TEAMSTERS LOCAL UNION NUMBER 769, PETITIONERS,
v.
FONTAINBLEAU HOTEL CORPORATION, A FLORIDA CORPORATION, RESPONDENT
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The Florida Supreme Court vacated a temporary injunction prohibiting a union from picketing a hotel, finding that federal labor law preempts state authority to enjoin peaceful picketing in labor disputes. The Court held that the Circuit Court lacked sufficient factual basis to exercise state jurisdiction over the dispute.
The Court quashed the District Court's decision and dissolved the injunction, holding that the record did not provide a sufficient basis for the exercise of state jurisdiction and that federal preemption applies to such labor disputes involving peaceful picketing.
[1] State courts may enjoin picketing misconduct falling within the limited scope of state authority, even in areas preempted by federal labor law.
[2] A record lacking sufficient testimony does not provide a basis for state court jurisdiction over labor disputes.
Previewing 2 of 4 headnotes on this case. FLexlaw’s editorially structured points of law — every proposition, pinpointed — are reserved for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“Recognizing that the federal government has largely preempted the field of labor relations, and in view of the above cited cases, we find the record does not provide a sufficient basis for the exercise of state jurisdiction.”
Establishes the Court's core holding that federal preemption prevents state courts from enjoining peaceful picketing without a sufficient factual record
Previewing 1 of 3 key quotes on this case — the court’s exact language, pinpointed for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceOn October 31, 1968, the Circuit Court of Dade County issued a temporary injunction preventing Teamsters Local #769 from picketing the Fontainbleau Ho…
The full statement of facts, procedural history, and disposition for this case are member content.
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This case is before us on petition for writ of certiorari to review the decision of the District Court of Appeal, Third District, reported at 222 So.2d 54. We granted certiorari based upon apparent conflict between the decision of the District Court in this cause and Local 675, Intern. Union of Operating Engineers, AFL-CIO v. Meekins.1
The question presented is the validity of a temporary injunction issued by the Circuit Court of Dade County on October 31, 1968, enjoining the petitioner, Teamsters Local #769 from picketing the respondent, Fontainbleau Hotel.
Subsequent to the issuance of the District Court’s opinion in this cause on April 8, 1969, we have issued our opinion in Sheetmetal Workers International Ass’n, Local Union No. 223 v. Florida Heat and Power on January 7, 1970,2 clarifying and delineating the guidelines relating to those cases arising directly or indirectly from labor disputes between employers and employees. On March 9, 1970, the United States Supreme Court decided the case of International Longshoremen’s Local 1416, AFL-CIO v. Ariadne Shipping,3 relating to peaceful picketing. In that case, as here, the employees of the company being picketed did not belong to the picketing union.
*256We have carefully examined the scanty record of testimony given in the Circuit Court upon which the injunction against petitioner was based. Recognizing that the federal government has largely preempted the field of labor relations, and in view of the above cited cases, we find the record does not provide a sufficient basis for the exercise of state jurisdiction.
The state courts are not precluded from acting in this controversy within those areas authorized for state jurisdiction as designated above. The state may enjoin any misconduct falling within the limited scope of state authority.
Accordingly, the decision pf the District Court of Appeal is quashed and the injunction herein is dissolved.
It is so ordered.
ERVIN, C. J., and CARLTON and BOYD, JJ., concur.
THORN AL, L, concurs with opinion.
(concurring).
I concur for the reasons stated in the opinion and for those announced in Scherer & Sons, Inc. v. International Ladies' G. Workers, 142 So.2d 290 (Fla.1962).
MASON, Circuit Judge, dissents with opinion.
(dissents).
I would discharge the writ. The activities of the labor union were imminently violent and as such affronts to public order and safety. As such, they are, in my opinion, an exception to the doctrine of exclusive jurisdiction in the National Labor Relations Board. The state trial court had jurisdiction, after notice to the union, as was the case here, to enjoin acts which were conducive to violence, if continued. This was not the case of an ex parte order being entered without opportunity to the union to present evidence to contradict the claim of imminent violence presented by the employer. On the contrary, notice was given the union of the hearing and it appeared with counsel before the Court prior to the restraining order being issued, but it offered no evidence to rebut that of the employer. The record here indicates the serious possibility of violence occurring if not prevented by a restraining order issued by the Court in the exercise of the state’s police power. Under such circumstances, I do not believe that the employer should be put to the position of resorting to “selfhelp” against the pickets to try to provoke the union to charge it with an unfair labor practice in order to secure an evaluation of the picketing by the National Labor Relations Board.
THORNAL, Justice
(concurring).
I concur for the reasons stated in the opinion and for those announced in Scherer & Sons, Inc. v. International Ladies' G. Workers, 142 So. 2d 290 (Fla.1962).
MASON, Circuit Judge, dissents with opinion.
MASON, Circuit Judge
(dissents).
I would discharge the writ. The activities of the labor union were imminently violent and as such affronts to public order and safety. As such, they are, in my opinion, an exception to the doctrine of exclusive jurisdiction in the National Labor Relations Board. The state trial court had jurisdiction, after notice to the union, as was the case here, to enjoin acts which were conducive to violence, if continued. This was not the case of an ex parte order being entered without opportunity to the union to present evidence to contradict the claim of imminent violence presented by the employer. On the contrary, notice was given the union of the hearing and it appeared with counsel before the Court prior to the restraining order being issued, but it offered no evidence to rebut that of the employer.
The record here indicates the serious possibility of violence occurring if not prevented by a restraining order issued by the Court in the exercise of the state’s police power. Under such circumstances, I do not believe that the employer should be put to the position of resorting to “selfhelp” against the pickets to try to provoke the union to charge it with an unfair labor practice in order to secure an evaluation of the picketing by the National Labor Relations Board.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Cited By
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Teamsters Local Union No. 769 v. Fontainebleau Hotel Corp., 239 So. 2d 852 (Fla. 3d DCA 1970)…ing the temporary injunction of the Circuit Court of Dade County, Florida, in the above styled cause; and Whereas, on review of this court’s judgment, by certiorari, the Supreme Court of Florida by its opinion and judgment filed September 16, 1970, 239 So. 2d 255 and mandate dated October 5, 1970 quashed this court’s judgment and dissolved the injunction, Now, therefore, It is Ordered that the mandate of this court issued in this cause on May 19, 1969 is withdrawn, the judgment of this court filed April 8,…
Authorities Cited
- Int'l Longshoremen's Ass'n, Local 1416, AFL-CIO v. Ariadne Shipping Co., Ltd., 397 U.S. 195 (U.S. 1970)
- Scherer & Sons, Inc. v. Int'l Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, Local 415, Int'l Ladies' Garment Workers Union, AFL-CIO, 142 So. 2d 290 (Fla. 1962)
- Sheetmetal Workers' Int'l Ass'n v. Fla. Heat & Power, Inc., 230 So. 2d 154 (Fla. 1970)
- Local 675, Int'l Union OF Operating Eng'rs, AFL-CIO v. Meekins, Inc., 175 So. 2d 59 (Fla. 2d DCA 1965)
- Teamsters Local Union No. 769 v. Fontainebleau Hotel Corp., 222 So. 2d 54 (Fla. 3d DCA 1969)