Reply #1: Sailors did, too. And they had a valid reason.

[MADem]

They were loading ammo in dangerous circumstances, and their superior officers were assholes who used to bet on how fast their teams could load. Well, the end result was an explosion to end all explosions, and a shitload of people were killed.

Would you go back to work in that environment? I sure wouldn't.

Of course, they didn't call it a strike, they called it a MUTINY.

It's a fascinating story, and it involved a future Supreme Court Justice:

http://www.portchicagomutiny.com/history/history.html