THE DOS AND DON'TS OF PICKETING


1. It is your constitutional right to picket your employer and pass out handbills during a strike. Your picketing is a form of free speech protected by the first amendment.

2. Your rights to strike, picket, handbill and engage in other forms of concerned activities as workers are also guaranteed by Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act.

3. When you are picketing:
a. Ask workers who have not yet honored the picket line to do so, even if they are not members of the Union. Section 7 protects them from employer discipline when they refuse to cross a picket line.
b. Ask the public not to patronize the employer, and ask persons making deliveries to the employer to honor your picket line. This does not apply if picketing is only "informational".
c. Communication with customers in a courteous manner and thank them for their support. Tell them why you are striking.
d. Cooperate with police officers and obey their instructions. If there is a problem, obtain the officer's name, department affiliation, and badge number and report information about police actions to the Picket Captain and/or your CWA Local.
e. Picket only where assigned by your Picket Captain and/or CWA Local.
f. Maintain peaceful and orderly picketing.
g. Keep moving and maintain adequate space between pickets to allow for access through Company entrances and gates.
h. Do not use foul or abusive language to customers or others in vicinity of picket lines.
i. You have the right to call strike breakers "scabs". You may add descriptive adjectives such as "lousy scab". You must not use any derogatory language regarding a person's race, ethnic origin, religion, gender, age or sexual preference.
j. Do not threaten customer or others.
k. Do not physically touch any person(s) approaching or crossing picket lines.
l. Do not make any statements to police, reporters, TV/radio, managers or security agents. Refer all questions to the Picket Captain or Local Officer.
m. Do not litter, keep the area clean.
n. Do not drink alcoholic beverages or bring any non-prescriptiong drugs with you to picket duty.
o. Picket only the employer being struck and the workers performing the work of the employer being struck. Do not picket gates "reserved" for neutral employees.
p. Report any incidents involving threatening or dangerous behavior by strikebreakers to Picket Captain and/or Local Union official. Make note as to what happened (date, time, place, description of indiviuals, witness names).
q. Do not interfere with traffic beyond what pedestrians normally are entitled to do.
r. Do not argue with other picketers. If you have a problem, take it to the Picket Captain.
s. Thank everyone for their support.

4. If you have any questions regarding where you can picket or how you can conduct strike activities, contact your Picket Captain or Local Union Officer.
1. It is your constitutional right to picket your employer and pass out handbills during a strike. Your picketing is a form of free speech protected by the first amendment.

2. Your rights to strike, picket, handbill and engage in other forms of concerned activities as workers are also guaranteed by Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act.

3. When you are picketing:
a. Ask workers who have not yet honored the picket line to do so, even if they are not members of the Union. Section 7 protects them from employer discipline when they refuse to cross a picket line.
b. Ask the public not to patronize the employer, and ask persons making deliveries to the employer to honor your picket line. This does not apply if picketing is only "informational".
c. Communication with customers in a courteous manner and thank them for their support. Tell them why you are striking.
d. Cooperate with police officers and obey their instructions. If there is a problem, obtain the officer's name, department affiliation, and badge number and report information about police actions to the Picket Captain and/or your CWA Local.
e. Picket only where assigned by your Picket Captain and/or CWA Local.
f. Maintain peaceful and orderly picketing.
g. Keep moving and maintain adequate space between pickets to allow for access through Company entrances and gates.
h. Do not use foul or abusive language to customers or others in vicinity of picket lines.
i. You have the right to call strike breakers "scabs". You may add descriptive adjectives such as "lousy scab". You must not use any derogatory language regarding a person's race, ethnic origin, religion, gender, age or sexual preference.
j. Do not threaten customer or others.
k. Do not physically touch any person(s) approaching or crossing picket lines.
l. Do not make any statements to police, reporters, TV/radio, managers or security agents. Refer all questions to the Picket Captain or Local Officer.
m. Do not litter, keep the area clean.
n. Do not drink alcoholic beverages or bring any non-prescriptiong drugs with you to picket duty.
o. Picket only the employer being struck and the workers performing the work of the employer being struck. Do not picket gates "reserved" for neutral employees.
p. Report any incidents involving threatening or dangerous behavior by strikebreakers to Picket Captain and/or Local Union official. Make note as to what happened (date, time, place, description of indiviuals, witness names).
q. Do not interfere with traffic beyond what pedestrians normally are entitled to do.
r. Do not argue with other picketers. If you have a problem, take it to the Picket Captain.
s. Thank everyone for their support.

4. If you have any questions regarding where you can picket or how you can conduct strike activities, contact your Picket Captain or Local Union Officer.