Striketober was a labor strike wave in October 2021 by workers in the United States in the context of strikes during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the month, approximately 25,000 workers participated in strikes.
United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack meeting with John Deere workers on strike
The Great Resignation, also known as the Big Quit and the Great Reshuffle, was a mainly American economic trend in which employees voluntarily resigned from their jobs en masse, beginning in early 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the most cited reasons for resigning included wage stagnation amid rising cost of living, limited opportunities for career advancement, hostile work environments, lack of benefits, inflexible remote-work policies, and long-lasting job dissatisfaction. Most likely to quit were workers in hospitality, healthcare, and education. In addition, many of the resigning workers were retiring seniors. Collectively, the Baby Boomers are one of the largest demographic cohorts in the United States.
COVID-19 lockdowns necessitated remote work arrangements; workers later advocated for more permanent remote work policies.
The Great Resignation has been compared to labor strike waves like Striketober. Pictured here are Iowa workers of John Deere striking as part of the United Auto Workers on October 20, 2021.
