On Strike Activity

It is well to emphasise at the outset that strikes are not antisocial, nor are they incompatible with private enterprise, market economic systems. On the contrary, they are manifestations of economic and social action in free societies, and a demonstration of an important tenet of private enterprise, which is, the pursuit of self-interest.1 In the context of the social, business and institutional environment which values tolerance of dissent and the pursuit of self-interest, the imposition of restrictions on any individual or group of individuals from exercising their freedom, without similar restrictions on other individuals and groups should be viewed discriminatory, anti-social and nondemocratic. If the actions of organised employees in pursuit of their self-interest were to be limited in order to minimise the cost on enterprises and society at large, then the actions of other organisations, including business organisations, taken in pursuit of their self-interests, must be assessed from the same standpoint, and similarly limited. If the general social interest dictates the prohibition of strikes in some economic and social activities, equity considerations would dictate that the same social interest criteria be applied to all organisations which in pursuit of their self-interest impose costs on society at large.