Fast food workers strike, nationally, locally

While it seems fast food workers may be getting the cart before the horse by striking before they have a bargaining representative, such tactics are certainly protected conduct, it only remains to be seen if it is effective in causing upward adjustments to pay or other terms and conditions of employment. We even have a West Bank event being reported. Collective actions like these, even where there is no "official" union representation can be protected activity under the National Labor Relations Act. Employers should proceed with caution, and the advice of a knowledgeable labor practitioner when responding to strikes or other collective activity by employees.

Declining volume of strikes

Anyone needing factual confirmation of the decline of organized labor need only look at the historical trend of strikes affecting more than 1000 workers. The decline since the 1970's is steep. In contrast, the number of employees idled by management lockouts has spiked.

Locked Out!

The New York Times has a good article about why employers are using lockouts more aggressively. This once rare tactic is gaining favor and its not because the NFL and NBA used it.

Repeal the NLRA

Here is a young author that enthusiastically embraces repeal of the National Labor Relations Act and embracing strikes and boycotts to empower the masses.

STRIKE!!

There is a compelling case that the National Labor Relations Act's stated purpose, to reduce economic disruption by imposing collective bargaining, has wildly succeeded over the last 75 years. Succeeded so much that unions are considered increasingly irrelevant to many workers. This post calls for a return to active use of labor's economic weapons, the strike, in particular, as well as other acts like secondary boycotts which are expressly circumscribed by the NLRA. The poster suggests unions should engage in establishing new legal identities to shield them from liability, not unlike many businesses do. Interesting and provocative analysis.

Musicians strike

Musicians at the Cleveland Orchestra have called a strike rather than accept a 5% pay cut in the first year of a 5 year contract. Median pay in 2009 was $140,000. UNder the old agreement musicians were entitled to ten weeks of paid vacation.

Origins of "scab"

The SEIU blog has a post on the term "scab." They quote Jack London, Thurgood Marshall and note the 1987 NFL replacements. But the spot on comment recognizes President Reagan validated the use of permanent replacements for strikers by replacing the air traffic controllers in the early 1980's. Money quote:

Reagan's decision was a huge blow to unions and signaled in a shift in the use of strikes. In the decades before 1981, major work stoppages averaged around 300 per year. From 1985 to 1990, the average was 52. By 2006, the average had dropped to less than 30 a year.