Pittsburg Unified School District v. California School Employees Ass'n

The chief issue in this case is whether certain concerted activities of school employees involved in a labor dispute with a school *881 district constitute a corrupt practice or are otherwise unlawful and may therefore be restricted without infringing First Amendment rights.

Appellants, California School Employees Association, and local CSEA Chapter 44 1 (hereinafter collectively referred to as CSEA) and various individual officers, members and employees of CSEA, appeal the issuance of a preliminary injunction prohibiting them, and others acting in concert with them, from picketing and leafletting outside the personal business offices of certain governing board members of the Pittsburg Unified School District (hereinafter District). They contend that the injunction violates their constitutional rights under the First Amendment and thus seek reversal of the preliminary injunction, dismissal of the underlying complaint for declaratory relief and damages, and the award of court costs.

Statement of the Case/Facts

During 1980, CSEA and the District conducted negotiations concerning the reopening of a collective bargaining agreement. On November 17, 1980, after 12…