Peak v. McElroy

33 Pa. D. & C. 556, 1938 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 161
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County
DecidedFebruary 26, 1938
Docketno. 2504
StatusPublished

This text of 33 Pa. D. & C. 556 (Peak v. McElroy) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Peak v. McElroy, 33 Pa. D. & C. 556, 1938 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 161 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1938).

Opinion

Millar, J.,

— Plaintiff, in his bill in equity, alleges that he operates a restaurant and cafe in the name of Peak’s Cafe at 18 and 20 North Eleventh Street, Philadelphia; that he employs approximately 35 men as bartenders, waiters, and cooks and in other capaci[557]*557ties; that many of these have been in his employ as long as 20 years; that his employes are satisfied and contented with their wages and the conditions under which they work; that none of them is a member of defendant union and that none desires to become a member of that union; that no labor dispute exists between plaintiff and his employes or between plaintiff and any other person, and that there is no strike at his place of business. The bill then proceeds to allege that, notwithstanding these facts, defendant, Bartenders’ Union Local No. 115, and James McElroy, an officer of the said union, have placed pickets in front and around plaintiff’s business premises; that these pickets carry banners with the legend “Peak’s Cafe Unfair”; that defendants caused large numbers of persons to gather in the vicinity of plaintiff’s business premises for the purpose of terrifying the complainant and his customers; that customers desiring to patronize plaintiff’s café were accosted by members of defendant union and were insulted and intimidated; that defendants by their acts are attempting to coerce plaintiff to force his employes to join defendant union, although his employes refuse to do so; that complainant will suffer irreparable injury if these acts are permitted to continue. Plaintiff then prays for a preliminary and permanent injunction to restrain defendants from picketing the premises of plaintiff and to cease and desist from interfering in any way with plaintiff’s business.

At the hearing it was agreed by counsel for plaintiff and defendants that we consider the hearing as a final hearing and the proceedings as an application for a permanent injunction.

From the pleadings and evidence the court makes the following

Findings of fact
1. Plaintiff, Thomas Peak, conducts a café and restaurant at premises 18 and 20 North Eleventh Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
[558]*5582. Plaintiff has a personnel of 34 in his business, composed of bartenders, waiters, cooks, and others in various capacities, some of whom have been in his employ as long as 20 years.
3. None of plaintiff’s employes is a member of defendant union, Bartenders’ Union Local No. 115, but some were members of defendant union some 20 years ago. They either withdrew from the said union or were fined and expelled.
4. Harry Ames is secretary-treasurer of defendant union and James L. McEIroy is president and business manager.
5. Defendant Bartenders’ League No. 115 is not concerned in the picketing or other acts complained of in this case. It is a sort of club, composed of members of Bartenders’ Union Local No. 115 and has the same officers as the union.
6. In March of 1934 the employes of the plaintiff formed an association known as Peak’s Employes Association. An executive committee appointed by this association had the duty and power to take up grievances of employes with plaintiff. This association does not bargain collectively with plaintiff with reference to wages or terms and conditions of employment, these matters being arranged individually by each employe with plaintiff.
7. The Peak’s Employes Association was formed by the employes themselves and plaintiff was not in any way interested in its formation. He neither coerced nor advised nor took any part in its organization.
8. The association’s executive committee has in the past taken up various grievances with plaintiff, which have always been adjusted.
9. James L. McEIroy, president, and Harry Ames, secretary-treasurer of defendant union, about six months prior to the time this bill was filed, approached plaintiff for the purpose of having his employes join defendant union. Plaintiff advised that whatever his employes chose to do he would abide by; that he would not influence [559]*559the men to sign up; that if his men wanted to join the union he would not stand in the way, but he would not advise them to do so or not to do so.
10. Harry Ames, secretary-treasurer of defendant union, at various times approached the employes of plaintiff with the view to having them join the union. The matter was submitted to the employes, members of the Peak’s Employes Association. As a result it was decided that a vote should be taken, which meeting and vote was held either in September or October of 1937. The ballot was secret. There were 18 votes in favor of Peak’s Employes Association, four votes in favor of the Congress of Industrial Organizations, and no votes in favor of defendant union.
11. Plaintiff has not exerted coercion upon his employes •in the vote taken by them upon the question as to whether they desire to be represented by defendant union for the purpose of collective bargaining with plaintiff.
12. On Thursday, January 6, 1938, defendant union commenced picketing at the place of business of plaintiff. The number of pickets varied from five to two.
13. On the evening of the same day, January 6, 1938, about forty men, former or present bartenders of other establishments, congested the pavement in front of plaintiff’s place of business, and a man in the street delivered a speech to them.
14. At various times customers were accosted as they attempted to enter plaintiff’s restaurant. Several customers were told not to go in that place; not to go in that dump, and one was punched in the stomach twice by a person who was not a picket at the time, but had been carrying a banner prior to the incident. Two men tried to keep a customer from entering the place, struggled with him until an officer came along, and then desisted. An attempt was made by the pickets to stop deliveries of bread and beer to plaintiff, but these were ineffective.
15. The banners carried by the pickets placed by defendant union in front of plaintiff’s place of business [560]*560contained the legend, “Peak’s Unfair, A. F. L.” and “Peak’s Cafe, Unfair, A. F. L.”
16. There is no strike in plaintiff’s establishment or among plaintiff’s employes.
17. Defendant union proposes to and will continue picketing the place of business of plaintiff.
18. The acts herein recited have been committed by agents and members of defendant union and will be continued unless restrained.
19. As a result of these acts plaintiff’s business has suffered, and substantial and irreparable injury to plaintiff’s business will follow if these acts are continued.
20. The public officers charged with the duty to protect plaintiff’s property are unable to furnish adequate protection against the acts herein recited.
Discussion
In Kirmse et al. v. Adler et al., 311 Pa.

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Bluebook (online)
33 Pa. D. & C. 556, 1938 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 161, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/peak-v-mcelroy-pactcomplphilad-1938.