Recent strikes have broken with tradition and are happening before more traditional organizing activities, especially in low-wage retail and food service workplaces. The change creates the opportunity for labor movements to be more offensive and involve the public in organizing actions earlier. This new tactic is also defined by the shorter duration of the strike, often only consisting of days and often initiated by unique circumstances.
See "Labor?s new strike-first strategy", Michael M. Oswalt, Chicago Sun Times, September 10, 2013