Lockouts put workers on the defensive
A record percentage of the nation’s work stoppages consist of lockouts. Once a rare and aggressive move, lockouts have become more common as negotiations between labor unions and employers reach deadlock. Locked-out employees find themselves suddenly without income, leading to utility disconnections and even foreclosures. Some believe employers are attempting to break unions, but employers say unions reject reasonable compromises, forcing management to take dramatic action. Photo credit: Dan Koeck