Strike! The most famous employee walkouts in history
Power to the people!
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LIFESTYLE Protests
When negotiations fail and workers' needs aren't met, there is little they can do to make the powerful few at the top change their stance. Refusing to work has often been the only way employees can make their voices heard. The first recorded strike in history occurred in Egypt in 1156 BCE, when laborers refused to work until the pharaoh, Ramesses III, caught up on his late payments. Since that time, striking has periodically been used to show that while a single person can't always affect change, an impassioned group can achieve great things when they join forces. Strikes have helped us achieve the eight-hour work day, maternity leave, health benefits, and safer working environments, for instance.
However, there is still a lot that could be improved, and many companies aren't even delivering the basic rights their workers are entitled to. Major corporations have figured out how to bend the rules to increase their bottom line at the expense of their staff. In some cases, they use their power to silence their employees and cover up terrible miscarriages of justice.
Click through this gallery to learn about recent high-profile employee walkouts, as well as some of the most important labor strikes in history.
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