What labor tactic is commonly used to demand better working conditions?

A strike is a labor tactic where workers collectively stop working to protest against conditions such as pay, hours, or workplace environment. This method is often employed when negotiations with employers have failed or when workers feel that their grievances are not being heard. The objective of a strike is to disrupt normal operations of the business to exert pressure on the employer for change.

Strikes have historically been significant in numerous labor movements, highlighting solidarity among workers and demonstrating their commitment to advocating for better conditions. They serve as a powerful tool for workers to voice their demands and can lead to negotiations for better terms or conditions if the pressure from the strike is effective.

While the other tactics listed—negotiation, sabotage, and boycott—may also be utilized for labor improvements, a strike is uniquely characterized by its collective action and the cessation of work as a direct form of protest. Negotiation involves discussions and compromises rather than direct action, sabotage implies damaging property rather than collective protests, and a boycott typically aims at withdrawing support from a business but does not involve workers stopping their own labor directly.