What is the term for a strike, lockout, or any legal maneuvering designed to promote agreement with an opposing party?

The correct answer is "self-help," which refers to actions taken by a party, such as a strike or lockout, to enforce a claim or promote negotiations without resorting to legal processes. Self-help is often employed as a strategic measure in labor relations, allowing employees or employers to take direct action in pursuit of an agreement.

In the context of labor relations, self-help is a critical concept because it allows workers to pressure management to negotiate terms, such as wages and working conditions, thereby fostering a more balanced negotiation process. It represents a fundamental right for employees to collectively demonstrate their demands or grievances.

The other options do have relevant meanings in labor relations but do not accurately encapsulate the intention driven by self-help actions. For instance, a work stoppage is a specific outcome of self-help but does not cover the full range of actions involved. Dispute action might refer broadly to various forms of conflict but lacks the nuance of strategic negotiation, while arbitration describes a formal process for resolving disputes, distinctly different from the informal strategies encompassed within the self-help framework.