3. If the employer did propose a waiver of sympathy strike rights in the future, would this bargaining issue likely represent a high, medium, or low priority item for the union and its membership? Explain your reasoning. The employer operates two production facilities, one in Michigan and the other in Ohio. Employees at both plants are covered under separate, but similar labor agreements. On August 10, a lawful economic strike was initiated by local union members at the company’s Ohio plant. The Ohio local union members established picket lines at both the Ohio and Michigan facilities of the employer.

Picketing occurred at the Michigan plant on August 10–11; August 23–26; August 31–September 3; and September 7–9.

On August 5, the company sent a letter to all employees advising them of the status of negotiations at the Ohio plant and warning employees that ‘‘an employee’s refusal to perform work under these circumstances could result in the immediate loss of all unaccrued benefits, including health care.’’ The Michigan plant employees who honored the picket line established by the Ohio plant employees were subsequently denied health care benefits by the company on the days they participated in the strike by refusing to cross the picket line established at the Michigan plant.