Good question. The article mentions the Verizon workers helping spike this, but, I’m with you. How does that work?
All states prohibit you from receiving benefits if you are part of a work stoppage. During a strike, states typically make you ineligible to receive benefits until the work stoppage ends or until your unemployment no longer stems from a labor dispute. If you are a member of a union but your class or grade of employee does not actively participate in the strike, you would remain eligible for unemployment benefits in most states if you subsequently lose your job.
Exceptions
Most states leave you eligible to receive unemployment benefits during a labor dispute if the employer has initiated a lockout, although some states do not make this allowance. A few states allow you to be eligible for benefits if you are part of a strike that hinges on your employer’s failure to abide by provisions of a collective bargaining agreement, or state and federal labor laws relating to wages, hours, collective bargaining rights and health and safety issues in the workplace.
http://www.ehow.com/info_8446270_union-can-collect-unemployment-benefits.html
A “lock-out” allows people to file for benefits but since they weren’t locked out but left voluntarily so “no soup for you”.. I left my job six years ago, maybe I should file just for kicks and see what happens.
I’m guessing that CWA is sending all their money to the new commie “superpac” set-up by Obama’s buddies to hasten the downfall of capitalism.