This is a very basic fact of life that everyone should learn in school:
If you are forced to accept the bare minimum that is put on the table, your capacity to say no quickly crashes down, to the point that you may be vulnerable to accept a very unfavorable deal.
A scenario where the vast majority of us might find this reality at some point through our lives is the labor market. Whether you are applying for a job, or requesting a raise or a promotion, you are only going to have leverage to get the company to offer you a better deal if you have better opportunities on the table. In socioeconomic contexts where wages are depressed, this is usually not the case. This means that, for a lot of people, accepting a very bad offer means the difference between living a miserable life with a roof over your head and becoming homeless, so they do virtually have no choice but to accept, which only becomes more apparent if they have family members who depend on them.
It is interesting to note that this may be taught in detail to students of business, economics and law, although it is important information for everyone who participates in the economy: https://www.pon.harvard.edu/tag/batna/
In this context, a labor union that decides to initiate a strike isn't just provoking trouble for the sake of it - it is leveling the playing field by creating a situation where not only the livelihoods of the workers are dependent on the negotiation, but the profits of the company and even its capacity to survive are as well, whereas the latter usually wouldn't be.
Note that this applies to many other aspects of life as well. People often stay in abusive relationships because they do not have the means (or think they do not have the means) to leave them. It is difficult to leave the household you share with an abusive partner if you do not have the economic means to move out, and some people may stay in disfunctional friend groups because they think they aren't capable of making new friends, but need some social contact nonetheless.
Different configurations of society may protect people from these pitfalls or incentivize falling into them. The idea that people should find the means to leave their parents' household as soon as they turn 18 deprives them of an economic mattress that would otherwise allow them to be more aggressive when they negotiate for their salary, or even open up the possibility to dedicate time into trying to create their own business or projects. Different forms of social security, such as unemployment benefits, minimum guaranteed income or basic universal rent make working people far less dependent on the possibility of being laid off, which would motivate them to confront management about negative working conditions.
This is very important advice - thank you!
In terms of labor market: Don’t just apply for one job. Always try to have options. I know that this is a pretty unrealistic setting for many people - and I’m sorry about that. But if you can - have a plan B. Even if you apply for a job A, which you really think you want, having an offer for a somewhat shitty job B on the table already gives you some leverage. You don’t fight for your survival anymore. You may not get Job A after all if you don’t accept the bad conditions they may offer, but you still have job B to keep you afloat. You may still get job A though - with better conditions and salary than you would have dared to bargain for if you didn’t have an alternative. The more alternatives the better.
Again, I know this is not always possible. If it is though: make use of it.
It’s a little bit like dating. Don’t take the first offer just because they want you. Make sure you actually want them, you and they know and respect your value, and they don’t screw you over.
I did this last fall! I had a good offer at a crappy location and a less good offer in a great location. I was able to negotiate up on the better location because I had an acceptable fallback.