About the author: Julia Pollak is chief economist at ZipRecruiter.
There have been almost two open jobs for every unemployed job seeker for over a year. Those looking for work and current employees are in a historically advantaged position. Employers simply can’t afford to lose their on-the-line talent. This in turn has created a resurgence of labor union activity, interest, and strength. But how long will it last?
The dynamic in the U.S. labor market is unusual but not unprecedented. To understand how much change is coming to the workplace, it helps to look to history. If the imbalance in the labor market persists, experience suggests there’s good reason to believe unions’ newfound vitality could produce lasting change.
My great-grandfather, Clements Kadalie, was the first black trade union organizer in South Africa. His story is legendary: In 1919, he founded the…
