Final answer:
Strikes have historically been a double-edged sword, offering potential benefits such as improved conditions for workers, but also carrying risks like violence and economic disruption. Examples like the Toledo Auto-Lite, Minneapolis teamsters, and San Francisco longshoremen strikes illustrate both triumphs and challenges faced by unions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The benefits and dangers of strikes in helping workers achieve their goals are multifaceted. Strikes can lead to improved wages, better working conditions, and societal reforms, but they can also result in violence, economic losses for workers, and can potentially harm the economy if they lead to bankruptcies or impede technological progress.
Strikes during the early 1890s, such as the strikes that occurred in 1919 and the wave of strikes in 1934 that included the Toledo Auto-Lite strike, the Minneapolis teamsters strike, and the San Francisco longshoremen strike, showcased both the power of organized labor and the intense resistance from employers and sometimes the government. The government's stance varied, initially opposing unions but eventually providing some support during the New Deal era.
The obstacles to unionization were numerous, including employer resistance, anti-union laws, and the challenge of establishing collective solidarity among diverse groups of workers. Some successes were achieved, such as increased wages and shorter workdays, but these came at the cost of sometimes violent confrontations and setbacks when economic conditions changed or when employers found ways to circumvent union demands.