During the pre‐election period, it is generally advisable to let employees know that if there is a strike, the company intends to operate. This can only be credibly communicated where management is, in fact, able to maintain operations in the face of a work stoppage. Employees tend to assume that their company will not be able to operate during a strike (and, by extension, that strikes will be short‐term and effective leverage for employees and the union). They do not realize that management, in many cases, has a number of options and alternatives available to it that will maintain productivity in the case of concerted employee action. Also, union organizers often mislead employees into believing that the company will give in to union demands.