Final answer:
The strike that was prompted by repeated wage cuts and large layoffs was the 1919 strike by thousands of workers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The strike that was prompted by repeated wage cuts and large layoffs was the 1919 strike by thousands of workers. During that time, workers were frustrated by poor working conditions, income inequality, and low wages. They believed that a strike was an effective tactic to gain higher wages and better working conditions. Over 3,000 strikes occurred in 1919, and three of them gained significant attention from the public.
The Ford Motor Company strike during the Great Depression and the 1946 steelworkers' strike, which was the largest in US history, were both prompted by repeated wage cuts and large layoffs. Another major strike occurred in 1919 by shipyard workers in Seattle, demanding promised post-war raises.
The Strike Prompted by Repeated Wage Cuts and Large Layoffs
The strike that was prompted by repeated wage cuts and large layoffs was at the Ford Motor Company during the time of the Great Depression. Throughout 1931-1932, companies, including the prosperous Ford Motor Company, severely cut worker wages and laid off a significant portion of their workforce, leading to bitter strikes. Likewise, postwar America witnessed significant labor strife. For example, in 1946, over 700,000 steelworkers participated in a massive strike after experiencing repeated wage cuts and feeling the financial strain of price increases that outpaced their wages. This was the largest strike in US history at that time, driven by the need for wage increases to keep up with the rising cost of living. Similarly, the Shipyard workers' strike in Seattle in 1919 was a significant event where approximately 40,000 workers demanded the raises they had been promised following wartime price controls.