Star Trek: 10 Best Ferengi Episodes
7. Deep Space Nine: Bar Association
Before Ishka came along, there were a lot of things that didn't fly in Ferengi culture and a big one was unions. The very concept spat in the face of the uber-capitalist ideals the Ferengi held dear. But it happened in Quark's bar.
Not surprisingly, forming a union in the bar was the idea of one of the Starfleet officers on the station, specifically Dr. Julian Bashir. Led by Rom, the bar's employees presented Quark with a list of reasonable demands. Quark, like a typical Ferengi, laughed their requests off. He stopped laughing when they went on strike.
In an effort to crush the burgeoning union, Brunt from the FCA showed up. When he couldn't break Rom's spirit, Brunt sent his thugs to break Quark. They laid quite a beating on him. The end result was Quark secretly agreeing to honor the union's demands as long as Rom publically disbanded the union. It was a win win for everyone except Quark, who ended up in the infirmary.
The episode was funny but it also advanced the plot. It furthered the ongoing feud between Quark and Brunt but it also made huge changes in Rom's life. The events of the strike gave Rom the confidence to leave the bar and the futile search for profit behind. He became a junior repair technician on the station working for the Bajorans and Chief O'Brien.