What is the importance of the right to strike?

Answer 1

Without this ability workers don't have leverage nor due process. Before the 40 hour work week, lunch breaks and breaks on the job, overtime, and other rights given to workers a company could demand that a worker work 10, 12- 14 hours without breaks or dinner. Working conditions were set by the employer and if the employee didn't like it they would loose their job. In 1886 7 people died getting these rights for workers. Working conditions were awful for workers before unions. There were cases ( a shirt factory) where workers were locked into their place of work, not allowed to go to bathroom, and treated without regard. Unions and the right to strike have given workers a voice in how they are to be treated, evaluated, and fired. Without these rights workers will step back a 100 years into the time where they had no voice.