What Is a Strikebreaker Called
A Strikebreaker (Sometimes Called a Scab, Blackleg, or Knobstick) Is a Person Who Works Despite an Ongoing Strike. Strikebreakers Are Usually Individuals Who...
A strikebreaker (sometimes called a scab, blackleg, or knobstick) is a person who works despite an ongoing strike. Strikebreakers are usually individuals who were not employed by the company before the trade union dispute, but rather hired after or during the strike to keep the organization running.
Why are strikers called scabs?
The term “scab” was first used in the 13th century to mean a nasty, itchy skin disease or the crust that forms on a wound. By 1806, the word “scab” arrived at its current meaning — a strikebreaker who willingly crosses the picket line [source: Lexicon of Labor, Online Etymology Dictionary].
Why is it called a picket line?
The term itself comes from the French word piquet, meaning a stake or pole stuck in the ground, either to hold up a tent or fence or to mark a line.
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