The Rockettes have received confusing messages about their
obligation to perform for the Trump inauguration. As the New York Times
reports, the management of the dance troupe informed their employees, “If you
are full time, you are obligated.”
Later, union officials said they reached an agreement with
the company that would allow all employees, even full-time dancers, to opt out
of the inauguration.
But this doesn’t mean they’ll be continued as employees.
They can be replaced for engaging in a “quickie strike” under U.S. labor law.
The situation is reminiscent of the longshore workers
boycott of Soviet cargo ships after the USSR invaded Afghanistan. Workers
refused to unload and load ships in transit to the USSR. Like the Rockettes, their motivation was to engage in a political boycott by using a work stoppage. The Supreme Court
ruled that this action was unlawful. The case is Longshoremen v. Allied Int'l, Inc., 456 U.S.
212 (1982).
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