What is a union rat?

Inflatable rats, or union rats, are giant inflatables in the shape of cartoon rats, commonly used in the United States by protesting or striking trade unions. They serve as a sign of opposition against employers or nonunion contractors, and are intended to call public attention to companies employing nonunion labor.

How much does Scabby the Rat cost?

“The guy said he wanted it meaner looking, with festering nipples and big claws. Mike redesigned it and the guy liked it.” Rats range in size from 6 feet to 25 feet, and in price from about $2,600 to $9,300 each, she said.

Is Big Sky Balloons a union company?

Ironically, the maker of the rat balloon, Big Sky Balloons, is a non-union company on the outskirts of union-dominated Chicago, Illinois.

Why do unions use rats?

Inflatable rat as “the iconic symbol of a labor dispute” No matter the character, they have the same goal: to draw attention to a company with which the union has a dispute. “It’s the iconic symbol of a labor dispute,” Wartsbaugh says.

Where did the Scabby Union Rat come from?

Scabby was born in 1990, when the Chicago bricklayers union contacted Plainfield, Illinois-based Big Sky Balloons and Searchlights. The bricklayers were looking for something big and nasty to get their point across at a protest.

Is it legal to have a Union Rat outside a company?

Federal regulators ruled that union activists have the legal right to display the rats outside companies during labor disputes.

Why do unions use the inflatable rat symbol?

They serve as a sign of opposition against employers or nonunion contractors, and are intended to call public attention to companies employing nonunion labor. The practice dates from the 1990s. Unions have been using them for years against companies that employ nonunion labor.

Where did the Big Sky Union Rat come from?

Scabby quickly caught on with other unions. The rat business began booming and Big Sky was taking orders from all over the country. Most of the rats went to the East Coast, and most of those went to New York City, with the local chapter of the masons’ union getting their hands on the first one.