Opinion ID: 3011336
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: Before us is an appeal from the order of the District Court granting a preliminary injunction enjoining enforcement of the Virgin Islands Wrongful Discharge Act (WDA or Act), V.I. Code Ann. tit. 24, SS 76-79, a territorial law that declares that an employee discharged for any reason other than for cause as set forth in nine enumerated reasons shall be considered to have been wrongfully discharged, unless modified by a union contract. The central issue is the District Court's holding that the plaintiffs have a probability of success on the merits on their claim that the WDA is preempted by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), 29 U.S.C. SS 151-169. The Government of the Virgin Islands and two intervening employees who have claims pending under the WDAfiled appeals, which we consolidated. We have jurisdiction over the appeal from the grant of the preliminary injunction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. S 1292(a)(1). Although the issuance of a preliminary injunction is reviewed for abuse of discretion, the underlying legal determination regarding preemption is reviewed de novo. Acierno v. New Castle County, 40 F.3d 645, 652 (3d Cir. 1994). 3