Activists with Labour Fightback have drafted a resolution for union members to use against scabbing policies that unfortunately exist in some unions. The aim is to rejuvenate the time honored tradition of respecting a picket line of striking workers. In the context of capitalist crisis and attacks against workers, bringing back this tradition is an urgent task for all workers. We encourage trade union activists to put this resolution forward in their union locals and to contact Labour Fightback if they need assistance: fightback@marxist.ca
Resolution: Picket Lines Mean Do Not Cross
- Whereas, the statement “picket lines mean do not cross” is a founding principle of the labour movement.
- Whereas, all the union rights we currently enjoy would not exist were it not for workers upholding pickets against thugs, scabs, and police in strikes such as Minneapolis 1934, Flint Michigan 1936, GM Oshawa 1937, and Ford Windsor 1945.
- Whereas, the right to strike in the public sector was won via illegal wildcat pickets in the 1960s and 1970s by postal workers, teachers, and others.
- Whereas, the current strike of Ontario education workers requires the utmost solidarity and unity in order to achieve victory.
- Whereas, both Liberal and Conservative governments have attacked picket solidarity and supported scabs by making respecting a picket line illegal, showing that they will not hesitate to trample on the right to strike of workers in the interest of the bosses and big business.
- Whereas, unfortunately some locals have not upheld picket solidarity, weakening our struggles and endangering the rights we hold dear.
- Whereas, in other provinces picket solidarity is the norm, such as when CUPE BC respected BC teachers’ lines in 2014 and BCTF supported CUPE BC lines in 2019.
- Whereas, when united in mass struggle workers have shown that it is impossible to illegalize picket solidarity.
- Therefore be it resolved that [THIS UNION] make clear statements, committing to uphold the principle that picket lines mean do not cross, and will not enable, facilitate, or communicate picket line crossing or scabbing in any form.
- Be it also resolved that [THIS UNION] participate in a mass education campaign on the need to oppose scabbing and picket line crossing, and do everything in its power to promote picket solidarity and defend workers refusing to cross a picket line.
- Be it also resolved that [THIS UNION] will revoke any statements or policies that do not uphold picket solidarity, including statements and policies dictated by the bosses courts, and that picket pay be made available to workers respecting a picket line using the same regulations as if they were striking for their own collective agreement.
- Be it also resolved that [THIS UNION] join a mass campaign to include the right to respect a picket line without victimization, discipline, or penalty as a bargaining demand in every collective agreement, and for this right to be enshrined in law for all workers, union and non.
