In 2025, two significant labor strikes have already occurred in the United States. Los Angeles County workers and Philadelphia's largest public sector union went on strike, and machinists at Boeing plants in Missouri and Illinois walked off the job. Each case involved thousands of workers and disrupted, or threatened to disrupt, goods and services that citizens rely upon.
Service Employees International Union Local 721 (SEIU 721)
The Los Angeles County workers' strike involved approximately 55,000 members of Service Employees International Union Local 721 (SEIU 721). The strike occurred in late April and was caused, in the union's opinion, by a failure of the county to negotiate a new contract in good faith.
The two-day walkout impacted services, including the county's non-urgent health clinics, public libraries, wildfire cleanup services, trash pickup, and homeless encampment enforcement.
Union leaders stated that the strike was triggered by labor law violations committed by the county, including retaliation and the outsourcing of jobs that are traditionally union positions. Members were also unhappy with the pay that was being offered. County officials stated that they couldn't afford significant increases due to financial burdens.
Union members allege the county spent too much on outside contract workers rather than filling vacancies.
The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees District Council 33
A strike by Philadelphia's largest public sector union lasted for eight days and involved roughly 9,000 municipal employees, including 1,000 sanitation workers. This strike, which ended July 9, had a significant impact on trash collection.
In all, nearly 10,000 city workers were involved, including sanitation workers, 911 dispatchers, and other essential personnel. The tentative agreement includes a three-year contract with a 3% annual raise for each year. However, the contract still needs to be ratified by the union members.
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace (IAM)
On Aug. 4, about 3,200 Boeing jet and weapons workers at Boeing plants in Missouri and Illinois walked off the job. The strike began after the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace (IAM) rejected a four-year contract with Boeing. Union members went on strike saying, “Enough is enough! [It’s] about respect and dignity, not empty promises.” Members also said that they "deserve a contract that reflects their skill, dedication, and the critical role they play in our nation's defense.” Their goal is to improve medical, pension and overtime benefits.
Temporary staffing
One way private and state organizations can reduce risks when strikes loom is to rely on temporary staffing as a means to mitigate any hardships caused by the stoppage. A reliable staffing agency can keep operations running during labor negotiations. Skilled temporary workers can fill critical roles, while labor and management move toward an agreement. These reliable workers can keep vital civic functions operating and alleviate pressure on the negotiating environment, allowing calm heads to prevail and enabling good contracts to be made.
The emphasis is on "temporary." It is essential to understand that this type of labor solution is temporary in nature. The temporary staff are intended as part of a mitigation strategy designed to prevent disruptions and economic losses. The benefit of a good staffing agency is that it can provide breathing room for both parties to negotiate so that a fair and sustainable solution can be reached without jeopardizing services that societies rely upon.
Conclusion
Labor unrest is becoming common. Its possibility cannot be ignored. It is to the benefit of employers, city, and country managers to prepare for when strikes seem possible. Having a trusted temporary staffing agency on standby to maintain operations can play a critical role in patching gaps due to workflow stoppage, so that supplies and services won't stop when labor does.
City streets being clogged with hundreds of striking workers or tens of thousands of pounds of trash is undesirable. Besides the disruption on the streets, facing the fear of not being able to get a loved one to a nearby hospital or having staff available at the medical center are both disruptions with all too real and immediate consequences. A trusted temp agency, with staff ready to go, goes a long way toward allaying and ameliorating these fears.
Suppose management and labor have the time needed to reach settlements and a peaceful environment in which to negotiate. In that case, the agreement is likely to be beneficial to everyone, and everyone will have a job to return to.
