I disagree. Chiefly because if people aren’t in their union then it’s none of their damned business. So no, I don’t believe they don’t have a principled reason to object.
I realize I’m not going to get far in this, I got in this thread while it was still in the opinion arena. I’m not really prepared for a full fledged debate on the topic as much of my reasoning does come from opinion.
Pro-life group pickets an abortion doctor’s office.
For those that said pickets of the store are not coercive and should be permitted, do you feel any differently about the pro-life group’s picketing? If so, why?
Peaceful picketing at commericial locations is fine with me, personally. This could be a union picket or a protest of another sort (abortion clinic, military base, etc.).
When the picketers prevent access, or try to instigate crimes - they should be arrested.
Personally, I did not cross the grocer’s picket lines in Southern California.
I’m a union guy, and here’s my take on other union’s picket lines, if you’re interested. It depends on the issues involved. If the place actually broke labor laws (fired people for attempts at organizing, failed to pay for hours worked, booting out a union after an election for recognition, etc.) I won’t walk in. If a legitimate strike is on, I usually won’t cross a picket line
One exception: On opening day last year, the umpires were on strike at Victory Field, where the Indy Indians play. I stopped to apologize to a couple of striking umps for crossing the line. But, hey, it was opening day. I did buttonhole a management guy to encourage him to settle.
If it’s just a protest by a union that has never had a contract there, nor an election, I might cross a picket line.
There are a couple of firms that have a long history of labor crimes, and I’ll never give them any business, even without picket lines.
Again, it’s the price we pay for living in a free society. But they need to follow any applicable laws, and I see no problem with different restrictions on picketing around an abortion clinic vs a store.
Free speech doesn’t have to be anyone’s business, it just is.
More restrictive for the union/store? More restrictive for the pro-lifers/clinic? Doesn’t matter?
Sounds like a racket to me. What moral ground does a union have to picket a store solely for choosing to hire non-union workers?
I have no problem with protests about poor working conditions, discrimination, etc, but if the only complaint is that the owner negotiated a better contract with someone else… well then too bad.
In my opinion, unions serve two purposes:
If there are plenty of skilled workers in an industry who don’t see the need for #1, and plenty of employers who don’t see the need for #2, then why should I care if some mediocre attempt at a union feels left out in the cold? If union membership was worth the dues, they would have won the contract in the first place (either because all the skilled workers belonged, or because the business saw value in the “guild” aspects of the union).
Poor working conditions are part of what unions try to prevent. One of their arguments could be that by hiring non-union members the resteraunt is encouraging lower pay, worse benefits, longer hours, etc. in the industry they employ in.
Unions have every right to boycott whoever they want to, just like you have every right to ignore them and do business there anyway. Unions try to protect themselves and their employees, and to a lesser extent help regulate the quality of their industry. Part of protecting themselves is to discourage business done in their industry outside of the union’s influence.
Many people would say Microsoft has done the same. And they are regularly castigated for it.