Waring Enterprises, Inc. v. Building & Construction Trades Council

88 Pa. D. & C. 172, 1953 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 39
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Monroe County
DecidedJuly 31, 1953
Docketno. 48
StatusPublished

This text of 88 Pa. D. & C. 172 (Waring Enterprises, Inc. v. Building & Construction Trades Council) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Monroe County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Waring Enterprises, Inc. v. Building & Construction Trades Council, 88 Pa. D. & C. 172, 1953 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 39 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1953).

Opinion

Davis, P. J.,

— In this action'plaintiff seeks'an injunction to restrain defendants from maintaining a picket or pickets on' the sidewalk in'front of and along the-side of its. property situate in the Borough of Delaware Water Gap, Monroe County, Pa.', and from''distributing and displaying placards representing plaintiff and its business as being unfair to- labor.

Plaintiff is a corporation authorized to do business in the' Comonwealth- of Pennsylvania arid is-engaged in business- in the: Borough of'Delaware Water. Gap where it maintains an office’with clerical employes' and also is engaged in the operation of a music school, known as “Fred Waring Choral Workshop”, for four [173]*173or five weeks during the summer. Approximately 100 students attend the music school for a period of one week, then a similar number of students come in each additional week- the school is operated. During their attendance at the school food and lodging is furnished by plaintiff in the premises. These premises are situated a short distance from Highway Route-611, known as the Lackawanna Trail. The students come from various parts of the United States. Prior to the opening of the school at this summer session plaintiff decided to make certain alterations and improvements to the building and as a result entered into contracts with plumbers, electricians, painters and general contractors for the performance of the desired- work. Several of the contractors at least did not employ union labor. Prior to the opening of the school plaintiff employed defendant Felker and three other young men as laborers at $1 per hour-to perform various types of work in getting the school ready for operation.. On July 1, 1953, the four young men had been employed more than six weeks. • During this time they had been paid for their work but had not been paid extra for hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week. Shortly after noon on July 1st defendant Felker demanded from the foreman in charge that, they be paid time and a half for hours worked in excess of 40 each week. The foreman replied that he did not have the authority to -grant the request but he would do what he could to help. He then requested the four men to do the work which was quite necessary at the time and they refused. He then told them to leave the premises. On the morning of July 2, 1953, Felker appeared on the sidewalk outside of the plant carrying a sign: “We work like slaves for what, straight time.” Later that day a conference was held between an officer of plaintiff and the four men in question. The company paid the four men time and-one-half time for hour's worked in excess of 40 hours per week and they indicated that everything was satisfactory. Defendant Felker asked [174]*174if he could come to work again and the foreman said, “Come in and talk to me about it.” None of the young men came back to work. On the same day defendant Felker became a member of Construction and General Laborers Local No. 1174, Allentown, Pa. At 8 a. m. on July 3, 1953, Felker appeared on the sidewalk in front of and along the side of the premises of plaintiff bearing a sign which read, “Unfair to Building & Construction Trades Council, A. F. of L. Stroudsburg”, and subsequently there was added to this sign a printed placard bearing the words, “Fred Waring, Inc. Unfair to Labor.” This picketing continued generally during working hours until time of hearing. There is no labor contract between Waring Enterprises, Inc., and the Building and Construction Trades Council, A. F. of L. Stroudsburg local, nor does Waring Enterprises, Inc., have a labor contract with its employes.

There is no contention that the acts complained of include duress, violence, breach of the peace or threats thereof.

As a consequence of the picketing certain suppliers of food to be used in the kitchen of the workshop refused to cross the picket line and deliver the product, and plaintiff was required to make arrangements to pick up the deliveries in other places in Delaware Water Gap and bring the food into the premises. Paul E dinger, a contractor who employed union labor in whole or in part, withdrew his workmen from the job.

Findings of Fact

1. Plaintiff is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York and authorized to do business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and is engaged in business in the Borough of Delaware Water Gap, County of Monroe and State of Pennsylvania, where it maintains an office with clerical employes and also is engaged in the operation of a [175]*175music school known as “Fred Waring Choral Workshop”.

2. Defendant, Building and Construction Trades Council, A. F. of L. Stroudsburg local, is a labor organization operating in the County of Monroe and State of Pennsylvania.

3. No contractural relationship exists between plaintiff and Building and Construction Trades Council, A. F. of L. Stroudsburg local.

4. No labor dispute exists between plaintiff and any of its employes.

5. There is a labor dispute with reference to the alterations, repairs and construction work.

6. No strike has been called by any of plaintiff’s employes.

7. Defendant, Harold E. Felker, has been picketing in front of plaintiff’s premises and choral workshop in the Borough of Delaware Water Gap, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, since July 2, 1953, bearing signs upon which is printed or written, “Waring, Inc. Unfair to Labor, Building & Construction Trades Council, A. F. of L. Stroudsburg”, also a sign reading, “Fred Waring, Inc. Unfair to Labor, Building & Construction Trades Council A. F. of L. Stroudsburg”.

8. Defendant, Harold É. Felker, personally, and on behalf of Building and Construction Trades Council, A. F. of L. Stroudsburg local, has picketed the plaintiff’s premises daily during general business hours from July 3,1953, to date of hearing.

9. The signs carried and displayed by defendant, Harold E. Felker, bore misrepresentations of fact.

10. The picketing on the part of defendants has interfered with and hindered and prevented delivery of food, bread and groceries to plaintiff by suppliers who customarily delivered said articles of food, bread and groceries to plaintiff prior to the picketing.

[176]*17611. The Fred Waring Choral Workshop has an average of 100 different students each week, coming from all parts of the United States, including Hawaii. From the date the picketing began until completion of the hearing, three separate groups of students were at the premises of plaintiff in Delaware Water Gap, Pa., where the picketing was being carried on.

12. Unlawful acts have been committed and will continue unless restrained.

13. Substantial and irreparable injury will follow unless relief in the form hereafter provided be granted.

■ 14. Greater injury will be inflicted upon plaintiff by the denial of relief than will be inflicted upon defendants by the granting of relief.

15. Plaintiff has no adequate remedy at law.

* 16. The evidence does not disclose that Thomas R. Joyce, Ralph D. Paul or James Robert have personally participated in the acts complained of.

17. These findings of; fact are after service of the bill of complaint and hearing in open court, at which defendants, though given the opportunity, did not present any testimony.

Discussion

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Bluebook (online)
88 Pa. D. & C. 172, 1953 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 39, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/waring-enterprises-inc-v-building-construction-trades-council-pactcomplmonroe-1953.