Georgia already has some of the key anti-union laws that states like Wisconsin and Indiana have been fighting it out over in the past year. But that doesn't mean they can't try to pass even harsher anti-union laws. The state Senate is considering a bill that would basically make it illegal for unions to picket—or impossible for them to do so within tightened legal restrictions, anyway. Alternet's Sarah Jaffe writes that since "criminal trespass" and "conspiracy to commit criminal trespass" could draw felony penalties of up to a year in prison or a $10,000 fine and are "specifically included in a bill that cracks down on organizations' right to picket outside a workplace or company[, it] seems to indicate that a union or other group engaged in picketing could be charged with a crime for the activity of one member who crosses the line."

What's particularly disturbing is that this seems to have been introduced in response to a specific action by Occupy Atlanta and unions to protest layoffs at AT&T.



Twelve protesters were arrested for criminal trespass, a misdemeanor. If SB 496 were approved, however, protesters could have been convicted of both criminal trespass and conspiracy to commit criminal trespass, a felony which could result in up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

As Josh Eidelson recently pointed out, unions are already more restricted than other groups in their right to picket and boycott. If this bill passes in Georgia, they'll be actively criminalized.