Would you cross a picket line?

[shockey]

My mom says I have to go to bed now.

'night, buddy. don't let the bed bugs bite.

 

[Rhody31]

The biggest paper in the state is unionized, and if they went on strike and someone came calling for me to write, I would in a second.
In fact, my paper's sister paper is a daily and they're under contract. If they strike next year and they want me to replace one of the strikers, I'm not waiting to say yes.
It's nothing against the union or what it stands for - it's just I know the writers in this state and who does and who doesn't do work. If it's my chance to make a name for myself, I'm taking it.

 

[Notepad]

Never. Ever.

And if you'd ever cross a picket line at my shop (which is a union shop) some teamster, delivery guys would follow you home and make your life miserable -- or worse.
No, I am not joking.

 

[Notepad]

The biggest paper in the state is unionized, and if they went on strike and someone came calling for me to write, I would in a second.
In fact, my paper's sister paper is a daily and they're under contract. If they strike next year and they want me to replace one of the strikers, I'm not waiting to say yes.
It's nothing against the union or what it stands for - it's just I know the writers in this state and who does and who doesn't do work. If it's my chance to make a name for myself, I'm taking it.

You should be proud of yourself.

 

[HejiraHenry]

I don't think so. Back in my younger days I was involved in an unsuccessful effort to unionize in Nashville. Not a big union fan now, but I don't think I would do it.

 

[shotglass]

I feel very fortunate that the situation has never presented itself. And it never will, for reasons stated previously.

I do know that I am angered by the idea of non-newspaper people standing on the line and threatening those who do cross. Let that to the people who work with them, Teamsters.

The biggest paper in the state is unionized, and if they went on strike and someone came calling for me to write, I would in a second.
In fact, my paper's sister paper is a daily and they're under contract. If they strike next year and they want me to replace one of the strikers, I'm not waiting to say yes.
It's nothing against the union or what it stands for - it's just I know the writers in this state and who does and who doesn't do work. If it's my chance to make a name for myself, I'm taking it.

You should be proud of yourself.

I'm not even sure what to make of that, Notepad.

 

[buzzerbeater]

Back in the 90s I got a call at home from my editor saying he wanted me to fly across the country the next day to work at another paper in the chain during a strike. At a meeting in the office before departure, I realized I was the only non-management person going. I finally realized this was not a good idea and told the editor how uncomfortable I was about going. The guy who went in my place did not enjoy the experience and regretted crossing the line. I still feel very good about not going today.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

I don't think so. Back in my younger days I was involved in an unsuccessful effort to unionize in Nashville. Not a big union fan now, but I don't think I would do it.

I had a similar experience and feel the same way.

 

[Nathan Scott Phillips]

If it was the right long-term decision for me, I would. But if it got to that point, I would be much more likely to get a job in PR or something.

I still don't see the point of a union for skilled, college-educated employees. I believe (maybe I'm wrong) that my particular set of skills should set me apart from my co-workers and I can do fine negotiating my own salary without union help. Computer programmers, salesmen, business execs, lawyers and doctors seem to get by without unions. Why do writers and editors need them? You're just fighting over salaries and benefits that are much lower than what you could make with the same skills in other businesses.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

mr. ridgeway began this thread after we had a healthy exchange of ideas on the subject via pm's earlier today. my paper went on strike for 148 days back in the day. i crossed for the first four days of the strike with several other prominent members of our sports dept.

unlike the others, i couldn't stand it. the eldest shockey was seven months old when the strike began, and i rationalized the usual -- mortgage, family to support, yada yada yada.

but i was phyically ill during those four days and a mental wreck. i had worked at the paper for 12 years. it had raised me from a pup. the first day we crossed in the manner we felt we had to -- in plain sight, in front of all the picketers who were my friends, some shouting, "don't do it, shockey! shockey, what are you doing?"

broke my heart. as sportswriters, we didn't have to go into the building past the picketers, of course. could've just kept doing my job by covering the jets and never seeing the office. but that would've been chickenshirt.

anyway, after four days, i couldn't take it anymore and joined my buds on the picket line. the knot was gone from my stomach. i played mr. mom for almost five months, mixed in with picket-line walking.

i never recovered from the thousands of dollars lost. but i knew the kind of person i was and wanted to be for my son. several of my sportswriting buds who crossed with me that first day remained as crossers, protecting their jobs and income. they remain good friends today.

those scabs who didn't work at the paper until they leaped over the picketers? those are the "pure" scabs i will never forgive/forget.

frank feels once a scab, always a scab. i feel as though i ended up making the most informed of decisions. a couple of our baseball writers were the worst of the worst -- when the strike hit, they were on their "comp time," paid days off earned by working seven-day weeks during the season. they acted as if they were on strike with us. lo and behold, when spring training began, they crossed the line to go to spring training -- having never missed a paycheck.

so my question for my SportsJournalists.com brethren: are all "scabs" created equal? am i forever pond scum for crossing for the first four of 148 days? or did i actually make the most informed decision, seeing life on both sides before landing on the right side? thoughts?

All right shock, I'll bite....Cause I hate it when people ask questions for validation instead of answers.
What makes you think you landed on the "right" side?"
Were you the only guy on the line with a family - including a young child - facing the long-term lack of income?
Obviously, you felt right in choosing your principles over a paycheck, but what about those who never crossed - even for just four days?
What about those guys who took a job to earn a living, make a check and feed themselves - in spite of the strike? In your opinion I take it they were wrong? 'Cause you said you never forgot or forgave them. What makes you better then them? Your principles?

Not all strikes are for good causes.

I'm not saying what you did was right or wrong. I grew up in UMWA country - when the union was still very strong. I've seen both sides of a strike and degrees of poor I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

Some people don't have a choice. Some people can't afford principles. If you were a single parent with a 7-month-old could you have stayed on the other side of the line? Would your principles still come first?
Principles are great, when you can afford them? You can't feed your kids on principles.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

If it was the right long-term decision for me, I would. But if it got to that point, I would be much more likely to get a job in PR or something.

I still don't see the point of a union for skilled, college-educated employees. I believe (maybe I'm wrong) that my particular set of skills should set me apart from my co-workers and I can do fine negotiating my own salary without union help. Computer programmers, salesmen, business execs, lawyers and doctors seem to get by without unions. Why do writers and editors need them? You're just fighting over salaries and benefits that are much lower than what you could make with the same skills in other businesses.

Have you checked how much money the people make who work in the careers you listed compared with journalists? And have you seen the profit margins that newspapers were making, and still are, despite the clusterforking of the past two years?

There's your answer.

As for me, I don't know if I would cross or not. Like others have said before me, it would depend on the situation. I do know that my father, who's a union man, would be very disappointed in me if I did.

And I found that Albom quote comparing newspapers to fire and police to be absolutely ridiculous. Firemen and police officers (generally) keep you safe. A journalist, while an important career, isn't a matter of life and death.

 

[cranberry]

Never. I have far too much respect for colleagues who stand together, collectively, to ever undermine their efforts. And while all scabs are wrong (no exclusions), some are worse than others.