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Labor vs. Big Business. Labor vs. Big Business. Both Workers (Labor) and their employers (business) have tools they can use in order to win disagreements over pay, working hours, working conditions etc.
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Labor vs. Big Business • Both Workers (Labor) and their employers (business) have tools they can use in order to win disagreements over pay, working hours, working conditions etc. • The methods they use against one another often lead to misery for both sides. In the early days, disagreements often resulted in violence!
The Worker’s tools: • Strike: Workers refuse to work until their employer gives in to their demands. • Boycott: Workers encourage the general public to avoid purchasing a good in order to hurt the employer’s profit
The Worker’s Tools • Slow Down: Workers intentionally slow down production in a factory in order to hurt the company. • Walk Out: Workers demand changes from the employer. If the demands are not met by a certain date, the workers arrange for the entire staff to quit working at the same time and walk off of the job, often to begin a strike.
Employer’s Tools • Lock Out: Employers literally lock workers out of the factory so that they cannot organize a strike. • Scabs: Employers can hire new workers (called scabs) to replace striking workers. • Blacklist: Angry employers may “blacklist” trouble makers. This means the trouble makers’ names are placed on a list and circulated around to other businesses. The message is to never hire this person.