"Squid on Strike" is the first segment of the twentieth episode of the second season of the American animated comedy television series SpongeBob SquarePants.
Plot Squidward Tentacles and SpongeBob SquarePants are fired after they go on labor strike, after Mr. Krabs forces them to pay to breath and exist, among other unfair charges. The strike does not work, mainly because of SpongeBob's misinterpretations of the actions, and actually attracts customers to the Krusty Krab. One night, Mr. Krabs begs Squidward for him and SpongeBob to return to work; Squidward and Krabs have a long negotiation regarding the "terms". The next morning, it is revealed that SpongeBob destroyed the Krusty Krab after misunderstanding the phrase "dismantle the establishment". Squidward and SpongeBob regain their jobs, and have to work for Mr. Krabs forever to pay off the damages.
Reception
Giles Allen-Bowden, writing for the University of Warwick's student newspaper The Boar said that it introduced kids to industrial action. He praised it for a funny but not patronizing, preachy or belittling depiction of going on strike, and compared Squidward's speech to Marxist rhetoric. He drew comparisons to The Simpsons episode "The PTA Disbands", where staff at the fictional Springfield Elementary go on strike.
Insider Union drew parallels between it and real life strikes they coordinated. They praised the episode for accurate depictions of solidarity unionism, picketing, and the need for proper communication. They also said that it was still relevant over 20 years later. Patrick Gunn of Collider.com considered it to be harkening to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes, saying that it offers a "glimpse of how workers' solidarity can succeed". He also says that the episode does "describe the language and means for an effective strike".
References
Further reading