J.P. Stevens Boycott and the Real “Norma Rae”

Panel Introduction

The history of the boycott in American protest predates the nation itself; beginning with the Boston Tea Party in 1857, it has been a popular strategy to draw attention to injustice and financially damage its perpetrators. The most famous and successful uses of the boycott include the Montgomery Bus Boycott, when African American residents of Montgomery, Alabama shunned the public transit system until the city repealed its racial segregation policies.

In addition to the Civil Rights movement, the boycott has been a popular tactic in organized labor. Its use is based on the theory that employers rely on production and consumption to make a profit, and just as strikes are used to disrupt production, boycotts can diminish consumption, and thus force owners to the bargaining table. Union organizers have used the boycott since the 19^th Century. An early prominent example of this took place in 1894, when workers of the American Railway Union organized a boycott of the Pullman Palace Car Company, and a strike in its factories. Unfortunately, the federal government brought in the national guard as strikebreakers, and the movement failed. The strategy has been used successfully however. In the 1960s, the United Farm Workers organized a highly successful boycott of California grapes that resulted in an over 30% drop in sales for major producers. This resulted in the union securing better working conditions for its agricultural workers. It was possibly with this strategy in mind that tobacco workers in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina organized a boycott of the J.P Stevens Corporation.

The boycott remains a useful tool for labor unions. Organizers can use social media to spread awareness and encourage non-union members to participate in boycotts as well. While these movements can be drowned out by the noise of these large platforms, they nevertheless represent a potential tool that can be used to further the goal of organized labor.