During British rule strikes took birth in India and that too for the struggle of freedom. When Gandhiji fought for the freedom of the country, he started a non-violent movement against the Britishers. He started hunger strikes to force the government to accept his demands. Sometimes he kept fasts to get his demands accepted by his opponents and fellowmen. In Noakhali, he kept fast to get his demands accepted by his opponents. Since then strikes have become a part of life. Now-a-days strikes take place mostly in the factories or offices.
Strikes mean not to do any work or to do the work slowly and thus hamper the production and bringing monetary loss to the employer. They are meant to compel the employer to accept their demands. These strikes are called by the unions of workers and they started when industries came up. Before industrialization there were neither unions nor any strike. The employers had the full control over their workers. They used to exploit them. The workers worked in the factory at the mercy of their employer. There were no set rules, no set wages for the work. But now the workers have realized that they are the backbone of the production and most of the profit goes to the employer whereas they shed their sweat and blood in producing the articles. They formed trade unions and strike became a tool in their hands to get their genuine demands accepted by the employer.
Strikes are not limited to industrial workers only but they have reached schools, colleges, hospitals and other government departments also. These strikes are called off only when there is an agreement between the strikers and the authorities.
Strikes, sometimes, cause a great damage to public and private property. Sometimes political leaders, to gain some selfish ends, incite the people to put some unreasonable demands which are unacceptable to the authorities. The strikers go violent and damage the vehicles and other property. Many persons even lose their lives in police action. Some workers face the termination of their services. They are put to severe hardships.