Strictly from a biomedical research perspective, grad student strikes seem really dumb. First, PhD candidate status is nothing like regular employment. Second, PhD advisors go out of their way to advance their students’ careers long after graduation. It is a long-lasting bond that most faculty take extremely seriously. Sustained mentorship provides a huge tailwind well into mid-career - something that a former employee can never expect from their supervisor. Unionizing makes a mockery of this old compact. Walking out on your lab to join a picket line turns the relationship into a cheap transaction that does not serve student’s long-term interests. Sure, we would all like salaries to be higher, but this depends largely on federal research support. Labs are already shrinking dramatically - a modular R01 can barely support one graduate student. Students unionizing for higher wages is as useful as faculty doing the same.
Before starting a PhD, understand that you will depend on taxpayer support but the public barely understands your research contribution and does not really care about your living standard. They have their own fish to fry and frankly, a good chunk of the American population is not going to buy that a grad student on a ~$60K stipend and zero tuition is being exploited. Decision to pursue a career in biomedical research is a difficult one and for most people, not a pragmatic one. It’s bit like choosing to be an artist - do it only if you have a compelling urge for it.
But if you decide on pursuing a PhD, your dominant strategy should be to prioritize scientific discovery, publications, graduation, and advancing into your chosen career (academia or industry). Wasting time on a picket line for a few dollars more is going to be counterproductive because you are only delaying your graduation.