DADE COUNTY PORT AUTHORITY
v.
FLIGHT ENGINEERS INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION, E. A. L. CHAPTER, ET AL.

Dade Cty. Cir. Ct. | 1962-09-19
No. 62-C-10061
20 Fla. Supp. 150 Dade County Circuit Court (1962)

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Synopsis

The Dade County Port Authority sought a temporary injunction against flight engineers' union picketing, arguing the picketing was unlawful because there was no labor dispute with the Port Authority or its contractors. The court dismissed the complaint, holding that federal labor law preempts state court jurisdiction over peaceful picketing absent violence or coercion.


Holding

A state court lacks jurisdiction to enjoin peaceful picketing where it is arguable that the activities are within the purview of the Labor Management Relations Act. Federal labor law preempts state court jurisdiction in this area absent violence, mass picketing, or overt acts of coercion.


Key Quotes

“It would appear now to be an established rule that a state court may not enjoin peaceful picketing where it is arguable that the activities complained of are within the purview of the Labor Management Relations Act.”

Establishes the core preemption doctrine preventing state court injunctions of peaceful labor picketing

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Facts & Procedural History

The Port Authority and its contractors were being picketed by the Flight Engineers International Association. The Port Authority claimed neither it no…

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Opinion of the Court
PHILLIP GOLDMAN, Circuit Judge.

PHILLIP GOLDMAN, Circuit Judge.

This cause is before the court upon the plaintiff’s application for a temporary injunction and the defendants’ motion to dismiss. The gravamen of plaintiff’s complaint is that neither it nor any of its contractors have a labor dispute with defendants and therefore any picketing of it or its contractors is for an unlawful purpose and constitutes unlawful picketing.

The defendants on the other hand urge that the subject matter is in an area preempted by the federal government and that therefore this court lacks jurisdiction to act.

After carefully considering the record and the authorities cited the court is of the opinion that the defendants are correct and must prevail.

*151In reaching this conclusion it should be noted that the record is devoid of any allegations or evidence of “violence, mass picketing or overt acts of coercion”. Without these a state court under the circumstances here is powerless to act. Wood, Wire & Metal Lathers International Union v. Babcock Co., Fla. App., 132 So.2d 16. See also Hotel Employees Union, Local No. 255 v. Sax Enterprises, Inc., 358 U.S. 270, 79 S.Ct. 273, wherein the Supreme Court of the United States reversed the Supreme Court of Florida for reaching a contrary result.

Actually this case is controlled by the ease of McMahon et al v. Milam Mfg. Co., 368 U.S. 7, 82 S.Ct. 16(4). In that case the Supreme Court of Mississippi (127 So. 2d 647) had ruled that the state courts had jurisdiction to outlaw an unlawful extension of picketing against innocent third parties and on appeal the Supreme Court of the United States summarily reversed citing one of its earlier “pre-emption decisions”, San Diego Building Trades Council v. Garman, 359 U.S. 236, 79 S.Ct. 773.

As for the authorities cited by the plaintiff, the plaintiff apparently overlooks the fact that what constitutes “unlawful picketing” which is subject to being outlawed by the National Labor Relations Board (Local 761 International Union of Electrical Radio & Machine Workers, AFL-CIO v. National Labor Relations Board et al, 366 U.S. 667, 81 S.Ct. 1285) does not necessarily constitute “unlawful picketing” which may be subjected to the state’s injunctive processes.

“It would appear now to be an established rule that a state court may not enjoin peaceful picketing where it is arguable that the activities complained of are within the purview of the Labor Management Relations Act.” Wood, Wire & Metal Lathers International Union v. Babcock, Co., supra, citing the Supreme Court of the United States in San Diego Building Trades Council v. Garman, supra. Therefore this court lacks jurisdiction to grant the relief sought by the plaintiff.

It is accordingly ordered — (1) Defendants’ motion to dismiss is hereby granted. (2) Plaintiff’s application for a temporary injunction is hereby denied.


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