Labor and supply shortages as well as changing work norms over the pandemic have forced employers to be more flexible, shifting some power back into the hands of workers. Now, labor has become a hot news beat, with more journalists ramping up their reporting in this area, The New York Times reported Nov. 7.
A Gallup poll recently reported that Americans look more favorably upon unions now, with 68 percent of people approving of labor unions, the highest since 1965. The Biden administration is also more sympathetic to workers' rights and organizing than his predecessor.
An increasing number of journalists are focusing on labor as their beat. In the 2000s, The New York Times had only one full-time daily labor reporter, but now many digital outlets have a dozen or more. New news outlets, like More Perfect Union, have sprung up that focus entirely on labor activism and movements. So-called "Striketober" dominated the news cycle in October. Recently, Sara Nelson, the international president of the Association of Flight Attendants, was featured on the cover of Fast Company, putting labor movements back into the mainstream conversation.
Jon Schleuss, the president of the NewsGuild, told The New York Times that the increased reporting indicates "not necessarily sympathy, but a deeper understanding."
Ben August, the new owner of The Chief, a New York City-based publication covering labor and local politics, told the Times he wants to scale up.
"Labor is underrepresented, organized labor might be making a comeback, and I would like to fan those flames if at all possible," said Mr. August.