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 Los Angeles International Airport's shops and restaurants vote overwhelmingly to authorize a strike over Labor Day weekend, putting pressure on the tourism industry amid ongoing disputes over wages and working conditions.
The United Auto Workers union and three Detroit automakers are facing a looming strike as contract negotiations stall, potentially impacting the U.S. economy and the companies' profits amid the shift to electric vehicles and demands for improved wages and benefits.
Labor Day travelers are experiencing calmer, but hot weather for the holiday weekend.
Labor Day marks the end of a record-breaking summer travel season, with airports and roads expected to be crowded as vacationers return home, despite high airfare and gas prices; however, flight delays have increased and consumer concerns about delayed or canceled flights remain prevalent.
Summary:
The U.S. workforce on Labor Day 2023 is characterized by low unemployment rates, increasing labor market participation by women, low unemployment rates among all tracked races and ethnicities, the rising influence of artificial intelligence in the workplace, declining union membership, an increase in workers going on strike, and the prevalence of remote work arrangements.
Labor unions across the United States, from UPS employees to United Autoworkers, are demanding better working conditions and higher wages due to increased workloads and insufficient pay, leading to an increase in strikes.
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.
A potential strike by the United Auto Workers could have wide-ranging economic impacts, including higher car prices and job losses at suppliers, with a prolonged strike even potentially pushing the economy toward a recession.
The growing number of strikes in the United States reflects a generational change in the labor movement that is driven by stagnant wages for lower and middle-income workers, rising income inequality, and a strong labor market, providing workers with more leverage in negotiations.
The United Auto Workers (UAW) is on strike against Detroit's Big Three automakers, demanding a 36% pay increase, reinstatement of cost of living adjustments, an end to wage tiers, defined benefit pension plans for all workers, a four-day workweek, the right to strike over plant closings, limited use of temporary workers, and retiree healthcare for all UAW members.
