As we discussed before, when you participate in strikes and labor disputes, you are not eligible for unemployment benefits. If you can prove that your former employer created a lockout situation, and that you were willing to return to work but was unable to, you may receive unemployment benefits. Explain that you tried to go to work and were told not to enter.

When a labor dispute or strike begins there are a certain group of individuals who may be able to receive unemployment benefits such as:

People who aren’t a part of the labor dispute
People who aren’t part of the group who is striking
People who are not a paying member of the Labor Union.

Explain to your interviewer that you are not a member for the reasons above and that you have attended any rally meetings to begin the strike. Again you want to stress that you want to go to work and would be working if it were not for this specific group who is making it impossible to return to your job. You may receive unemployment benefits.