“I'm telling you right now that every single time you honk, beep — and much more importantly, start writing letters to the editor, frame the narrative, have signs saying the community stands with you — that's going to matter, right?” says McAlevey. “Is it workers standing alone or workers with their community?”
2. Grab some markers and poster board and visit the picket line
Like any other protest, picket lines are open to those directly impacted and their allies, unless stated otherwise. They aren’t exclusive to employees, so feel free to make a few signs, text some friends, and walk the picket line in support.
Visiting a picket line also allows the community to get more details on what workers need and how allies can provide support. Do they need bottled water to keep marching in the summer heat? Maybe some hand warmers for a wintertime strike? Could they use snacks? Portable phone chargers? It can make a huge difference to have those needs met. Plus, getting involved is a great way to meet members of your own community with whom you might not otherwise interact. Remember, workers don’t exist in a silo. They’re just as much a part of our communities as anyone else, and joining a picket line could be the first step to strengthening those bonds.
3. Make a strike support solidarity club with friends
Whether there’s a strike happening in your own city or several states away, getting a few friends together to plan ways to support is a great option. It could be something as easy as making a Google Doc or starting a group text thread to coordinate supplies and rides. Working together can make sure each tactic feels bite-size and manageable, and doing things with other people — especially if it’s your first time supporting a strike — can feel much less intimidating.
“Map it out. There's this talk show, there's this morning talk show on this local station, there's this radio station, there's this local TV station. Let's map out who's going to call into each one of them?” McAlevey offers. “Make a calendar online, make a plan. Who's going to go there on Thursday night? Who's going to get down on Friday? Who’s going to get out on Saturday. Who's going to take what food down?”
4. Donate to strike support funds
Strike support funds, also called economic hardship funds, are probably one of the most easily recognizable ways to support a union from afar. According to McAlevey, whether it’s a shorter strike or one that continues for months, those funds will be depleted. The money is crucial for allowing striking workers to take care of their families, but if their employer decides to remove their health benefits during the strike — which McAlevey says sometimes happens — that fund might need to cover medical expenses too.
“What the employers do very quickly in long strikes — I've experienced it and it is super intense — is that like, day 30, they cut your health benefits,” McAlevey explains. “People are going to need money to pay their bills, feed the kids, and maybe, depending on how abusive the employer is, have a healthcare fund in case someone's getting sick. We're in a pandemic last I looked, so the need for financial support is serious.”
5. Push elected leaders to support the strike through public statements and policy
Though President Joe Biden shared public support for Amazon workers’ high-profile union drive in Bessemer, Alabama, McAlevey describes it as “too little, too late.” No politician at the federal level has yet commented on the more than 1,000 coal miners in Alabama who, like the nurses in Massachusetts, are entering the sixth month of their strike.
“For people who are being called the most pro-labor administration, it is not acceptable that there have not been super-direct interventions,” says McAlevey. “Every smart politician knows how to put their thumb on the scale and help advance a cause. And we are not seeing that yet.”
Pushing elected officials to take a public stance on workers’ rights and share messages of support for specific strikes as they’re happening both encourage striking workers and helps shore up public support for pro-labor policy measures. And according to McAlevey, we’ll need both to build enough worker power to improve people’s lives and save the planet.
Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out: What a Labor Union Is and How It Works
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