Have you ever been involved in a WORK STRIKE?

Question

I've never been a member of a union, but I have been involved in three strikes, at two different companies. In both cases, I crossed the picket line, peacefully, and continued to do my regular job as an engineer, but I refused management's request to do any of the jobs of the striking workers. One strike lasted 2 days, one a month, and the other, 3 weeks.

What about you?

Have you ever been involved in a strike? Which side were you on?

TrueConfection · Accepted Answer

Same as you. I was never on strike, but have worked directly for a company that had union members go on strike. I had to cross the line to do my regular job, but the union workers were very kind and understanding that my job was not part of their bargaining agreement and I was not protected by their union. I also brought coffee and bagels to their picket line. 😎

northerngal · Accepted Answer

I sure have. They are degrading experiences... but sometimes totally necessary.

Chazmatazz269 · Answer

Nope. I am a union member in good standing and i have been for two decades. I’ve stood on picket lines, but i’ve never been part of a work stoppage. The IBEW has bylaws prohibiting wildcat strikes, which is what you’re likely thinking of when you imagine a strike. The only time we’re allowed to strike is when collective bargaining breaks down and management refuses to negotiate in good faith before a contract expires. By law, we don’t work without a contract.
Last contract negotiations were dragged out and we thought we might have a work stoppage in our immediate future. Eventually management came back to the table and a deal was struck. However, one of the points they refused to resolve is a matter of state law now. While we have a contract to continue work as usual, there is a pending lawsuit against a few local contractors who refuse to pay sick leave. The contractors seem to think that they don’t have to meet expectations not explicitly outlined in our contract. Unions and department of labor disagree. So we’re going to court!

exitseven · Answer

UPS went on strike a long time ago. I was working for a company that sold supplies tp police and fire departments. We shipped most of our stuff with UPS. When the strike started we had 40 of 50 packages that were stuck in their depot. I had to drive over there and pick up all the packages. The picket line was blocking the driveway > I drove through the picket line and everyone yelled SCAB at me. They got more aggressive on the way out. I got down low in my seat and dropped it into low gear and just kept driving. A few people pounded on the hood but they got out of the way.

RavVid · Answer

I have actually moved a motion for an immediate strike!

The company I was with was being taken over and we were getting a dud deal. The union was very happy they were going to get a lot union subs - so they were bought off.

I knew another guy was going to move we should accept. So I was ready and got in before him with my strike motion. It got voted down of course but by doing so I moved every body to stage right. When he moved his motion to accept he got far fewer votes.

We ended up with pretty good deal.

Shiprex · Answer

Yes. Just before I left my home country, there was a strike by colleagues who were responsible for the general functions of background staff. The janitors and cleaning staff basically. As an early riser and union rep, I was one of the first to the gate and upon reaching there the janitors were picketing a locked gate at which point I called my union supervisor to ask our stance, to be told we support their action so not to cross the picket line. Unfortunately the road I was on to enter the gate was now backed up and narrowed so I couldn't turn around, inadvertently preventing others from breaking the picket.

I've also striked when we've been called to by union leaders.

contentious · Answer

Nope. If I'm not willing to work for what they are offering I'll just go work somewhere else or start my own business. It's pretty retarded when people want to keep their job that they hate so they stand there and complain about it. Just stop doing it. If what they are offering is really so bad then nobody will do the job and they will go out of business or they will decide to pay more to attract workers.

DrPepper12 · Answer

Never strike personally but have walked numerous picket lines in #Solidarity & boycotted more anti labor vendors than I can count.

Staximus · Answer

Never been involved in a strike. I don't work with any union goldbrick slackers, and also try not to work in places where a union would be necessary to protect me from the corporation. I did work at Home Depot about 20 years ago and some of the guys were talking about unionizing. I stopped working there before that was attempted.

msc545 · Answer

I don't have sort of job where I've been involved in this sort of thing but a few years ago I turned out a very lucrative job because to take that job would have meant being a scab and also crossing a picket line and these are two things I absolutely will not do.

WindAtMyBack · Answer

Not that I know of. Although I grew up in an automotive town that was heavily unionized with various unions, not just auto unions. It's one of the reasons I hate unions so much. To say I'm anti-union would be an understatement.

Telekinetic-Potato · Answer

I built a writer room over the pandemic by attending the writers strike. Got a lot of sweet contacts there too 😂

One guy was like "Wait so you just came out here to take advantage of us striking?" And I'm like

"yeeep"

And he kinda cracks a smile and gave me his card. I won't say who it was but he's written for cartoons on nickelodeon that weren't SpongeBob.

Miristheiss · Answer

Not as a Striker but I worked in an office and the union half of the company went on strike so for about a month our office shut down and we were doing the union part of the job until a new contract was agreed upon.

Agape93 · Answer

Nope, our workers aren't unionized. I also don't see a point in striking when I'm perfectly capable of going elsewhere and not putting my finances in jeopardy.

genericname85 · Answer

yeah but that's here, unuins are a joke. basically you don't go work for a few days for them to negotiate a deal. and then they basically don't negotiate anything and you go back to work with no changes.

FunkyMonkee · Answer

Not for me, I was paid to hold a sign at a strike for a couple hours. We were on our way to a recording session and my guitarist asked us to help him at a strike he was involved with.

Chewy_______ · Answer

No, but if they company I work for keeps having these stupid pizza parties instead if wage increases, I may end up involved in one.

CaptainSmartass · Answer

Nope. But I have been in a fire drill where, because of the assembly point, it looked like we were on strike. People were driving past honking their horns, and everything. Simples...

douride2 · Answer

I have never been involved in a work strike. During most strikes you never get the money back that you lost to being on strike.

fivebyfour · Answer

Yes, supporting other branches of the retail org I work for atm, on my day off, Union member since I left school,,,

jamesgoldman · Answer

No, perk of being self-employed

My grandfather was a self-employed builder during the builders strike of 1972, union tried to stop him working and he just stood there, pickshaft in hand
They left him to it

Smegskull · Answer

Yes and no. There was a 1 day strike in my first job and I was a union member. However I was already on holiday the week it happend.

noohair · Answer

In my jobs I was management. I was in on negations but there was never a strike.

On_cloud_wine · Answer

Yeah.. I signed pro union then they fired me

katiesmuff · Answer

Nothing I've ever been through thankfully!

FreyaRed · Answer

No. Strikes are uncommon in my branch.

Xawyx-2 · Answer

Nope, never have.

queenofcardio · Answer

Not yet.

WonderingManII · Answer

Nope.

Iron_Man · Answer

No never have

HДLILБΞУ · Answer

yes I attended..

qwerty2469 · Answer

Lol. No. Im not a lazy commie

MannMitAntworten · Answer

Nope.

Have you ever been involved in a WORK STRIKE?

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