#Striketober, "great resignation": 5 minutes to understand the unprecedented social rebellion in the United States

The return to school swept away by a historic sling in the United States.

Leached by the pandemic and frustrated by the profits of their employers, tens of thousands of American workers went on strike this fall, demanding better working conditions.

From factories to film sets, through hospitals and the catering industry, these movements of "Great Resignation", defended by a fringe of the Democratic camp, affect all sectors.

And could well inspire neighboring countries.

Decryption.

What happened ?

Strikes have been piling up for several weeks in the United States.

Since Thursday, 10,000 employees of tractor manufacturer John Deere have left their factories to take to the streets.

An action that joins that carried out by 1,500 workers working for the grain giant Kellogg's in Pennsylvania or that of 2,000 nurses at Mercy Hospital in Buffalo, New York, calling for better working conditions.

Other sectors could in turn swell the ranks of strikers.

Some 31,000 employees of the health group Kaiser Permanente are preparing to leave their work shortly in California.

Anger is still gaining in Hollywood studios, some of whose teams were preparing to leave their filming, before the conclusion of an agreement at the last minute on working conditions.

As disparate as they are, these strikes, supported by the left wing of the Democrats behind the hashtag #Striketober, demand, depending on the sector, new hires, an increase in wages or even for some, "the guarantee of not seeing their jobs. relocated in the next few years, ”says Marie-Christine Bonzom, political scientist, journalist and specialist in the United States.

What context?

If the strikes have intensified in recent weeks, the frustrations of employees are not new. “The pandemic was the trigger but the dissatisfaction came a long way. It also concerns low wages, corporate profits, or even complicated access to social security which depends on the employer ”, notes Nicole Bacharan, historian specializing in the United States and author of“ The great days that have changed America ”.

The end of the health crisis saw the birth of an unprecedented wave of resignations.

4.3 million Americans have quit their jobs since August, according to Labor Department data cited by the Washington Post.

A figure that even exceeds 20 million if we count since April.

For the most part, these departures have affected the sales and hospitality sector, ie jobs with grueling rates, often poorly paid.

In the end, the pandemic redistributed the priority cards among many workers.

In total, 10 million jobs are said to be unfilled in the country.

A considerable leverage for those who are about to hang up.

“Since employers cannot find anyone to hire, employees are in a good position to negotiate salary increases or better status,” says Marie-Christine Bonzom.

What place for unions?

In decline since the late 1960s, unions now seem to be regaining color in the country.

President Joe Biden had also posted, among his priorities, that of enforcing their rights and giving them back power.

To date, the country has 11% union members among its workers.

A rate "low but not more than in France", remarks Nicole Bacharan.

Proof that the social struggle is gaining ground, employees of large firms such as Starbucks or Amazon have even tried to form their union in recent months.

Sometimes in vain.

Because let us remember, the right to organize remains radically different from that observed in France.

“With us, union negotiations take place mainly by sector via collective agreements.

There, everything is played out at the level of the companies, unit by unit.

The right to unionize depends on the company's vote, ”summarizes Marie-Christine Bonzom.

Workers at the Kellogg's Grain Plant protest outside the plant on October 7, 2021 in Battle Creek, Michigan.

(Rey Del Rio / Getty Images via AFP) 2021 Getty Images

While few Americans are campaigning for their rights, many support the movement.

“In the collective imagination, it is difficult to associate the United States with the union struggle.

But unions have gained a lot of popularity in recent years.

Support that helps them negotiate today, ”points out Nicole Bacharan.

A domino effect?

Multiple strikes, wave of resignations, serial renegotiations ... The movement of social anger as the shortage of manpower now exceeds the American borders.

Germany lacks 400,000 skilled workers, Bloomberg notes.

Likewise, China would face massive resignations, with the emergence of a new generation of workers "disenchanted by the prospects and put off by relatively low wages," notes the Washington Post.

For its part, France has struggled for several months to recruit in the restaurant sector.

Without speaking about a world strike, these successive observations testify to a “strong desire for better working conditions”, estimates Nicole Bacharan for whom these mobilizations could lead to others.

However, with a nuance across the Atlantic: “For Americans, personal fulfillment cannot be detached from the value of work and professional success.

In other words, the strikes can follow one another on the spot, the 35h will not be for tomorrow… ”, breaths Nicole Bacharan.