Labor organizing and strikes are experiencing a resurgence in the United States. Before this year’s bevy of labor actions—including Hollywood strikes, autoworker walk-outs, healthcare labor stoppages, and more—2022 and 2021 both also experienced an almost 50 percent increase in labor organizing activity. Workers are demanding higher pay and better working conditions amid a labor market environment that affords workers increased bargaining power, as well as high public support for unions and strikes.

What does the research say about the impact of unionization and worker strikes in the United States? Aside from well-documented benefits that are associated with unions—from increased job security and better healthcare and retirement benefits to more widespread access to paid leave and higher pay—there are other aspects of unionization and heightened worker power that may be less widely discussed. These benefits extend to union members and nonunion workers, entire communities, and the U.S. economy more broadly.

Read the full article about worker power at Washington Center for Equitable Growth.