The primary tactics used by labor are strikes and boycotts. In addition, union members also will sometimes engage in picketing a place of work where a labor management dispute exists.
Strikes: Historically, the strike has been the most powerful weapon of organized labor. In a strike workers refuse to go to work and attempt to stop the operations of the company with which they have a dispute. Strikes also focus public opinion on the labor dispute. Strikes tend to be very costly to both labor and management, and often result in hard feelings long after the labor dispute has been resolved. Thus both management and unions attempt to avoid strikes whenever possible and only a small percentage of labor disputes actually result in strikes.
Boycotts: Boycotts can be either primary or secondary. In a primary boycott, labor encourages its membership, as well as the general public, not to buy the products of a firm involved in a labor dispute. Secondary boycotts attempt to convince other organizations that do business with a firm that is the subject of a primary boycott to stop their support. Primary boycotts are legal, but the Taft-Hartley Act prohibits secondary boycotts.
Although strikes and boycotts are the major weapons used by unions, some students may also note that unions may also use picketing. This refers to having workers walk around the outside of the organization where a dispute exists, carrying signs and talking to the public about their issues and concerns. The idea is to call attention to the union's position and gain public support. Picketing often is done in conjunction with a strike, but may also be a tactic used as an informational tool even before a strike occurs.
The most important tactics of management are lockouts, injunctions, and hiring strikebreakers.
Lockouts: Management can try to put pressure on workers by temporarily closing the business, thus denying workers employment. Lockouts are not used very often in labor disputes today.
Injunctions: An injunction is a court order directing someone to do something or refrain from doing something. Management commonly uses this tactic to get striking workers back to work, to limit picketing in front of a place of business, or to prevent other union practices that could be considered detrimental to the public welfare. The Norris-LaGuardia Act states that a court can only issue such an injunction if the company can show "just cause," such as the possibility of violence or the destruction of property.
Strikebreakers: When workers go out on strike, firms can hire replacement workers who are referred to as strikebreakers (or "scabs" by the striking workers). This tactic is used more frequently today than in the past. President Reagan used strikebreakers during the air traffic controllers' strike in 1981.