DIFFICULT CHOICES - CROSSING THE PICKET LINE DURING THE 1987 NATIONAL-FOOTBALL-LEAGUE STRIKE

This study examines the difficult choice faced by members of a strikin g bargaining unit between withholding labor or crossing the picket lin e in violation of the prevailing behavioral norm. Using duration analy sis, we test a model of crossing behavior using data on individual foo tball players during the 1987 National Football League strike. A notab le finding is that nonwhite players are less willing to cross the pick et line if their team union representative is also nonwhite. Willingne ss to cross the line is also influenced by teammate crossing and proxi es for expected career length, demand for current income, and expected benefits from union demands.