The Federal Arbitration Act (FAA; 9 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.) exempts from its application “contracts of employment” of “railroad employees, or any other class of workers engaged in foreign or interstate commerce.” (§ 1.) Plaintiff Arturo Vela, who worked for defendant Harbor Rail Services of California, Inc. (Harbor) as a railcar repairman, claims the trial court erred in compelling him to arbitrate claims relating to his employment because he falls within this exemption. Vela also claims that, because the FAA exempts him, the trial court erred in enforcing a waiver of class claims contained in his agreement to arbitrate. Under state law, Vela’s waiver is potentially unenforceable. If federal law applies, it preempts such state law and the waiver is enforceable.
We find no error and affirm. The FAA applies to the parties’ agreement to arbitrate and does not exempt Vela. Accordingly, the trial court did not err in compelling arbitration. Nor did the trial court err in striking the class claims, as Vela’s waiver of those claims is enforceable under federal law.
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