Workers want to be heard, and their voices have grown louder over the past several years. Although stabilizing in 2023 following the record 50.5 million Americans who quit their jobs in 2022, the "Great Resignation" fueled desires for greater flexibility and fulfillment at work and high confidence in one's ability to find new employment. It also created urgency for employers to act on employee demands.

A resurgence in unionization has brought even more benefits to workers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 191,000 U.S. workers joined unions in the private sector last year, bringing the total to 7.4 million. Prominent union wins, like the outcome of the United Auto Workers Union (UAW) and SAG-AFTRA strikes, have snowballed alongside an administration that describes itself as "the most pro-union in American history."