> I find it hard to understand objections to the rule that you don't
> cross picket lines. It's really simple. This discussion followed on
> the heels of ChuckO claiming that he wouldn't support stupid decisions
> by unions. OK. But there's no need to exacerbate and antagonize by
> crossing a line. If you don't support them, then you talk with people
> involved. Crossing the line, for anything other than a health
> emergency, just seems needlessly confrontational.
I agree. If you have a question about why the line is there, ask someone! If that particular business has competitors you can go to, and it's not a life-threatening emergency, then crossing the line to do business at that establishment is definitely siding with management over labor. Certainly there are plenty of these yuppie ultra-gourmet food stores around in most metropolitan areas. There are probably a half-dozen within walking distance of where I live, and it's not nearly as fantabulous a place as Manhattan. Just go somewhere else to get your free-range, ultra-pampered, well-loved-by-their-ultimate-slaughterer organic chicken cutlets if you need them, for Pete's sake.
> In John Thornton's case, I can understand. OTOH, having been employed
> by these family operations for many years, I have to say that, in my
> experience, these are the most exploitative places around if you're
> not a family-member who stands to inherit the business. You don't need
> to cross the picket line. If you take issue with the union's decisions
> to picket, then talk to union members about it. There's lots of other
> ways to make your views known if it's so important to you.
But in the case he brought up, if I recall aright, the employees were family and their friends (and I assume the friends were actually friends), so I'm not sure how the issue of "self-exploitation" arises, or what the term means in this context. I guess the whole story would need to be looked at. Sure, like a lot of small businesses, they tend to be very exploitative for any random outside person who shows up to get a job, but the line between "insiders" and "outsiders" might often get rather blurred, I suppose.
Jon Johanning // jjohanning at igc.org __________________________ When I was a little boy, I had but a little wit, 'Tis a long time ago, and I have no more yet; Nor ever ever shall, until that I die, For the longer I live the more fool am I. -- Wit and Mirth, an Antidote against Melancholy (1684)