Crossing or not crossing a picket line can be a highly personal decision for an employee. Crossing the line can result in harassment from picketing coworkers and, in some cases, threats of violence. But honoring the picket line can leave employees feeling vulnerable about financial and job security...
An employer can, however, expect that its supervisory and management employees, who are not covered by the NLRA, will cross the picket line, and it can take disciplinary action against those who refuse to do so...
Other employees have the right to refuse to picket, said Alex Stevens, an attorney with Haynes and Boone in Dallas.
If harassment of those crossing a picket line is violent or threatening—which may include threats of personal harm, property damage or some kind of economic harm—an employer can seek an injunction to stop the harassing conduct. The employer also may file unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Stevens noted.
Excerpted from HR Magazine. To read the full article, please click here.