Employer remedies for work stoppages that violate no-strike provisions

An employer faced with a work stoppage that violates a contractual no-strike provision has several alternatives: the employer can seek an injunction against the strike, discipline employees involved in the strike, or attempt to recover damages for violations of the collective bargaining agreement. Each of these remedies, however, presents practical problems in terms of employer-employee relations as well as legal questions regarding the extent of relief available. In the following article, the author examines the remedies available to an employer when employees engage in activity that violates a no-strike provision. He also examines the impact of recent cases on an employer's ability to enforce a no-strike pledge.