"how can i support my friend on the picket line?"
as the current strikewave continues to grow (hell yeah), it's more and more likely that even if you aren't in a union yourself (only 10% of workers in the USA are, roughly), you might know someone who is, which means you might know someone who is going on strike one day. if you are wondering how to support a loved one who is striking, here are a few ideas! this is non-comprehensive and based solely on my experiences going on strike in an urban environment in the USA. take what makes sense for your situation and leave the rest!
free space: whatever the union is telling supporters to do
nothing will help your friend/partner/family member more than the strike coming to a successful conclusion as fast as possible. follow the union's social media, check their website, or sign up for their newsletter. they will let you know what the most impactful actions will be. this might look like donations of cash, signing petitions, making phone calls, or showing up to the picket line in person. when in doubt, start there. for me, having friends show up to picket even for an hour or two during our toughest times made a huge difference.
i don't think i paid for food one time while on strike, and it was a huge help, both because i was exhausted and because, uh, i wasn't getting paid. this could look like bringing food to the picket line—we got lots of pizza and donuts, but any time someone brought something different or home made it was a huge morale boost. it can also look like making sure when your friend gets home from picketing, they can crash instead of having to go grocery shopping or cooking for themselves. takeout gift cards, grocery runs, meal prepping, snack packs—whatever makes sense for you and your loved one. also: hydration is key. a big pack of bottled water is never a bad thing to drop off at a picket line, regardless of the weather.
defense against the elements
speaking of the weather: it can be hell. no matter what season or climate, there are going to be struggles when people are outside all day long. are they dealing with heat? cold? rain? bugs? tangible objects can help (sunscreen, ponchos) but so can things like offers of transportation. i used public transit to get to my picketing shifts most of the time, but knowing i had a friend with a car i could call if it started pouring was a huge help.
protect the feet at all costs
when i did a shift of picketing i usually walked about twelve miles in an afternoon. that's no joke to do day after day after day. think about comfy insoles for their shoes; think about blister protection; think about epsom salts. i had friends who let me collapse in their nice bathtub a few times a week and just soak out my aches and pains. and i will be grateful to them forever.
protect the rest of the bod too
one of my favorite things anyone ever dropped off at our picket was a huge box of free covid tests. tests, masks, lozenges (you get sore throats fast when you're on a bullhorn every day), painkillers—these are great contributions if you have them floating around.
morale is incredibly important. a lot of that will come from being on the line, but there are things friends and family can do too. be vocally supportive; share news about the strike with your own networks. tell your pal how proud you are of them. give them easy ways to recharge when they're off the line—playlists, streaming service logins, book recommendations. make sure they have roses as well as bread.
help them protect and nourish their body and mind
help ease the strain of day-to-day tasks that still need to get done
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