you can read my above comment about the hand-in-glove role the red scares played to then leave class-collaborationist and state-reliant unions afraid of their own power; but the IWW teaches it as: that labor law is the shield, and direct action is the sword. The shield can make it so the bosses are more wary of attacking in certain points (or have to go through lengths to obscure and shield their attacks) which can buy room and time for the most effective strikes (pun kind of intended). And it takes time and expenses from the bosses to face the labor violations down.

But because it does take that time and takes that time from you, while those are happening your comrade who was unjustly fired would still need to eat, hence why those labor violation charges are worth filing but first and foremost the attacker is struck down by an immediate parry and thrust; such as an instant walkout and demanding rehiring of the comrade if they want the gears to turn again, backed ideally by having already spread channels of communication and support in the wider community who can back your actions or take part in them in various ways (whether boycotts, strike funds, joining the picket and pressing out scabs, fax-blasts and call complaint spam, spreading news, etc.). And with the internet you can even get some of those methods of support from outside your community too which is cool.