Forbes - Striketober is back

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A Note From Kelly Anne

October is usually marked by cooler weather, trick-or-treating and trips to the pumpkin patch. But for the past two years, there’s been a newcomer: Labor strikes.

In 2021, a collection of strikes and protests was dubbed Striketober but 2022’s effort will likely outpace it. Workers across geography and industries are joining picket lines to demand higher wages, better working conditions and affordable healthcare. We look into it below.

Have a great week.

Best,

Kelly Anne

Senior Staff Writer

Consumer Finance

Striketober Is Back As Workers Fight To Close The Wage Gap

The pandemic created a perfect storm for labor strikes: Record-breaking profits at big businesses while laborers, often dubbed essential, continued to work for the same pay in over-demanding, even dangerous, work environments. 

The tipping point was the illumination of wealth disparity—and the reality that many of these workers are seen by their companies as expendable. Last October, hundreds of workers walked off their jobs, inspiring the term “Striketober.” The trend has only intensified this year.

To date, there have been almost 700 strikes or protests since the start of this year, according to Cornell University’s Labor Action Tracker. Workers are fed up with low pay and feeling undervalued by their employers.

Labor unions play a big role in helping workers secure their demands. They can help negotiate a variety of workplace benefits, ranging from pay to time off. According to a 2021 Bureau of Labor Statistics report, union workers earn nearly $200 more per week in median wages than nonunion workers. Some go as far as describing unions as an “equalizer” in a capitalist economy.

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