A collective 'mass refusal' to work in poor conditions is driving the labor shortage, according to a labor relations professor
SrdjanPav/Getty Images
- A "mass refusal" is driving millions to quit, according to a professor who studies labor relations.
- Robert Bruno said employees are responding to how they've been treated during the pandemic.
- This "collective action" is fueling the US labor shortage and could lead to better quality jobs in future, he said.
A "mass refusal" to work in poor conditions is driving Americans to quit their jobs in record numbers and fueling the labor shortage, according to a professor of labor relations who says the trend could lead to higher-quality jobs in the future.
A record number of Americans quit their jobs in August for the fifth month in a row. It's a continuation of what commentators are calling the "great resignation."
Professor Robert Bruno, director of the labor education program at University of Illinois Chicago, told The State Journal Register that employees are, in part, responding to how they were treated during the pandemic, where many were laid off or endured abuse from customers.
"You end up with this mass refusal," Bruno told The State Journal Register. "It's a great refusal to work under conditions that simply are not suitable to a middle class life."
He said that while it's not organized, the refusal was a "kind of mass collective action."
Bruno was commenting on state employment figures for Illinois, which show that a record 201,000 residents quit their jobs in August. The trend is being replicated across the country: The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics Openings and Labor Turnover survey showed that 4.3 million Americans quit their job in August.
Following the disruption caused by COVID-19, workers now find themselves with more power as companies struggle to retain staff.
Workers are demanding higher pay and better working conditions - others are taking the opportunity to progress their career or seek more flexibility, leaving employers scrambling to meet their demands.
Bruno said this broader shift could have positive outcomes for the labour market, leading to higher quality jobs as employers roll out livable wages and increase benefits to make employees feel protected.
It could also lead to a restructuring of the working day, a greater investment in professional development, pay raises, and promotions, Bruno said.
from Business Insider https://ift.tt/30h85cJ
No comments