Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild members and their supporters gathered outside Paramount Studios in Los Angeles on July 17, 2023. The recent surge of worker strikes has given rise to the “summer of strikes,” also known as hot strike summer. Employees at UPS, Amazon, Starbucks, and entertainment companies in Hollywood have either gone on strike or threatened to do so in recent months, demanding better conditions and higher pay. In 2023, there have been over 200 strikes across the U.S., involving more than 320,000 workers. This is a significant increase compared to 2021, which saw 116 strikes involving 27,000 workers. The strong economy has given workers more bargaining power, according to Harry Katz, a professor at Cornell University. However, striking employees face risks such as losing their job and health insurance, so it is important for them to understand their protections. Strikes are protected by the National Labor Relations Act, giving workers the right to participate in lawful strikes. A lawful strike can either be based on unfair labor practices or aimed at improving economic conditions. It is crucial for workers to take collective action and act as a group to ensure their strikes are protected. However, there are exceptions for certain industries, such as railway and airline employees covered by the Railway Labor Act. Most government employees are prohibited from striking, with only a few states allowing specific public sector workers to strike. Under the NLRA, workers cannot be fired or discriminated against for participating in a strike, but economic strikers can be permanently replaced if their jobs are filled by someone else. Strikers may be offered their positions back if they make an unconditional offer to return and wait for an opening. However, this process can take a long time, and some strikers may move on to other jobs. During a strike, workers typically lose their wages, and their health insurance may be suspended or terminated. While there is no federal law guaranteeing jobless benefits for strikers, some states like New York and New Jersey provide unemployment coverage. A bill in Massachusetts is also being considered to offer unemployment benefits to strikers involved in labor disputes lasting 30 days or more.
The Crucial Implications for Workers and their Rights during the ‘Summer of Strikes’
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