WHAT EFFECTS DO PUBLIC RELATIONS ACTIONS HAVE ON LABOR DISPUTES? A LOOK AT CORPORATE CAMPAIGNS

Strikes were once considered an effective “go to ” weapon in the labor movement. As union density has declined, so has the frequency and effectiveness of strikes. Strikes were once a tried and true tactic for labor unions to force employers to make concessions at the bargaining table. However over the past twenty-five years strikes have become a somewhat risky gamble with uncertain, often disastrous results. This paper examines the new role of public relations campaigns that labor unions employ in bargaining as it relates to work stoppages. What, if any, pressures do these “corporate campaigns ” exert on employers during work stoppages? Do they help labor unions further their objectives? Do they force employers to make concessions in order to avoid a strike or to quickly end a strike? THE DECLINE IN WORK STOPPAGES The strike or threat of a strike has traditionally been the most effective leverage available to labor unions to pressure an employer during collective bargaining negotiations (Susser 1989). The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) began tracking work stoppages that involved more than 1,000 worker