Striking in the Workplace

Whether or not being able to strike has always been a major topic in the workplace, but many people tend to keep their opinions to themselves in fear of the consequences. Most people believe that if they are to strike, they are at a higher chance of losing their jobs. While this may seem like an unfair principle that immediately goes against the First Amendment (Freedom of Petition and Freedom of Speech), many different companies have been known to do it. Striking should be a measure taken when many people do not agree with the conditions of the workplace, but they should also be assured their safety. Many workplaces have been seen as unfit and unsafe by many employees throughout years. Many people began striking in an attempt to modify these conditions in order to achieve better work standards for new and veteran workers alike. Striking in the workplace has been around for centuries, mainly starting when women joined the textile workforce. These women saw their jobs as incredibly underpaid and unfair, so they decided to join together and strike. One of the first strikes in the workplace was by the Lowell Girls, 1834. They were angered by the “imposing of 15-20% wages slashes.” (massaflcio.org, unknown date) In the workplace, a man’s voice is his only power. If the “higher-ups” were to silence this, then the man would have nothing. If a man were to see his occupation as unjust in different ways, should he not be able to voice his opinion in an attempt to secure safer, fairer work conditions for his fellow workers and future employees? While the man is being silenced, the “higher-ups” are slowly crippling him. This form of silence and censorship is incredibly similar to that of a dictatorship. A select group of individuals hold power over the entire company, carefully selecting paths that lead to an increase in profit for the minority rather than the majority. If a man were to strike for higher wages, then not only would he be endangering his job, but also his