Human Resources: Examining What Factors Shape Worker Decisions to Strike Comparison Essay by Top Papers

The following paper will argue that, while largely similar, the factors which have made workers strike (or not strike) in different countries are somewhat different; to wit, workers in the UK during the 1980s were led away from strike activity by lower inventories, by a decrease in the percentage of workers paid by results, and by tougher trade legislation. In Australia, some interesting scholarship suggests that higher capital-labor ratios, an employer's prior history of layoffs, and high union density will not result in fewer strikes - but will result in more work bans; be that as it may, high unemployment levels will have a chilling effect upon strike activity. Last of all, in the United States, it seems the political climate and legal climates historically kept workers "under wraps" - though things did change beginning in the 1930s. In the final analysis, this paper asserts that workers in all countries engage in a cost-benefit analysis when weighing whether or not to strike - but the factors they weigh do seem to be slightly different (or have been in the past).