Healthcare workers at Kaiser Permanente are preparing for a strike authorization vote due to concerns over unfair practices and unsafe staffing levels, potentially affecting 23 Southern California locations.
Workers across industries are taking a hard stance against companies for better pay and working conditions, leading to a surge in strikes and support for organized labor, with more than 320,000 workers participating in at least 230 strikes so far in 2023, according to data from Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations.
Workers at a major Tokyo department store went on strike for the first time in decades after talks over the planned sale of their company broke down, with concerns over job and business continuity guarantees.
U.S. President Joe Biden expressed confidence that workers at the nation's three large automakers are unlikely to go on strike, despite a looming contract deadline later this month.
Workers in the United States are increasingly engaging in strikes and labor unrest, with 16 major strikes occurring in the country so far this year, the highest number since 2005, posing potential challenges for American businesses both domestically and abroad, as demonstrated by the threat of a strike at Chevron's plants in Australia.
Approximately 146,000 U.S. auto workers are poised to go on strike if General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis fail to meet their demands for substantial pay raises and restored benefits, potentially causing significant disruptions in auto production and impacting the U.S. economy.
Thousands of health care workers in Oregon and Washington have voted to endorse a strike against Kaiser Permanente, citing unfair labor practices and inadequate staffing that has resulted in substandard patient care.
More than 12,000 workers at the Big Three automakers are on strike in Michigan, Ohio, and Missouri due to inadequate wages and benefits, demanding higher pay and an end to the tiered employment system.
The United Auto Workers' strike may bruise the US economy, but it is unlikely to push the nation into a recession as the impact depends on various factors such as the duration of the strike, layoffs at other plants, and negotiation time between unions and companies. Estimates suggest that a 10-day strike could cost the economy $5 billion, while an eight-week strike could result in a $9.1 billion hit to incomes nationwide. The strike could lead to revenue loss for businesses near strike sites and potential layoffs for workers at affected auto plants and parts suppliers, ultimately impacting tax revenue and potentially leading to higher car prices. However, the overall impact is not expected to be as devastating as the Covid pandemic or previous chip shortages in the auto industry.
The number of workers going on strike in 2023 has increased significantly compared to previous years, with rising income inequality being a major factor driving this trend.
A coalition of unions representing over 75,000 Kaiser Permanente employees is threatening a second strike in November if contract negotiations do not result in sufficient progress, citing outsourcing as a major point of contention.
The United Auto Workers strike continues into its fourth week, leading to layoffs of hundreds of factory workers at General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis plants, with a combined total of around 4,835 strike-related layoffs by the Big Three automakers.
