Final answer:
Employers used a tactic of paying workers with company-created currency known as 'scrip' to prevent unionization and keep workers tied to the company store. Scrip limited workers' financial independence and mobility. This has been echoed in popular culture, but also mirrors the complexities of labor union dynamics where increased productivity may lead to fewer jobs.
Step-by-step explanation:
An employer anti-union weapon was paying employees with company-created currency. This currency was called scrip. During the depression, the United Mine Workers (UMW) launched a major strike, partly to combat being paid with this employer-issued currency. Scrip was not legal tender and could only be used in company-owned stores, where goods were typically overpriced. Furthermore, being paid in scrip restricted workers' mobility and made them dependent on the company for credit, as they had no actual cash. This system was an impediment to workers seeking fair wages or better employment conditions.
The idea of an alternative currency also appears in popular culture, such as the "Schrute buck" in the TV show "The Office". Here, although a fictional example, it served the purpose of a medium of exchange, a unit of account, and a store of value within the office environment.
The dynamics between management and labor unions are complex, particularly when it comes to wages and productivity. If management invests in more machinery in response to union demands for higher wages, productivity might increase due to better equipment. However, this could result in fewer job opportunities as the need for manual labor decreases.