What alternative to slavery do you think the colonists could have used to solve the labor shortage?

There were definitely other way outs for solving the labour shortage problems other than using slaves. In those days the children’s and women could be made to work for small payments or benefits. Although the benefits were not enough but still this would have got rid of using slaves as labours. This process would have been mutually beneficial. The poor would have got paid to live a better life and the slaves would have been relieved of tireless working for nothing.