Why organised labour is making a comeback

PHOTO: AP
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Strikes at General Motors, an American corporate icon, are a big deal. This month's walkout by the United Auto Workers union, the first in 12 years, made global headlines and a big political statement about the resurgence of organised labour activity in the United States.

The recent strike by British Airways pilots might have resulted in fewer headlines in the US (though it arguably caused more customer pain, grounding 1,700 flights), but both disputes reflect a trend that global businesses had better start getting used to: the rebirth of labour as a political and economic force.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 28, 2019, with the headline Why organised labour is making a comeback. Subscribe