What is an Official Strike?
Let me explain what an official strike really means. It's when a union and its members decide to stop working, but they do it legally by following all the rules, like getting a majority vote from the union members. You see, if you're part of this, you get better protections from getting fired compared to an unofficial strike. Workers usually go this route as a last resort when they've got serious grievances. You might hear it called an official industrial action, a strike action, or just a strike.
Key Takeaways
- An official strike complies with the legal processes needed to declare and carry out a work stoppage.
- These strikes are protected concerted actions under the National Labor Relations Act, though the NLRB rules on whether a specific one qualifies.
- Workers in an official strike have stronger legal protections against employer dismissal or retaliation.
Understanding an Official Strike
In the U.S., the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) oversees industrial labor relations under the National Labor Relations Act and related laws. It's the NLRB that ultimately decides if a strike meets the criteria to be official. These laws allow workers to engage in protected concerted activities, including strikes, as long as they stick to the legal processes the NLRB enforces.
When a strike follows these processes, it's legally recognized and protected by the NLRB. That means if you're striking officially, your employer can't retaliate by disciplining or firing you. Strikes happen during collective bargaining between unions and employers over wages, benefits, working conditions, and for public servants, even related legislation. Union members typically vote to strike when other negotiations fail.
If workers strike without union approval, that's a wildcat strike. This could happen if the union won't back it or if there's no union at all, and it doesn't come with the same protections as an official one.
Usually, strikers just refuse to work and might set up a picket line outside to disrupt business or block strikebreakers. Sometimes, they occupy the workplace but won't do their jobs or leave—that's a sit-down strike. For public servants, picketing might happen where lawmakers gather instead of at the workplace.
Historical Example
Strikes often build up from ongoing issues like no wage increases or poor safety, and they can be triggered by political talk or management resistance. In 2024, port workers and auto workers unions went on strike, but those don't compare to the biggest in U.S. history.
One well-known official strike was the 1994 Major League Baseball strike, which wiped out the end of the season and the whole postseason. Some replacement players from the 1995 spring training stuck around in the majors but couldn't join the union. That's significant because union players get a share of MLB revenues from things like jerseys and cards using their names and images—nonunion players miss out on that.
The Bottom Line
The right to strike legally has been a key tool for American workers and unions in negotiations. Over U.S. history, official strikes in various industries have pushed for better pay, reasonable hours, stronger contracts and benefits, and safer working conditions.
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