Rotten Strikebreakers

Prologue

This is the third blog post in a series on special minorities in our society that have been called all kinds of names and whose members unjustly are viewed as scum or worse or are often accused of terrible things.

I have previously written about the speculator here and the free rider here.

Jack London On Strikebreakers

Although “The Scab” is only attributed to Jack London its content is telling. Here is a quote from the opening of The Scab (emphasis added):

“After God had finished the rattlesnake, the toad, and the vampire, he had some awful substance left with which he made a scab. A scab is a two-legged animal with a corkscrew soul, a water brain, a combination backbone of jelly and glue. Where others have hearts, he carries a tumor of rotten principles. When a scab comes down the street, men turn their backs and Angels weep in Heaven, and the Devil shuts the gates of hell to keep him out” (Source)

One has to add that Jack London is widely considered to have been a Socialist activist. So much for the warmhearted compassion of Socialist activists.

Why Did Employers In The USA Hire Pinkerton To Protect Strikebreaker?

Guess what is one of the picture chosen for the entry on strikebreaker in Wikipedia? It shows Pinkerton agents protecting strikebreakers entering the premises of a company to go to work.

Do strikers or their sympathisers have any right to hinder or worse commit violent or threatening acts against so called strikebreakers? Why did the government run police not protect the strikebreakers?

Do strikebreakers have the right to work for an employer who refuses to negotiate with strikers or labor unions? Of course, they do!

A Civil Society Conceived In Liberty Under The Rule Of Legitimate Law

In such a society the striker and strikebreaker have the same rights, i.e. the striker can refuse to work and the strikebreaker can choose to work. Both have to be non violent at all times!

Why should a person not choose to work for a desirable employer if the opportunity arises.

Strikers can establish their own company or work for another employer if they so choose.

The employer at his/her free will can choose to negotiate or not with strikers or hire strikebreakers.

The role of government is to promote justice by protecting equally the rights of the parties involved and property rights.