What makes strikes work?

Strikes in the public sector are common in Spain and in France. Despite of their importance, there had been little research done regarding the issue of their effects in the public sector. This master thesis aimed to identify under which circumstances political strikes were more likely to influence the policymaking process in both countries. This exploratory research combined a central qualitative approach, based in the analysis of 21 case studies, and a quantitative analysis, consisting in the use of correlations and regressions. The results suggested that a combination of the pressure put in the government, defined by the size, duration and sector of the strike and the proximity of the next elections, and its ability to act differently, conditioned by the economic scenario, provided a successful framework to analyse the effects of strikes in policies. The importance of the economic cycle was confirmed by correlations and the regressions of the statistical analysis. Due to the nature of this exploratory research, further research should be done in order to confirm the findings.