Final answer:
The most likely outcome of high school friends walking out of their fast food job due to shift swapping policies is that their wages will remain constant and they will be replaced. Workers often lack significant leverage in low-wage, non-unionized jobs, and employers may find it easy to hire new staff at existing wages.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a group of high school friends working at a fast food restaurant were to walk out due to their manager's refusal to allow shift swaps, the most likely outcome is: Wages will remain constant and the workers will be replaced. In the context of labor economics, a unified walkout or strike can signal to the employer that workers are organized and unhappy with current conditions. However, in many markets, especially for non-unionized, lower-wage, part-time jobs such as those in fast food restaurants, workers are often easily replaced due to a high availability of labor. This assumes that the labor market is competitive and that there are many other individuals willing to work for the current wage.
From a union's perspective, higher wages mean workers are better off, but higher wages can lead to either a reduction in the total number of workers hired or a decrease in the pace of hiring new workers as older ones leave (due to retirement or moving to another job). The firm may also seek alternatives such as outsourcing to nonunion producers, or relocating to areas with weaker union influence. These strategies help to maintain production while keeping costs lower than they would be with a high union wage. With respect to high school employees at a fast food restaurant, the leverage to demand higher wages or changes in policy is likely limited, thereby reducing the effectiveness of a walkout in securing better wages or conditions.