If a poet referred to a stone as a judge in the stream of life, he is using the device of

It would be a metaphor

but if it has like or as in the sentence itself it would be simile

the author is showing that it is the insatisfaction of basic needs that brings about the protests such as the strikes.if workers do not earn enough to buy food and feed their families and themselves in order to continue working, what is the use of working? besides, another message from the author is that of the owners of factories should be worried about ensuring their furure by having a second and third generation of workers in their industries.if they do not hear the workers demands, they will not have any more workers to make their pockets full.