Question

Employees of companies packing Washington State apples were on strike. Their union asked several

grocery chains in the area not to sell the apples. When the chains refused, the union organized pickets

in front of the stores urging consumers not to purchase Washington State apples. Neither the picket signs nor the leaflets requested a total boycott of the stores, only that consumers not buy apples.

Is this lawful? Why or why not? Would it make a difference if the pickets had been in front of

an apple stand rather than a grocery store?

Answer 1

I think the employees were on strike with their own employer i.e. the companies packing Washington State apple. So why should the customers suffer, if the packing companies are not doing justice they should suffer and by organizing pickets, the grocery store might face losses and the customers might have faced the issues. So I think it is not lawful to create disturbance to the customers who are the reason they had got jobs.

I think it was not a difference if the pickets were in front of apple stands because in both the cases entities and people other than those packing companies are getting affected which is injustice. So there should be a more responsible protest or strike.