Blue-collar workers won big in 2023, defying bleak predictions
Blue-collar workers won big in 2023, defying bleak predictions
A year that started out with bleak prospects, including a widely predicted recession, shaped up to be a boon for the average American worker — and one of the most triumphant for organized labor in a generation.
More than 525,000 workers in the United States walked off the job in 2023, according to Bloomberg Law’s database of work stoppages, making it one of the three biggest strike years since 1990. Many of those strikes led to big concessions from employers, such as the landmark deal reached by the UAW in October.
It’s not enough
Certainly not.
The failure of Starbucks and Amazon workers is truly frustrating, as is the continued confused, nervous chuckles that even wage workers have when a 4-day work week is discussed.
That said, having a president actually supports unions has been very good for us. I've lived through Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama and Trump. None of them backed workers the way Biden has.
I had a 4 day, 10 hour schedule at my last job but it's seasonal so I got laid off recently sadly. But even 4 ten hour days is MUCH better than 5 eight hour days per week, working 10 hours a day is easily offset by a whole extra day off. I'd still absolutely love a 4 day schedule based around a 32 hour work week, that would benefit not just me with increased overtime but it would benefit everyone.