Richman Bros. v. Amalgamated Clothing Workers

144 N.E.2d 561, 75 Ohio Law. Abs. 498
CourtCuyahoga County Common Pleas Court
DecidedAugust 15, 1956
DocketNo. 641936
StatusPublished

This text of 144 N.E.2d 561 (Richman Bros. v. Amalgamated Clothing Workers) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Richman Bros. v. Amalgamated Clothing Workers, 144 N.E.2d 561, 75 Ohio Law. Abs. 498 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1956).

Opinion

OPINION

By NICOLA, J.:

A short history of this case and its background may be helpful to us in its consideration. The plaintiff, The Richman Brothers Company, hereinafter called “Richman,” filed its action for injunction and relief in this Court on October 18, 1952. On March 12, 1953, this Court overruled a motion by the defendants Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, et al, hereinafter called “Amalgamated,” to dismiss Richman’s petition based on the claim that the National Labor Relations Board had jurisdiction of the case.

Thereupon Amalgamated appeared in the United States District Court and attempted to have this case removed to that Court on the ground that only a federal question was involved. Judge McNamee refused to so order. Then Amalgamated brought an original action in said District Court to enjoin this Court from proceeding in said case, claiming that the State Courts lacked jurisdiction of the subject matter, the same plea as made in the removal application. On March 25, 1953, the District Court refused to enjoin this Court from proceeding.

On April 20, 1953, this Court entered a temporary restraining order against all picketing by Amalgamated. At the time the restraining order was granted, the Court (Connell, J., then sitting on this bench) had before him the same essential facts in affidavit form as were disclosed at the trial before us.

The decision of the United States District Court in refusing to enjoin this Court from proceeding was later affirmed by the Circuit Court of Appeals after which on April 4, 1955 the Supreme Court of the United States refused certiorari (348-U. S.-643).

Thereupon the case came on for trial before another branch of [499]*499this Court of Common Pleas. In the trial of said case the motion of Amalgamated for dismissal of Richman action was granted on June 27, 1955, after opening statement of counsel. The Court in so deciding ruled contrary to ruling on the motion for restraining order entered by Judge Connell and decided that this case is within the sole jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations Board.

Our Court of Appeals disagreed and reversed said latter ruling on January 26, 1956 and remanded this case back to this Court to be tried on its merits.

Thereafter, to-wit, on June 5th to 14th, 1956, the trial was had before this branch of the Court. At the outset, after Richman’s counsel had made his opening statement, counsel for Amalgamated moved for dismissal of the petition on the same grounds previously urged, to-wit, that this Court lacked jurisdiction inasmuch as the National Labor Relations Board had exclusive jurisdiction of labor disputes under the Labor Management Relations Act as the National Labor Relations Act as amended by the Taft-Hartley Act is denominated. By virtue of said Act, it was claimed the federal courts had pre-empted the whole field of labor relations where interstate commerce was involved, which latter fact was conceded.

This Court reserved its decision on the motion and stated that he would hear all the evidence and then render his decisirm on said motion and on the case as a whole.

The facts indicate that Amalgamated had been attempting to organize Richmans for many years but failed in its efforts. Then on March 31, 1951, without any notice, pickets appeared in front of the 18 stores of Richman located in 15 cities of Ohio and in front of about 51 stores of the same company located in fifteen other states. In a few locations, one or two regular pickets were used while in other places four to nine pickets were regularly used. From the evidence they were not members of Amalgamated or other unions but hired for the purpose of picketing. The exception was in Cleveland where union men were the pickets for about one week.

The picketing at the Richman stores in Cleveland is typical but less intensive than in some other cities. Mr. Amdur, Business Agent of the Cleveland Joint Board of Amalgamated and four other men appeared on the sidewalk in front of Richman’s main store on Euclid Avenue near E. 9th Street — the busiest corner between New York and Chicago. Two men carrying signs walked abreast towards the east and two carrying like signs to the west. As they reached the center of the storefront, they turned around and walked the opposite way to the property line. Then they would repeat the process. Afterwards, they picketed in single file. They walked within six inches of the window. Their signs carried the legend—

“RICHMAN BROS. CLOTHES NOT UNION MADE.
BUY UNION MADE CLOTHES.
RICHMAN BROS. CLOTHES DO NOT HAVE A UNION LABEL.
BUY CLOTHES WHICH HAVE A UNION LABEL.”

Picketing was continued with varying techniques till enjoined.

On Saturday, March 22, 1952, twenty additional pickets appeared [500]*500carrying banners and balloons filled with helium gas rising eight to fifteen feet above the ground with similar legends thereon. Led by Mr. Peppercorn, they started single file to circle in front of the store 3 to 4 feet apart. Thereafter, they milled around in front yelling and singing for 2-V2 hours. This was not denied except by a business agent who said that the demonstration lasted ten to fifteen minutes.

Pickets told customers not to go into a “scab” store. This was not a union store and did not carry a union label. They interfered with traffic and occupied even the lobby and interfered with prospective customers who complained to the manager. After buying a suit, customers would bring it back after they talked with the pickets and demand a refund which the company granted. Other customers stated that they did not come in because of a picket line.

A similar demonstration was held on Saturday, March 29, 1952. Union men of other crafts would not cross the picket line and this was true of ordinary citizens. They thought there was a strike on at Richmans or that there was some trouble between it and the employees, and did not want to become involved in any way. Instances of the use of violent language are many.

What was true of Cleveland was true of Youngstown, Steubenville, Detroit, Chicago and St. Louis. In fact, the activities and demonstrations were more numerous and the regular pickets were more demonstrative and yelled at those who entered the store. The evidence shows that union men refused to deliver Richman’s merchandise and the same had to be shipped by railway express; that repairs would not be made and the company was harassed in innumerable ways. An altercation occurred between the manager and Amdur when this business agent and four pickets went in the Cleveland store’s lobby. The manager and the agent differed on the words used but there was no question of the physical encounter.

On the other hand Amalgamated stated that it was conducting an educational campaign for the adoption of the Union label. The picketing of Richman was ordered in convention. From their president down they all desired the campaign to be peaceful and so ordered. The theorist who apparently set up the technique of picketing and harrassment by demonstration was Howard D. Samuels of New York City, a suave young college man who had written a book on “Congress At Work,” but had as far as the evidence disclosed, no labor experience whatsoever. He testified under oath with apparent candor that he was the director of the union label campaign since August 12, 1952.

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Bluebook (online)
144 N.E.2d 561, 75 Ohio Law. Abs. 498, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/richman-bros-v-amalgamated-clothing-workers-ohctcomplcuyaho-1956.