Court Opinion

ID: 9698084
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 19:41:27.262361+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:20:38.182818
License: Public Domain

CAPPY, Justice,
concurring.
I join the well-reasoned opinion authored by Mr. Justice Montemuro in this matter. However, I write separately to emphasize my strong belief that the opinion in no manner alters the established law of this Commonwealth that the restrictive remedy of injunction is warranted only where there exists reasonable grounds for such action. Thus, the decision of the lower court should not be viewed as action designed to thwart the right to strike absent a reasonable basis.
*427The right to strike is unquestionably a matter of paramount concern entitled to the utmost protection, which should not be infringed absent sufficient credible evidence establishing a reasonable basis for restriction. Where the trial court finds such evidence to be credible and where the trial court then issues an injunction which orders the picketers to be peaceful and lawful, and in furtherance thereof, reasonably restricts their right to picket in terms of number, spacing and location, an appellate court reviewing such trial court’s actions is constrained to conclude that there were “reasonable grounds for the lower court’s action.” Valley Forge Historical Society v. Washington Memorial Chapel, 493 Pa. 491, 500, 426 A.2d 1123, 1128 (1981) (setting forth the standard of appellate review of an order granting or denying a preliminary injunction).
Here, as clearly described by Justice Montemuro, this standard was satisfied by overwhelming evidence of violence and intimidation-based “seizure” inflicting substantial and irreparable injury upon Appellant, which the trial court found to be credible. Furthermore, the degree of remedy fashioned by the trial court was reasonably calculated to eliminate the harm being suffered by Appellant while preserving, as much as possible, Appellees’ right to strike. Under these circumstances, there is no basis upon which an appellate court may reverse the decision of the trial court.
CASTILLE, J., joins this concurring opinion.