However, the decision is much better known today for its obiter dicta in which the Court said that an employer may hire strikebreakers and is not bound to discharge any of them if or when the strike ends. The Mackay doctrine, as the striker replacement portion of the ruling is known, is one of the most significant Supreme Court rulings in American labor law, and has defined collective bargaining in the United States since its publication. "Mackay Radio was more than a decision that provided an instrumental method for a firm to replace economic strikers and to resist their return to employment after a strike.
However, the decision is more widely recognized today for its dictum in which the Court stated that an employer can hire replacement workers without being obligated to terminate them if or when a strike concludes. The Mackay principle, referring to the portion of the ruling concerning striker replacements, is one of the most crucial Supreme Court decisions in American labor law and has shaped collective bargaining in the United States since its issuance. "Mackay Radio was more than just a decision that offered a practical approach for firms to substitute economic strikers and maintain their employment after a strike.