This bill in equity is filed to enjoin defendant union, its agents and employes, and the individual defendants as duly authorized officers of the union from unlawfully picketing the place of business of plaintiffs and any other places where
Plaintiffs filed a rule for preliminary injunction pursuant to which testimony was taken. The testimony discloses that plaintiffs were engaged in the business of catering at social functions, and for that purpose engaged waiters whenever necessary. These waiters were supplied by defendant union upon request of plaintiffs. On May 17, 1939, while plaintiffs were catering at the Sylvania Hotel in Philadelphia, defendants’ representatives approached the manager of plaintiffs’ business and demanded that an agreement be executed. Upon refusal the representatives immediately ordered the waiters to cease their employment. Thereafter the parties engaged in negotiation, as a result of which a permanent agreement was to be executed by 12 o’clock noon, Saturday, June 3d, pending which plaintiffs agreed to employ as waiters only members of defendant union. The negotiations were carried on in accordance with the terms of the contract until Friday, June 2d, when it appears
Defendants’ testimony discloses that they attempted to execute an agreement with plaintiffs for some time, but were continually delayed by the action of plaintiffs; that the memorandum agreement placed a deadline on the negotiations for June 3d; that plaintiffs refused to execute a permanent agreement on that'date. Defendants denied that any acts of violence have ever been committed, but admitted picketing as described by plaintiffs.
Plaintiffs contend that there is no strike by its employes, and that the picketing by defendant union should be enjoined.
The Labor Anti-Injunction Act of June 2, 1937, P. L. 1198, 43 PS §206A, defines “employes” as all natural persons who perform services for other persons including any individual who has ceased work as a consequence of or in connection with any matter involved in a labor dispute: sec. 3(h). The term “labor dispute” is also defined by the act in a most comprehensive manner, and includes any controversy concerning terms or conditions
Section 6 of the Labor Anti-Injunction Act, supra, prohibits a court from issuing a restraining order, whether temporary or permanent, in any case involving a labor dispute as defined by the act which would restrain any of the acts enumerated in this section. One of those acts, described in subsection (e), relates to communicating information or giving publicity to the existence of a labor dispute by picketing, providing that the picketing does not involve misrepresentation, fraud, violence, or breach of the peace.
It is apparent that under the Act of 1937 an injunction could not be issued unless the picket signs misrepresented the existing facts. It has long been established, independent of the recent labor legislation, that a preliminary injunction will not issue when the right sought to be protected is in doubt, and it is incumbent upon the one who seeks such relief to show affirmatively not only the existence of the right, but also that the act sought to be restrained would be clearly a violation of that right: Audenreid v. The Philadelphia & Reading R. R. Co., 68 Pa. 370, 375; Kittanning Brewing Co. v. American Natural Gas Co., 224 Pa. 129, 130.
This court cannot hold as a matter of law under the circumstances of this case that the statements contained in the placards clearly misrepresented the existing facts
It is evident that the statements on the placards are not such clear misrepresentations of existing facts as to warrant this court in granting a preliminary injunction under the circumstances.
Plaintiffs contend, however, that the Act of June 9, 1939, P. L. 302, amending the Labor Anti-Injunction Act, permits this court to issue an injunction under the circumstances, because this labor dispute is in disregard of a valid subsisting labor agreement: sec. 4(a). The purpose of this amendment is to offer a remedy where the employer and employe have entered into a labor agreement which is valid and subsisting at a time when a labor dispute in violation of its terms arises. The legislature was cognizant of the evil common in recent years occurring when unions or groups of employes stopped work in violation of contracts which they or their repre
For the foregoing reasons, this court is of the opinion that plaintiffs have failed to meet the burden imposed upon them, and are not entitled to the equitable relief sought.
And now, to wit, September 8, 1939, the rule for preliminary injunction is dismissed.
