United Electrical, Radio & MacHine Workers of America v. Westinghouse Electric Corp.

65 F. Supp. 420, 17 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 1000, 1946 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2772
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedApril 4, 1946
DocketCiv. A. 5749
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 65 F. Supp. 420 (United Electrical, Radio & MacHine Workers of America v. Westinghouse Electric Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United Electrical, Radio & MacHine Workers of America v. Westinghouse Electric Corp., 65 F. Supp. 420, 17 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 1000, 1946 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2772 (E.D. Pa. 1946).

Opinion

KALODNER, District Judge.

The petitioners, unincorporated trade union associations and certain officers thereof, have filed this bill of complaint and petition for declaratory judgment against the respondent, Westinghouse Electric Corporation, the employers of the workers allegedly represented by petitioners.

Seeking to assert “rights granted to them” by the National Labor Relations Act, 29 U.S.C.A. § 151 et seq., and the Norris-LaGuardia Act, 29 U.S.C.A. § 101 et seq., the petitioners allege that they are the certified bargaining agents of the respondent’s employees, and that the respondent is engaged in interstate commerce; they complain that certain enumerated property rights are in danger of irreparable injury because of the conduct of the respondent. The bill further avers that the petitioners are, and have been, since January 15, 1946, engaged in a peaceful strike. The gist of the complaint is that the respondent corporation has filed a “Bill of Complaint” in Common Pleas Court No. 4, for Philadelphia County, seeking a preliminary injunction until final hearing, and perpetually thereafter, against the instant petitioners to restrain them from conducting their strike; it is further averred that a hearing pursuant thereto was fixed by that Court for Monday, April 1, 1946 at 10 a.m.

The prayer of the instant bill requests, among other things, a preliminary restraining order enjoining the respondent corpo *422 ration from “proceeding further or in any manner with the action instituted hy it in the Court of Common Pleas Number 4, Philadelphia County, March Term, 1946, No. 2159.” Since the bill was filed on Friday, March 29, and the hearing thereon held at 3:30 p.m. that day, it was necessary to dispose of the matter immediately to settle the controversy before the hearing scheduled by the state court. At the hearing on Friday, this Court granted the respondent’s motion to dismiss after due consideration of the petition and the argunients of counsel. This memorandum is intended to cover more fully the basis of the Court’s decision stated briefly at the time of the hearing.

It appears that it is the petitioners’ position that the procedure of the respondent in instituting action in the Common Pleas Court is “not in accordance with lawful process and is in violation of Complainant’s rights under the aforesaid statutes.” The statutes referred to, presumably, are the Norris-LaGuardia Act and the National Labor Relations Act.

However, there is nothing in either statute that prohibits the institution, by either party involved in a controversy of this character, of proceedings in a state court, or that places exclusive jurisdiction in the federal courts.

The' Norris-LaGuardia Act merely restricts the jurisdiction of federal courts to issue restraining orders in a case “involving or growing out of a labor dispute”, except in strict accordance with certain sections thereof. The statute uses the term “court of the United States”, and Section 113(d), 29 U.S.C.A., of. the Act defines that term to mean “any court of the United States whose jurisdiction has been or may be conferred or defined or limited by Act of Congress.” The Act, therefore, does not limit the jurisdiction of state courts. It was exclusively intended to curtail the equity jurisdiction of federal courts in the field of labor disputes. See Milk Wagon Drivers’ Union v. Lake Valley Farm Products, 1940, 311 U.S. 91, 101, 61 S.Ct. 122, 85 L.Ed. 63; see also, 1939, 39 Op.Atty. Gen. 242, 246 which recognizes the division of powers between state and federal governments. Thus, while the substantive rights of the parties may depend on state law, jurisdiction in the federal courts to grant relief is limited by the Norris-LaGuardia Act. Lauf v. E. G. Shinner & Co., 1938, 303 U.S. 323, 58 S.Ct. 578, 82 L.Ed. 872.

The National Labor Relations Act declares the national policy with respect to labor disputes affecting interstate commerce. That expression prevails where it is in conflict with state law. Consolidated Edison Co. of New York v. National Labor Relations Board, 1938, 305 U.S. 197, 59 S.Ct. 206, 83 L.Ed. 126. Notwithstanding, there is nothing in the Act to'prevent either party involved in a labor dispute from instituting proceedings in a state court rather than a federal court. Cf. Allen-Bradley Local v. Wisconsin Emp. Rel. Bd„ 1942, 315 U.S. 740, 62 S.Ct. 820, 86 L.Ed. 1154. The difference in forum obviously could not involve a difference in substantive law, for it is too well settled to require citation of authority that where federal law is involved that must prevail, and where state law is applicable that must prevail, without regard to the forum. In the field of labor relations, this concept has been recognized by the state courts. Wisconsin Labor Relations Board v. Fred Rueping Leather Co., 1938, 228 Wis. 473, 279 N.W. 673, 117 A.L.R. 398; International Ass’n of Machinists v. State ex rel. Watson, 1942, 153 Fla. 672, 15 So.2d 485; Markham & Callow, Inc., v. Internat’l Woodworkers, 1943, 170 Or. 517, 135 P.2d 727; Park & Tilford Import Corp. v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Cal.Sup.1945, 155 P.2d 12.

However, the National Labor Relations Act does not preempt all state control: more specifically, the state police power. In Allen Bradley Local v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Bd., supra, 315 U.S. at page 748, 62 S.Ct. at page 825, 86 L.Ed. 1154, the Supreme Court stated:

“The only employee or union conduct and activity forbidden by the state Board in this case was mass picketing, threatening-employees desiring to work with physical injury or property damage, obstructing entrance to and egress from the company’s factory, obstructing the streets and public roads surrounding the factory, and picketing the homes of employees. * * *

“We agree with the statement of the United States as amicus curiae that the federal Act was not designed to preclude a State from enacting legislation limited to the prohibition or regulation of this type of employee or union activity. The Committee Reports on the federal Act *423 plainly indicate that it is not ‘a mere police court measure’ and that authority of the several States may be exerted to control such conduct.”

And, 315 U.S. at page 750, 62 S.Ct. at page 826, 86 L.Ed. 1154, the Supreme Court expressly held that “the federal Act does not govern employee or union activity of the type here enjoined.” It follows, therefore, that not only may proceedings be commenced in a state tribunal, to enjoin the striking unions, but also that if the state tribunal finds certain facts, it may issue a restraining order.

Particularly important to the instant action is the fact that since 1793, Congress has prohibited the granting of injunctions by federal courts to stay proceedings in state courts, subject to certain exceptions. 13 Cyc.Fed.Procedure Sec. 6675 (1944). Section 265 of the Judicial Code, 28 U.S.C.A.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

American Dredging Company v. Local 25
338 F.2d 837 (Third Circuit, 1964)
Curtis v. Tozer
374 S.W.2d 557 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1964)
McCarroll v. Los Angeles County District Council of Carpenters
315 P.2d 322 (California Supreme Court, 1957)
Lion Oil Co. v. Marsh
249 S.W.2d 569 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1952)
General Building Contractors' Ass'n v. Local Union No. 542
370 Pa. 73 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1952)
Fitzgerald v. Abramson
89 F. Supp. 504 (S.D. New York, 1950)
Mindell v. Glenn
65 A.2d 340 (District of Columbia Court of Appeals, 1949)
Southern Bus Lines, Inc. v. Amalgamated Ass'n of Street Employees
38 So. 2d 765 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 1949)
Gerry of California v. Superior Court
194 P.2d 689 (California Supreme Court, 1948)
Glens Falls Indemnity Co. v. Fredericksen
8 F.R.D. 55 (D. Nebraska, 1947)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
65 F. Supp. 420, 17 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 1000, 1946 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2772, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-electrical-radio-machine-workers-of-america-v-westinghouse-paed-1946.