Strike action, also called
labor strike,
labour strike,
on strike,
greve (of
French:
grève), or simply
strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of
employees to
work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee
grievances. Strikes became common during the
Industrial Revolution, when
mass labour became important in factories and mines. In most countries, strike actions were quickly made illegal, as factory owners had far more
power than workers. Most western countries partially legalized striking in the late 19th or early 20th centuries.