Question

Why were strikes used instead of any other action?

Answer 1

strike action also called labour strike or simply strike is a work of stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. Strikes are sometimes used to pressure governments to change policies

Answer 2

When a huge amount of workers stop working, then the strike becomes successful. The laborers want to confirm that their needs should be agreed to by the managers.

So they start a strike to make sure that they come to an agreement with the higher authority. Thus strikes becomes very successful in managing this kind of agreements.