Labor Day Blues: Average American Worker Hasn't Received A Raise In 3 Years!

NEW YORK — Counting down the days until you finally get that long-awaited promotion? Well, sit tight. The average American employee hasn’t received a pay raise at their current job in the last three years. That’s according to a recent survey of nearly 2,000 American adults ahead of Labor Day.

Although Labor Day’s core mission is to celebrate workers’ contributions to America, 46 percent out of the 1,859 employees polled said they feel “somewhat recognized” at work, while eight percent said they don’t feel recognized at all. Respondents also laid out their top concerns about the current workforce, with Gen Z saying they’re more concerned about the nationwide worker strikes than the lack of job security (69% vs. 49%).

Meanwhile, half of the millennials surveyed by OnePoll were more worried about salary cuts (53%) than wage gaps (49%) and worker strikes (45%). The Gen X and Boomer generations, however, had similar worries when it came to a lack of job security (45% and 49%) and wage gaps (44% and 46%).

Regarding pay disparities, 73 percent of all adults agree the gender wage gap is still very real. In fact, almost six in 10 working men believe their current salary is influenced by their gender (58%), compared to 54 percent of female employees.

When it comes to making a difference in the workplace, half believe speaking directly to management is the most effective way to pressure companies and bosses to improve work conditions and pay (51%). Many also think labor or union strikes (49%), filing an HR complaint (40%), or posting on social media (36%) could positively change workplace conditions.

As worker strikes continue to dominate headlines, 41 percent of respondents said they previously participated in a labor strike, while 47 percent had never done so. Of those who have participated in a strike, most protested for better work schedules (68%), higher pay (58%), better health insurance (56%), and to negotiate for better benefits (48%).

When asked if they currently belong to a union, 43 percent of workers said yes, while 43 percent said no. Most union members said joining one was the best work-related decision they’ve ever made (93%).

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