Plural of blackleg; workers who continue working during a strike or refuse to join a labor union and support worker action.
From blackleg (17th century, originally referring to a disease in cattle), repurposed in 19th-century labor contexts as a pejorative term for strikebreakers. The plural form documents the collective phenomenon of strike-breaking.
Blacklegs were so hated in mining communities during strikes that they sometimes needed police protection to leave work sites safely — the word captured the depth of working-class anger at those who undermined collective power.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.