Attacking from the Flank – Limits on the Ability of Unions to Engage in Secondary Activity

Most labor disputes are exclusively between a union and a targeted employer. However, to gain additional leverage, unions sometimes target neutral third parties to enlist their “support” against the employer. When unions do so, they risk running afoul of the secondary boycott prohibitions of the National Labor Relations Act. Employers that face organizing pressure from a union are well‐advised to be thoroughly familiar with these prohibitions as they can be a shield against improper efforts to turn other businesses (including vendors and customers) against you.