[lbo-talk] boycotting the unorganized

John Lacny jlacny at earthlink.net
Fri Jan 21 04:24:29 PST 2005


John Adams:


> What do you do when you check into a hotel at night for a
> one-night stay, then the next day an informational picket line
> appears outside? Do you stay another night because you
> won't cross the picket line?

John,

You just ask the workers what they want you to do. No one here -- least of all me -- is arguing that picketlines are metaphysical entities that are not to be crossed apart from the strategy pursued and advocated by the people who put them up in the first place. Workers have always made exceptions in certain situations; I cited healthcare workers and many Justice for Janitors pickets where the idea of not crossing the picketline is not that important or even damaging. Most informational pickets are also not the kind that you're not supposed to cross.

I know that this was an honest question on your part, but some here have been engaging in sophistry about such hypothetical examples in an attempt to evade the real issue. The issue is that when workers call for solidarity, you are duty-bound to oblige. There's no need to make it any more complicated than it has to be.

- - - - - - - - - - John Lacny http://www.johnlacny.com

Tell no lies, claim no easy victories



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