"I never cross a picket line" (minimum wage, premium, how much)

[Joey2k]

(Hopefully this is the right place for this)

Where I live the workers at a large grocery chain are on strike, and I'm hearing the usual calls to support the workers and not shop there, not cross the picket line.

If you have done your research and looked at both sides of the strike (workers and management) and come to the conclusion that the workers position is right and reasonable and you want to support them, that's one thing.

But I don't understand the sentiment I frequently hear that you should never cross a picket line, no matter what. Am I just supposed to always assume that the striking workers are right and the management is being unreasonable?

Can someone explain this sentiment?

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[Haksel257]

It's an effective organization tactic against the original perpetrators of class warfare (the wealthy). People like to glorify the military for fighting for our freedom, but let's not forget those who fought, struck, and died/got murdered for our worker's rights: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histor..._United_States

We'd all be working 100 hours a week at age 10 if people crossed picket lines. It is the equivalent of making a sealed container, only to poke a hole in it. Wouldn't you be upset if you poked a hole in your bucket (a bucket that puts food on the family table for many)?

Crossing a picket line is your choice. So is siding with billionaires instead of your own peers, you just can't be surprised when people view you as a class traitor. That's their choice, as well.

[Hemlock140]

For me crossing a picket line is something to be avoided, for a variety of reasons, supporting the workers is one, but only in certain circumstances. For example, we have not had our trash & recycling picked up for two weeks because the local union is supporting the strike in Sn Diego, two states away. I have no sympathy for them and would cross the picket line at their facility to drop off my trash if it were possible. They are making $28/hour with good benefits, and unlike the collectors in the years passed, rarely even get out of their truck, with it's automated arm picking up and dumping in the contents of the bins.

I have crossed picket lines before, twice. Once was at a hospital when the nurses were on strike and I had to get chemo. The other was more interesting, when I was a manager and the union that my people belonged to went on strike. I had to take home a company car, and pick up the few workers that decided to work anyway, and had to wait 5-10 minutes each time while the pickets walked back and forth in front of the entrance, before they would finally let us pass.

My wife and one daughter are union members, but fortunately have never been on strike. Neither has had any noticeable benefit from their union other than small raises, some years. Of course no one knows whether they would have gotten those raises without a union. When the annual amount of a raise is less than the amount of their annual union dues, it's hard to appreciate the union.

[steiconi]

I think I've only crossed one picket line in my life.
It was at the only grocery store within walking distance of my house, and I didn't have a car.

I talked to a striker; they wanted more money. They were currently getting about 3x minimum wage. Since I was only earning minimum wage, I didn't feel too sorry for them, and did my shopping there instead of taking a bus to a different store.

Since then, I've worked for management (boy, unions get a lot!) and been a union member (gee, management sure is is cheap!).

Short answer: it's a balance of how much it inconveniences me and how much I want to support their cause.

[bobspez]

I was in management during the two 6 week long strikes with two different companies I worked for. During the second strike I made enough overtime to put a down payment on my first house. While I agree with unions in principle, I don't let those principles affect my actions. I don't look to buy American if it's more expensive, I shop at Walmart, I buy Japanese cars (made in Kentucky), because those are the best deals.

[Wartrace]

I was on staff at a facility during two strikes. If I didn't cross the line I would not have had a job. No way would I give up a good job so that the union got what they wanted. Yes, it was stressful because these people would yell obscenities at you, slow walk in front of your car so you couldn't get in or out. They also liked to drop drywall screws and roofing nails on the pavement; luckily it was a tire plant so I got some new tires out of the deal.

[Nefret]

I had a frightening experience years ago in Italy, crossing a picket line to get to the bus station in order to get on the airport bus and make my flight. Had a 2 year old with me at the time.

While working as a nurse, I was employed by a union hospital. While I was not a union member, I still had some sort of union fee deducted from my paycheck.

If they had gone on strike, I would have quit my job as I could not in good conscience not gone in to work but I wasn't willing to risk having a flat tire as nurses who crossed the picket line did.

[Labonte18]

I've never seen a picket line.. i'm in SC.. Rare for anything to be Union here.

If there were a picket line at a grocery store.. I dunno.. We've got towns here that have one grocery store, so.. Not exactly sure that a whole lot of people would drive 30 miles out of their way to find a different store in that case.

[Axxlrod]

I'd go out of my way to cross a picket line. Unions are a cancer.

I remember during the last grocery workers strike I asked a few of the strikers what they were picketing for. They were on strike because their health insurance premiums were going to go up $2 more per month; for their already stellar insurance plan.

Going on strike over $2 per month. Ridiculous.

I went to the grocery store several times per week during the strike just to cross the picket line and to tell the strikers they were being ridiculous.

[Veritas Vincit]

I've never worked for a unionized business, so I've never been around a strike on that side. As a customer I don't recall ever seeing a picket line at any business I frequent.



I do recall teacher strikes and public transit strikes. The former made me happy as a kid (no school), the latter pissed me off and generally speaking I did what I had to do to get to work as staying home in 'solidarity' was certainly no option.