered into a settlement agreement that was approved by Orange County Superior Court Judge Ronald H. Bauer. The settlement includes a provision wherein Club Med, while denying all liability, agreed it would not hold any promotions that discriminate against consumers based on sex. In addition, each class member who made a claim will receive a cash payment of about $1,000, as well as $1,200 in vouchers for travel to several Club Med resorts, and their attorneys’ fees and court costs paid in full.
This is the largest settlement of an Unruh Civil Rights Act or Gender Tax Repeal Act lawsuit in California history. These Acts protect consumers from being discriminated against based on sex and other protected personal characteristics such as race, national origin, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, or medical condition.
Marc Angelucci, Esq., the president of the Los Angeles Chapter of the NCFM, stated “This settlement provides the male victims of this sex-based promotion with a fair cash settlement along with significant travel vouchers to several all-inclusive Club Med resorts. Furthermore, the settlement supports California’s strong public policy of eradicating sex discrimination and helps assure men and women will be treated equally in future promotions by Club Med or any other business operating in California.”
NCFM is a non-profit educational and civil rights organization that looks at the ways sex discrimination affects men and boys. The Los Angeles and San Diego chapters of NCFM supported the named plaintiff, Alfred Rava, throughout the 4 ½ years of litigation.
The Orange County Superior Court judgment is available online at
http://news.mensactivism.org/node/9313#comments
Contact Information:
Marc Angelucci, Esq., Los Angeles Chapter of the NCFM
Class Members’ Attorney Erik Jenkins
(phone numbers omitted from online version)
National Coalition of Free Men: http://www.ncfm.org
