TN bill would place limits on union picketing

[Skeeter Barnes]

Unions may face new restrictions when they picket, under a bill making its way through the Tennessee legislature.

House Bill 1688 would add a new misdemeanor of “mass picketing” that could be used to punish labor activists who block the entrance to a business or private residence. The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Jeremy Durham, and other supporters say the legislation would supplement laws already on the books that prohibit trespassing.

“People have the right to free speech, but they do not have the right to prevent people from going to work,” said Durham, R-Franklin. He said Tennessee unions added 31,000 members in 2013, which represents the largest percentage increase among the states last year.

“I feel like if that’s such a growing part of our economy, we need to take preemptive measures to make sure our businesses have the rights and protections they should be entitled to.”

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20140227/NEWS0201/302270084/TN-bill-would-place-limits-union-picketing

[Sherman A1]

1. Pardon me for a moment

[leftyohiolib]

2. is that what's going on or is this just republicans fixing a non-problem

[CatholicEdHead]

3. They need to get to the Scott Walker WI levels of union crackdowns

I would expect it to be tossed out in the courts. Freedom of Assembly.

[Skeeter Barnes]

4. Non problem. I haven't heard of any workers blocking access to any workplace.

What they are hoping to do is create a situation where they can cite people for handing out flyers to workers on their way into the parking lot. A big part of organizing is hand billing and talking to the workers on their way in to the workplace.

All they would have to do is get one worker to say "he harassed me" and then here come the cops.

[Omaha Steve]

5. Court after court has thrown out because...

Free speech AND peaceful assembly trump owners-conservatives. Just can't block entrances.

Then there are the videos of the Spam and IBP packing strikes in the 80's throwing bricks through car windows etc. That was bad PR. That didn't help the look of labor at all.

OS