A sit-down strike is a form of civil disobedience used by workers to protest labor issues by physically occupying the workplace. It prevents employers from hiring replacement workers and forces attention to the dispute. The concept was adopted in the 20th century by unions, with the famous UAW sit-down strike in Flint, Michigan in 1936-1937. The practice was eventually made illegal in the US, but continued in other countries and was adopted by general protest groups in the 1960s and 1970s.
A sit-down strike is a process by which workers conduct a form of civil disobedience in order to resolve labor disputes. Generally, this form of protest involves an organized group attempting to make a statement about labor issues through physical inaction in the workplace. The sit-down strike concept is most commonly used to take control of the facility, such as a factory, where workers work. This prevents employers from hiring workers to replace striking workers, a common practice in strike resolution. The protest tactics waged by a sit-down strike offset the influence of scab workers and usually force the facility to close, bringing greater attention to labor disputes, both visually and financially.
Prior to the sit-down strike concept, labor issues were usually handled through a process by which workers walked off their jobs and management hired scabs or attempted to force workers back, sometimes by violence. This method had limited success until the late 1800s. With the dawn of the 20th century and the rise of unions in the United States and Europe, the method was adopted as the preferred way to deal with collective group grievances of workers. During the first decades of the century, the concept of takeovers of factories and other workplaces was strongly driven by the Industrial Workers of the World, an international trade union representing many different industries.
Perhaps the most famous walkout in history was carried out in 1936 and 1937 by the United Automobile Workers (UAW) in Flint, Michigan. The union organized at the General Motors (GM) plants in the city, the main mold maker for much of the company’s auto projects, with the aim of harnessing its power through a sit-down strike. Over the course of 40 days, workers occupied factories and faced opposition from both the police force and the National Guard. Court orders and various meetings brokered by the Michigan governor led to an agreement between GM and the UAW. The sit-down strike helped establish the union as a legitimate force across the country and gave workers better conditions for their work.
Decisions in the US justice system during the mid-20th century eventually made strikes like these illegal, meaning workers essentially seized other people’s property. However, other nations, notably France, have continued the practice. Following the success of the unions, the concept was later adopted by general protesters as a preferred form of civil disobedience. During the 1960s and 1970s, protest groups often resorted to strikes to make their demands heard.
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