It's been a long time since I first read about the general situation for many, many Americans with few, if any, rights. Let's be real, a lot of employers own their employees and have all the power while the employees don't even enjoy any of the rights that are seen as very basic in large parts, if not all, of Europe.
No, Americans in general don't have the same social protection as the French for instance, so if they were to protest or go on strike, they would suffer far more, short-term.
From the outside, the status quo starts to look worse than the potential outcome from a strike or slowing down.
Having to work several jobs to even have a chance to make ends meet, having to live with others because the wages aren't enough, getting royally screwed whenever there's a chance to improve the life of the many even slightly while big, wealthy corporations that bought your politicians get off each time…
Being stressed the fuck out all the time from getting fucked by everyone and doing so for pennies… so many times I've read people getting shit for stuff that it's unreal (drinking in the Texas heat or taking a fucking piss)…
There's a difference between being alive and living. I'm not saying it's easy and I don't know what I would've done under the same circumstances, but peacefully slowing down or striking sounds better than rioting. Don't know how many straws it will take before the camel's back will break.