Gen Z puts the 9–5 in the hot seat 🪑

Plus: The end of the UAW strike?

November 07, 2023

Hey there! It’s November 7th, which is the first Tuesday in November—AKA election day for many states across the country! 🗳 Whether your governor seat or positions in your city council are up for grabs, a quick reminder that local elections do matter. In the past, issues like paid sick leave, childcare services, and salary transparency (hey 👋) have been on the ballot. 

Here’s how to find the closest polling site near you. Curious which races are worth following around the country? Go here!

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Did you know you could make over $14/hour as a professional Gift Wrapper? Working a seasonal job is not only a great way to earn some extra income, but it can also be fun! Learn more about seasonal jobs (and how much they pay) in this article, and the video above.

 1   The end of the United Auto Workers (UAW) strike is near 🪧

UAW Union On YouTube

“The days of low-wage, unstable jobs at the ‘Big 3’ are coming to an end.” Those are the words of UAW President Shawn Fain after reaching a tentative agreement with Stellantis, Ford, and General Motors (GM). If ratified by union members, the agreements would mark the end of the UAW 44-day-long strike. 

It’s a major (and badass) win for the auto industry. Here’s a snippet of what the UAW negotiated—after being told just weeks before it was “too expensive” and “unnecessary:”

A 25% pay increase over the next 4½ years. This includes a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to ensure inflation doesn’t cancel out increased earnings. 

The end of “wage tiers” that divided UAW workers into upper and lower classes, despite doing the same job. Before, certain employees weren’t eligible for pension and post-retirement health care—and were paid lower wages. The UAW eliminated this tiered system, and negotiated shortening the amount of time it takes to reach top pay from eight years to three. 

The right to protest over plant closures. This means the Big 3 can’t close a plant without UAW approval, protecting employees' jobs. This is especially important as the industry shifts to electric vehicles, which require fewer workers since they have fewer parts. 

“Where do we go from here?” Glad you asked! The UAW’s success could have a big impact on our workforce as a whole. It wouldn’t be the auto industry’s first time setting the example…

  • 👨‍🏫 Mini History Lesson: In 1926, Ford Motor Company was among the first to adopt a 40-hour workweek and double wages to $5 an hour. It was a stunning shift at a time when employees regularly clocked in 100 hours per week. But it wasn’t long until businesses followed Ford’s example, and the Monday-to-Friday schedule soon became standard. By 1938, President Franklin Roosevelt signed into law the Fair Labor Standards Act, which formally codified the 44-hour workweek (adjusted to 40 two years later).

If today is anything like the 1930s, the UAW’s wage wins might set a new example for businesses everywhere. For now, this strike demonstrates that collective action = big results.

Working people (like you 🫵) have the power to band together and demand better working conditions. 

 2   Gen Z is putting the 9–5 in the hot seat 🔥

The 9–5 is under scrutiny on social media. TikToker Brielle Asero went viral earlier this October after asking her followers how they manage their time during a 40-hour workweek: “How do you have friends? I don’t have time for anything…I’m so stressed out.”

Asero is one among many Gen Z voices questioning our current working standard (the search term ‘40 hour workweek’ on TikTok has 45.5 million views 🤯). Another TikToker, Andra Berghoff, went viral for sharing that she quit her corporate role after eight months because it was “soul-sucking.”  

  • Time Out: Despite the video's divisive nature (thousands of comments called Asero “lazy, entitled, and weak”) the 9–5 could be due for a makeover. It was designed nearly 80 years ago—AKA far before the vast majority of our jobs even existed. And with recent studies demonstrating the effectiveness of WFH and 4-day workweeks, it might be time to adjust to the science.  

What's your stance on the 9–5?

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 3   The latest data on the effects of salary transparency is in 📊

Turgay Koca/EyeEm via Getty Images

The salary transparent train is gaining steam. In 2023, California, New York, Washington, and Rhode Island joined #teamtransparency and now have salary range transparency laws. But the movement is still recent—and the data capturing its impact is just now surfacing. 

The Bad News: Pay transparency is revealing an unfortunate trend: A decline in wage rates for new hires. 48% of companies reduced their listed salaries to adjust after rapid growth post COVID, per ZipRecruiter.

After two years of wage increases, employers are now hoping that candidates reset their salary expectations.

The Good News: With almost 40% of companies now posting salaries—even in states where they don’t have a requirement—candidates can now go into the job search with realistic expectations and understanding of their worth.

Katie Branham, Vice President of Salesloft (a company that publishes pay for all of its jobs posted in the U.S.), said they “don’t want to waste anybody’s time [by taking] them through a whole interview process.” More companies like this, please. 🙌

Heads Up: Read this to find out if you live in a state where your employer is legally required to post the salary range. If they aren’t complying, remember: You can file a complaint or bring a civil lawsuit. 

Going back to Indeed for a second…ever wondered what their employees are making? 

Last January, we traveled down to Indeed headquarters in Austin, Texas, to ask them just that! These fellow Indeedians got transparent about what they do and how much they earn. Here’s just a snippet: 

  • A software engineer netting $155K shares what he wishes he knew before starting the job—and why he went on a 14-year break from the field. 

  • A salary coordinator with a $50K salary dishes the best (and worst) parts of her job. 

  • Learn how an ex-kindergarten teacher became an instructional designer, earning $80K after teaching through the pandemic. 

  • Are you a content creator? Here are four ways to ensure you’re fairly paid. 💪

  • AI is expected to eliminate 14 million jobs. Find out which ones are safe—or could vanish altogether.  

  • The side hustle reviewing Amazon products that pays up to $2,700 a month. 💰

  • This billionaire says people should work “70 hours a week.” 🙄

  • Tech workers at The New York Times walked off the job to protest the company’s return-to-office policy.

Thanks for reading! Hannah here—just a heads up that I’ll be OOO starting… checks watch …now! James and I are in Barbados for our honeymoon and couldn’t be more excited. We’ll be back in your inbox next week well-rested and (hopefully) tan. 😎

See you next week!

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