Strike vs. Picketing — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Published on November 20, 2023
Strike is a work stoppage by workers protesting conditions or terms, while picketing involves workers publicly demonstrating, often outside their workplace, during a strike.
Difference Between Strike and Picketing
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A strike is a collective action where workers refuse to work, often to protest against specific terms, conditions, or grievances in their employment. This can be because of pay disputes, working conditions, benefits, or other workplace issues. On the other hand, picketing is one of the visible manifestations of a strike, where workers physically demonstrate, typically outside their place of work.
While the essence of a strike is in the cessation of work, picketing serves to create public awareness about the reasons behind the strike.
Picketing can often involve holding signs, chanting, and trying to persuade others not to cross the picket line.
Essentially, while both strike and picketing are tools in the labor movement, a strike focuses on halting work, and picketing focuses on visibility and awareness.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Work stoppage due to worker protests.
Public demonstration during a strike.
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Primary Focus
Halting work to demand specific changes.
Raising awareness about the reasons for a strike.
Visibility
Can be silent, without public demonstrations.
Highly visible, often with signs and chants.
Purpose
Exert pressure on employers by stopping work.
Persuade others and highlight grievances.
Location
Workers abstain from work, may stay home.
Typically outside workplaces or relevant sites.
Compare with Definitions
Strike
A work stoppage due to collective worker protests.
The factory workers went on strike demanding better wages.
Picketing
A public demonstration by workers during a strike.
The employees were picketing outside the company headquarters.
Strike
Often organized by labor unions on behalf of workers.
The union called for a strike after negotiations failed.
Picketing
Holding signs and chanting to create awareness.
Picketing workers explained their grievances to the public.
Strike
A tool to address grievances in employment conditions.
Workers threatened to strike if safety measures weren't improved.
Picketing
Visible form of protest highlighting labor disputes.
Picketing often attracts media attention to the workers' cause.
Strike
Can last from hours to months, depending on the issue.
The month-long strike finally ended after successful mediation.
Picketing
An attempt to persuade others to support the strike.
The picketing line dissuaded many from entering the store.
Strike
To hit sharply, as with a hand, fist, weapon, or implement
Struck the table in anger.
Strikes the ball with a nine iron.
Struck the nail with a hammer.
Picketing
A pointed stake often driven into the ground to support a fence, secure a tent, tether animals, mark points in surveying, or, when pointed at the top, serve as a defense.
Strike
To inflict (a blow).
Picketing
A detachment of one or more troops, ships, or aircraft held in readiness or advanced to warn of an enemy's approach
"The outlying sonar picket ... was to detect, localize, and engage any submarine trying to close the convoy" (Tom Clancy).
Strike
To penetrate or pierce
Was struck in the leg by a bullet.
Picketing
A person or group of persons stationed outside a place of employment, usually during a strike, to express grievance or protest and discourage entry by nonstriking employees or customers.
Strike
To collide with or crash into
She struck the desk with her knee.
Picketing
A person or group of persons present outside a building to protest.
Strike
To cause to come into violent or forceful contact
She struck her knee against the desk.
Picketing
To enclose, secure, tether, mark out, or fortify with pickets.
Strike
To thrust (a weapon, for example) in or into someone or something
Struck the sword into the dragon.
Picketing
To post as a picket.
Strike
To damage or destroy, as by forceful contact
Lightning struck the tree.
Picketing
To guard with a picket.
Strike
To make a military attack on; assault.
Picketing
To post a picket or pickets during a strike or demonstration.
Strike
To afflict suddenly, as with a disease or impairment
Was stricken with cancer.
Picketing
To act or serve as a picket.
Strike
To cause to become suddenly in a certain way
Struck him dead.
Picketing
Present participle of picket
Strike
To snap at or seize (a bait).
Picketing
The act of one who pickets (in any sense).
Picketings and demonstrations
Strike
To hook (a fish that has taken the bait) by a pull on the line.
Picketing
Typically peaceful, but can sometimes escalate.
The company called for calm after tensions rose during picketing.
Strike
To wound by biting. Used especially of a snake.
Strike
To form by stamping, printing, or punching
Strike a medallion.
Strike
To produce or play by manipulating strings or keys
Strike a B flat.
Strike w, t, and y on the keyboard.
Strike
To indicate by a percussive or chiming sound
The clock struck nine.
Strike
To produce as if by playing a musical instrument
The report struck a positive note in the final paragraph.
Strike
To produce by friction or a blow
Struck fire from the flints.
Strike
To produce flame, light, or a spark by friction
Strike a match.
Strike
To remove or separate suddenly, as with a blow
Struck the wasp from his shoulder.
Struck off the diseased branch with a machete.
Strike
To eliminate or expunge
Strike a trial witness's answer to a question as inadmissible hearsay.
Strike
To come upon (a mineral deposit) by effort; discover
Struck gold.
Strike
To come to; reach or attain
Finally struck the main trail.
Strike
To fall upon; shine on
A bright light struck her face.
Strike
To become audible to
An odd sound struck his ear.
Strike
To affect keenly or forcibly; impress
The suggestion struck her as foolish.
Strike
To enter the mind of
The thought struck me from out of the blue.
Strike
To cause (a strong emotion) to penetrate deeply
Struck terror into their hearts.
Strike
To affect or overcome with strong emotion
She was struck with alarm at the news.
Strike
To make and confirm the terms of (a bargain).
Strike
To achieve (a balance, for example) by careful consideration.
Strike
To position one's body in (a pose, for example); assume.
Strike
To haul down (a mast or sail).
Strike
To lower (a flag or sail) in salute or surrender.
Strike
To lower (cargo) into a hold.
Strike
To remove (theatrical properties, a set, or technical equipment) from a stage.
Strike
To dismantle and pack up for departure
Strike camp.
Strike
To undertake a strike against (an employer).
Strike
To level or even (a measure, as of grain).
Strike
To smooth or shape with a strickle.
Strike
To send (plant roots) out or down.
Strike
To cause (a plant cutting) to take root.
Strike
To deal a blow or blows, as with the fist or a weapon; hit.
Strike
To aim a stroke or blow
Struck at his opponent but missed.
Strike
To make contact suddenly or violently; collide
A car and a bus struck at the intersection.
Strike
To begin a military attack
The enemy struck unexpectedly.
Strike
(Sports) To score a goal
The home team struck early in the game.
Strike
To penetrate or pierce
The cold struck right through our jackets.
Strike
To take bait
The fish are striking.
Strike
To dart or shoot suddenly forward in an attempt to inflict a bite or wound. Used of snakes and wild animals.
Strike
To set out or proceed, especially in a new direction
Struck off into the forest.
Strike
To begin to move
The horse struck into a gallop.
Strike
To send out roots.
Strike
To sprout.
Strike
To indicate the time by making a percussive or chiming sound
The clock struck just as we left.
Strike
To become indicated by a percussive or chiming sound
The hour has struck.
Strike
To become ignited.
Strike
To discover something suddenly or unexpectedly
Struck on a new approach.
Strike
To fall, as light or sound
Sunlight striking on the cliffs.
A din struck upon their ears.
Strike
To have an effect; make an impression.
Strike
To engage in a strike against an employer.
Strike
To interrupt by pushing oneself forward
Struck rudely into the conversation.
Strike
To strive diligently for a specific technical rating in the US Navy.
Strike
An act or gesture of striking.
Strike
An attack, especially a military air attack on a single group of targets.
Strike
(Sports) A scoring attempt, often resulting in a goal.
Strike
A cessation of work by employees in support of demands made on their employer, as for higher pay or improved conditions.
Strike
A temporary stoppage of normal activity undertaken as a protest.
Strike
A sudden achievement or valuable discovery, as of a precious mineral.
Strike
The taking of bait by a fish.
Strike
A pull on a fishing line indicating this.
Strike
A quantity of coins or medals struck at the same time.
Strike
(Baseball) A pitched ball that is counted against the batter, typically one that is swung at and missed, fouled off, or judged to have passed through the strike zone.
Strike
A perfectly thrown ball
The quarterback threw a strike to the receiver.
Strike
An unfavorable condition, circumstance, or characteristic; a disadvantage
"[They] were trying to sell a movie with several strikes against it as a mass-audience 'property'" (John Sayles).
Strike
The knocking down of all the pins in bowling with the first bowl of a frame.
Strike
The score so made.
Strike
The taking root and growing of a plant cutting.
Strike
(Geology) The course or bearing of a structural surface, such as an inclined bed, as it intersects a horizontal plane.
Strike
The removal of all properties, sets, and technical equipment following a final performance, as of a play or concert.
Strike
A strickle.
Strike
A device serving the functions of a strike plate, especially one that can be electronically released to allow access.
Strike
To delete or cross out; to scratch or eliminate.
Please strike the last sentence.
Strike
(physical) To have a sharp or sudden effect.
Strike
(transitive) To hit.
Strike the door sharply with your foot and see if it comes loose.
A bullet struck him.
The ship struck a reef.
Strike
(transitive) To give, as a blow; to impel, as with a blow; to give a force to; to dash; to cast.
Strike
(intransitive) To deliver a quick blow or thrust; to give blows.
A hammer strikes against the bell of a clock.
Strike
(transitive) To manufacture, as by stamping.
We will strike a medal in your honour.
Strike
To run upon a rock or bank; to be stranded; to run aground.
The ship struck in the night.
Strike
(transitive) To cause to sound by one or more beats; to indicate or notify by audible strokes. Of a clock, to announce (an hour of the day), usually by one or more sounds.
The clock struck twelve.
The drums strike up a march.
Strike
(intransitive) To sound by percussion, with blows, or as if with blows.
Strike
(transitive) To cause or produce by a stroke, or suddenly, as by a stroke.
To strike a light
Strike
(transitive) To cause to ignite by friction.
To strike a match
Strike
(transitive) To thrust in; to cause to enter or penetrate.
A tree strikes its roots deep.
Strike
To have a sharp or severe effect.
Strike
(transitive) To punish; to afflict; to smite.
Strike
(intransitive) To carry out a violent or illegal action.
Strike
(intransitive) To act suddenly, especially in a violent or criminal way.
The bank robber struck on the 2nd and 5th of May.
Strike
To impinge upon.
The first thing to strike my eye was a beautiful pagoda.
Tragedy struck when his brother was killed in a bush fire.
Strike
(intransitive) To stop working as a protest to achieve better working conditions.
Strike
To quit (one's job).
Strike
(transitive) To impress, seem or appear (to).
Golf has always struck me as a waste of time.
Strike
(transitive) To create an impression.
The news struck a sombre chord.
Strike
(sports) To score a goal.
Strike
To make a sudden impression upon, as if by a blow; to affect with some strong emotion.
To strike the mind with surprise;
To strike somebody with wonder, alarm, dread, or horror
Strike
To affect by a sudden impression or impulse.
The proposed plan strikes me favourably.
May the Lord strike down those sinners!
I was struck dumb with astonishment.
Strike
To steal or rob; to take forcibly or fraudulently.
Strike
To borrow money from; to make a demand upon.
Strike
To touch; to act by appulse.
Strike
(transitive) To take down, especially in the following contexts.
Strike
(nautical) To haul down or lower (a flag, mast, etc.)
Strike
(by extension) To capitulate; to signal a surrender by hauling down the colours.
The frigate has struck, sir! We've beaten them, the lily-livers!
Strike
To dismantle and take away (a theater set; a tent; etc.).
Strike
To unfasten, to loosen (chains, bonds, etc.).
Strike
(intransitive) To set off on a walk or trip.
They struck off along the river.
Strike
(intransitive) To pass with a quick or strong effect; to dart; to penetrate.
Strike
(dated) To break forth; to commence suddenly; with into.
To strike into reputation;
To strike into a run
Strike
(intransitive) To become attached to something; said of the spat of oysters.
Strike
To make and ratify.
To strike a bargain
Strike
To level (a measure of grain, salt, etc.) with a straight instrument, scraping off what is above the level of the top.
Strike
(masonry) To cut off (a mortar joint, etc.) even with the face of the wall, or inward at a slight angle.
Strike
To hit upon, or light upon, suddenly.
My eye struck a strange word in the text.
They soon struck the trail.
Strike
To lade thickened sugar cane juice from a teache into a cooler.
Strike
To stroke or pass lightly; to wave.
Strike
(obsolete) To advance; to cause to go forward; used only in the past participle.
Strike
To balance (a ledger or account).
Strike
To discover a source of something, often a buried raw material such as ore (especially gold) or crude oil.
Strike
(baseball) A status resulting from a batter swinging and missing a pitch, or not swinging at a pitch when the ball goes in the strike zone, or hitting a foul ball that is not caught.
Strike
(bowling) The act of knocking down all ten pins in on the first roll of a frame.
Strike
A work stoppage (or otherwise concerted stoppage of an activity) as a form of protest.
Strike
A blow or application of physical force against something.
Strike
(finance) In an option contract, the price at which the holder buys or sells if they choose to exercise the option.
Strike
(historical) An old English measure of corn equal to the bushel.
Strike
(cricket) The status of being the batsman that the bowler is bowling at.
The batsmen have crossed, and Dhoni now has the strike.
Strike
The primary face of a hammer, opposite the peen.
Strike
(geology) The compass direction of the line of intersection between a rock layer and the surface of the Earth.
Strike
An instrument with a straight edge for levelling a measure of grain, salt, etc., scraping off what is above the level of the top; a strickle.
Strike
(obsolete) Fullness of measure; the whole amount produced at one time.
A strike of malt; a strike of coin
Strike
Excellence; quality.
Strike
An iron pale or standard in a gate or fence.
Strike
(ironworking) A puddler's stirrer.
Strike
(obsolete) The extortion of money, or the attempt to extort money, by threat of injury; blackmail.
Strike
The discovery of a source of something.
Strike
The strike plate of a door.
Strike
(fishing) A nibble on the bait by a fish.
Strike
(philately) A cancellation postmark.
Strike
To touch or hit with some force, either with the hand or with an instrument; to smite; to give a blow to, either with the hand or with any instrument or missile.
He at Philippi keptHis sword e'en like a dancer; while I struckThe lean and wrinkled Cassius.
Strike
To come in collision with; to strike against; as, a bullet struck him; the wave struck the boat amidships; the ship struck a reef.
Strike
To give, as a blow; to impel, as with a blow; to give a force to; to dash; to cast.
They shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two sideposts.
Who would be free, themselves must strike the blow.
Strike
To stamp or impress with a stroke; to coin; as, to strike coin from metal: to strike dollars at the mint.
Strike
To thrust in; to cause to enter or penetrate; to set in the earth; as, a tree strikes its roots deep.
Strike
To punish; to afflict; to smite.
To punish the just is not good, nor strike princes for equity.
Strike
To cause to sound by one or more beats; to indicate or notify by audible strokes; as, the clock strikes twelve; the drums strike up a march.
Strike
To lower; to let or take down; to remove; as, to strike sail; to strike a flag or an ensign, as in token of surrender; to strike a yard or a topmast in a gale; to strike a tent; to strike the centering of an arch.
Strike
To make a sudden impression upon, as by a blow; to affect sensibly with some strong emotion; as, to strike the mind, with surprise; to strike one with wonder, alarm, dread, or horror.
Nice works of art strike and surprise us most on the first view.
They please as beauties, here as wonders strike.
Strike
To affect in some particular manner by a sudden impression or impulse; as, the plan proposed strikes me favorably; to strike one dead or blind.
How often has stricken you dumb with his irony!
Strike
To cause or produce by a stroke, or suddenly, as by a stroke; as, to strike a light.
Waving wide her myrtle wand,She strikes a universal peace through sea and land.
Strike
To cause to ignite; as, to strike a match.
Strike
To make and ratify; as, to strike a bargain.
Strike
To take forcibly or fraudulently; as, to strike money.
Strike
To level, as a measure of grain, salt, or the like, by scraping off with a straight instrument what is above the level of the top.
Strike
To cut off, as a mortar joint, even with the face of the wall, or inward at a slight angle.
Strike
To hit upon, or light upon, suddenly; as, my eye struck a strange word; they soon struck the trail.
Strike
To borrow money of; to make a demand upon; as, he struck a friend for five dollars.
Strike
To lade into a cooler, as a liquor.
Strike
To stroke or pass lightly; to wave.
Behold, I thought, He will . . . strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
Strike
To advance; to cause to go forward; - used only in past participle.
Strike
To move; to advance; to proceed; to take a course; as, to strike into the fields.
A mouse . . . struck forth sternly [bodily].
Strike
To deliver a quick blow or thrust; to give blows.
And fiercely took his trenchant blade in hand,With which he stroke so furious and so fell.
Strike now, or else the iron cools.
Strike
To hit; to collide; to dush; to clash; as, a hammer strikes against the bell of a clock.
Strike
To sound by percussion, with blows, or as with blows; to be struck; as, the clock strikes.
A deep sound strikes like a rising knell.
Strike
To make an attack; to aim a blow.
A puny subject strikesAt thy great glory.
Struck for throne, and striking found his doom.
Strike
To touch; to act by appulse.
Hinder light but from striking on it [porphyry], and its colors vanish.
Strike
To run upon a rock or bank; to be stranded; as, the ship struck in the night.
Strike
To pass with a quick or strong effect; to dart; to penetrate.
Till a dart strike through his liver.
Now and then a glittering beam of wit or passion strikes through the obscurity of the poem.
Strike
To break forth; to commence suddenly; - with into; as, to strike into reputation; to strike into a run.
Strike
To lower a flag, or colors, in token of respect, or to signify a surrender of a ship to an enemy.
That the English ships of war should not strike in the Danish seas.
Strike
To quit work in order to compel an increase, or prevent a reduction, of wages.
Strike
To become attached to something; - said of the spat of oysters.
Strike
To steal money.
Strike
The act of striking.
Strike
An instrument with a straight edge for leveling a measure of grain, salt, and the like, scraping off what is above the level of the top; a strickle.
Strike
A bushel; four pecks.
Strike
An old measure of four bushels.
Strike
Fullness of measure; hence, excellence of quality.
Three hogsheads of ale of the first strike.
Strike
An iron pale or standard in a gate or fence.
Strike
The act of quitting work; specifically, such an act by a body of workmen, usually organized by a labor union, done as a means of enforcing compliance with demands made on their employer.
Strikes are the insurrections of labor.
Strike
A puddler's stirrer.
Strike
The horizontal direction of the outcropping edges of tilted rocks; or, the direction of a horizontal line supposed to be drawn on the surface of a tilted stratum. It is at right angles to the dip.
Strike
The extortion of money, or the attempt to extort money, by threat of injury; blackmailing.
Strike
A sudden finding of rich ore in mining; hence, any sudden success or good fortune, esp. financial.
Strike
The act of leveling all the pins with the first bowl; also, the score thus made. Sometimes called double spare. Throwing a strike entitles the player to add to the score for that frame the total number of pins knocked down in the next two bowls.
Strike
Any actual or constructive striking at the pitched ball, three of which, if the ball is not hit fairly, cause the batter to be put out; hence, any of various acts or events which are ruled as equivalent to such a striking, as failing to strike at a ball so pitched that the batter should have struck at it.
Strike
Same as Ten-strike.
Strike
A group's refusal to work in protest against low pay or bad work conditions;
The strike lasted more than a month before it was settled
Strike
An attack that is intended to seize or inflict damage on or destroy an objective;
The strike was scheduled to begin at dawn
Strike
A pitch that is in the strike zone and that the batter does not hit;
This pitcher throws more strikes than balls
Strike
A gentle blow
Strike
A score in tenpins: knocking down all ten with the first ball;
He finished with three strikes in the tenth frame
Strike
A conspicuous success;
That song was his first hit and marked the beginning of his career
That new Broadway show is a real smasher
The party went with a bang
Strike
Hit against; come into sudden contact with;
The car hit a tree
He struck the table with his elbow
Strike
Deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon;
The teacher struck the child
The opponent refused to strike
The boxer struck the attacker dead
Strike
Have an emotional or cognitive impact upon;
This child impressed me as unusually mature
This behavior struck me as odd
Strike
Make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target;
The Germans struck Poland on Sept. 1, 1939
We must strike the enemy's oil fields
In the fifth inning, the Giants struck, sending three runners home to win the game 5 to 2
Strike
Indicate (a certain time) by striking;
The clock struck midnight
Just when I entered, the clock struck
Strike
Affect or afflict suddenly, usually adversely;
We were hit by really bad weather
He was stricken with cancer when he was still a teenager
The earthquake struck at midnight
Strike
Stop work in order to press demands;
The auto workers are striking for higher wages
The employees walked out when their demand for better benefits was not met
Strike
Touch or seem as if touching visually or audibly;
Light fell on her face
The sun shone on the fields
The light struck the golden necklace
A strange sound struck my ears
Strike
Attain;
The horse finally struck a pace
Strike
Produce by manipulating keys or strings of musical instruments, also metaphorically;
The pianist strikes a middle C
Strike `z' on the keyboard
Her comments struck a sour note
Strike
Cause to form between electrodes of an arc lamp;
Strike an arc
Strike
Find unexpectedly;
The archeologists chanced upon an old tomb
She struck a goldmine
The hikers finally struck the main path to the lake
Strike
Produce by ignition or a blow;
Strike fire from the flintstone
Strike a match
Strike
Remove by erasing or crossing out;
Please strike this remark from the record
Strike
Cause to experience suddenly;
Panic struck me
An interesting idea hit her
A thought came to me
The thought struck terror in our minds
They were struck with fear
Strike
Drive something violently into a location;
He hit his fist on the table
She struck her head on the low ceiling
Strike
Occupy or take on;
He assumes the lotus position
She took her seat on the stage
We took our seats in the orchestra
She took up her position behind the tree
Strike a pose
Strike
Form by stamping, punching, or printing;
Strike coins
Strike a medal
Strike
Smooth with a strickle;
Strickle the grain in the measure
Strike
Pierce with force;
The bullet struck her thigh
The icy wind struck through our coats
Strike
Arrive at after reckoning, deliberating, and weighing;
Strike a balance
Strike a bargain
Strike
An action to pressurize employers into meeting demands.
The airline strike caused many flight cancellations.
Common Curiosities
How long can a strike last?
A strike can last from a few hours to several months, depending on the nature of the grievances and the negotiations.
What is the main goal of a strike?
The primary goal of a strike is to pressurize employers to address workers' grievances or demands.
Is picketing legal?
In many places, picketing is a protected right, but there are often regulations on how and where it can be conducted.
Do all strikes involve picketing?
No, not all strikes involve picketing. Some strikes are silent with workers merely abstaining from work.
Is picketing always associated with a strike?
While picketing is commonly associated with strikes, it can also occur in other protest scenarios.
Can workers be penalized for participating in a strike?
Depending on the laws of the country and the workers' contracts, there might be consequences for striking.
Why do workers resort to picketing?
Picketing raises public awareness about the reasons for a strike and garners support for the workers' cause.
Can a person support workers without joining the picket line?
Yes, individuals can show solidarity in various ways, such as by not crossing picket lines or advocating for the workers' cause.
Who decides when a strike ends?
A strike usually ends when either the workers' demands are met, a compromise is reached, or the workers decide to return to work.
What's a "picket line"?
A picket line is a boundary established by workers on strike, especially at the entrance to their workplace, which others are asked not to cross.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
