>Picketlines are not that complicated. When a union puts one up and asks you
>not to cross it, you don't cross. Period.
>
>- - - - - - - - - -
>John Lacny
This is certainly oversimplified.
I have a neighbor who owns a small grocery store. He was head of purchasing for a grocery chain that closed their doors. He and a friend from that operation took out an SBA loan using their homes as collateral. Bill (my neighbor) employs himself, his wife, his mother, his wifes mother, his daughter, his son, a friend of the son, and a friend of the daughter occasionally. Both his children are attending university. His partner runs the meat counter (among other things).
When they opened the store there was a picket line out in front. Bills is one of four non-union grocery stores in this town. Two are a large chain and the other is a sole proprietor similar to Bills. The union picket line moves from one location to another in front of all four locations. I support the union action with concern to the two large grocers, Price Cutter perhaps, I'm uncertain because I don't shop there.
Bill worked for the union in his previous job and was always very pro-union. He did not however feel the need to make his entire family pay union dues as an added expense to his small operation. Through their stupid actions the unions have lost the support of a previous union member. Bill speaks negatively about the union from time to time when a customer brings up the picket line. He feels like the union has stabbed him in the back. The union looks foolish picketing a small store like this and it does their cause irreparable damage when a previously strong union supporter is occasionally near tears when the subject of their picket comes up in the store. Guess whose side most customers sympathize with, poor old Bill trying to make a living employing his whole family or the union?
I like Bill and like shopping at his store. I cross that picket line every time it goes up. I have tried to converse with the picketers about how this is demonstration is counterproductive but they usually begin telling me how clueless I am and sometimes resort to invectives.
According to you I am wrong in crossing this ill placed picket line. Am I a scab that should go fuck himself too?
John Thornton
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