What do Peruvian truckers, Canadian longshoremen and American auto workers have in common? It is from having been on strike in recent months.
Strike movements are increasing all over the world. Amazon employees disrupted Black Friday in the United States, workers laid down their tools in South Africa and North Korea. British doctors and nurses have also stopped working to demand better working conditions.
From factory workers to Hollywood screenwriters, fed up is widespread.
Workers from all walks of life are rebelling primarily for one reason: inflation. Rising energy, food and housing prices are hitting everywhere, but not with the same intensity. Inflation varies depending on the country and there are categories of workers who suffer more than others.
This is the case for unionized workers, whose salaries are generally fixed by an employment contract that covers several years. Unlike non-union workers, whose salaries can be adjusted annually to take into account the strong reappearance of inflation, workers subject to a collective agreement have seen their purchasing power melt more quickly.
In Canada, the gap between the average salary of employees subject to a collective agreement and others has now reached 7%, according to economists at the Royal Bank.
The number of working days lost due to labor disputes has started to rise again around the world. It has been in constant decline in recent years in OECD member countries. The number of working days lost showed a downward trend even in France, the undisputed champion of strikes on the European continent and probably in the world. The latest year of statistics does not take into account the most recent protests against pension reform in this country.
The reduction in purchasing power and the wage question are at the heart of the recent workers’ rebellion. Demography also offers part of an explanation. The population is aging and labor shortages are becoming widespread around the world. As a result, workers have greater bargaining power than ever before and increasing numbers are taking to the streets to try to improve their lot.
There may be a swing back on the horizon for unions, whose economic weight and influence had greatly diminished in recent years. The reign of individualism and meritocracy may be beginning to weaken, after years of globalization which have generated a lot of wealth, but also a lot of inequality.
It was quite surprising to hear US President Joe Biden tell striking auto workers last week that they were right to demand a 40% increase in their pay over four years. Your employers have made plenty of profits over the last few years, it’s your turn, he basically told them.
Beyond wages, the values ​​of inclusion and fairness that unions defend can attract more and more workers, especially among the youngest. It is too early to predict an increase in union density worldwide, but the year 2023 marks a strong return of union values.