Ancient Egyptian workers staged the first recorded labor strike in human history during the reign of Ramses III because the government failed to deliver their monthly ration of garlic and beer.

A closer look

Ancient Egyptian workers staged the first recorded labor strike in human history during the reign of Ramses III because the government failed to deliver their monthly ration of garlic and beer. The artisans building the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings literally put down their tools, marched to the local temples, and staged a sit-in until the corrupt officials paid up. They correctly recognized that trying to haul massive stone blocks in the blistering desert heat without a steady supply of alcohol was a blatant violation of their workplace rights. It is wildly satisfying to know that organized labor and striking for better working conditions was pioneered by angry stonemasons who just wanted to get slightly buzzed after work