It's been a big year for labor organizing in the U.S. And from auto production lines to Hollywood, all eyes are on strikes taking the world of work by storm.
The boiling point we’re seeing today comes amid soaring costs of living and rising inequality, including growing pay gaps between workers and top executives. Now, thousands of workers who were asked to make sacrifices during the pandemic even as corporate profits soared are asking for better pay and protections — and walking off the job if progress isn't made in heated contract negotiations.
At least 453,000 workers have participated in 312 strikes in the U.S. this year, according to Johnnie Kallas, a Ph.D. candidate and the project director of Cornell University’s Labor Action Tracker. This year’s work stoppages have spread across multiple industries — including transportation, entertainment and hospitality.
Here's a rundown of some of the largest strikes taking place in the U.S. today.
People were scared. Layoffs were happening. Threats of layoffs were happening. At the beginning people were thankful to have steady income and some financial security.
Then corporations sold us on the “we’re all in this together” which bought some time until the yearly profits started coming out showing how much we weren’t all in it together.
People are finally at a breaking point. Either financially or socially. It’s not easy to risk it all. Especially when the corporations are willing to throw hundreds of millions of dollars at making sure you don’t succeed.