"The Resignation of a Nation" Why are millions of Americans leaving their jobs and what are they seeking?

In light of the continuing effects of Corona on the American economy, and despite the inflation in the prices of goods and services, Americans continue to leave their jobs in large numbers, which prompted some to describe this phenomenon as “the resignation of a nation.”

The US Department of Labor stated that 4.3 million Americans, or about 2.9% of the workforce in the United States, left their jobs last August, which was a record-breaking month in the country, only to return and the numbers fell slightly last October after they reached to about 4.2 million people.

According to Labor Department data released in mid-October, at least 30 million Americans left their jobs between January and August of this year.

It is common to see an increase in leaving jobs when the labor market is tight and there are plenty of jobs available, but what is happening now is unlike anything we have seen before, as economists and pollsters are still seeking to know the real motives and causes of the major resignation phenomenon that has ravaged all industries. Approximately.

Was it generous government aid and grants that encouraged Americans to leave their jobs? Perhaps, but some evidence suggests otherwise. Or will Americans seek a pay rise after decades of stagnant wages? Most likely, yes.

Is the motive is freedom or the search for better opportunities?

The labor market shake-up caused by the pandemic has led many, especially young workers, to reassess their working lives. While millions of Americans have left their jobs entirely in search of freedom and independence, job security and better pay are the top concerns of millions of others.

Last September, the unemployment rate in America fell to a low of 4.8%, but the decline was largely driven by people leaving their jobs. Moreover, Gallup data shows that nearly half of American workers are actively looking for new opportunities, backed by different leverage.

"In the past year we've all been able to step back and spend more time doing other things and really question the value of what we're doing at work," said Texas A&M University psychologist Anthony Klotz. Klotz indicated that a number of people made the decision to make a change in their lives, especially since their job experiences during the pandemic period have prompted them to identify their true priorities in life.

While Gregory Dako, chief US economist at Oxford Economics, said: "It's not just about resigning for the sake of resigning, but leaving work to find a better job."

The popularity of remote work

There is no doubt that Americans leaving their jobs in large numbers is due to family pressures imposed by closed schools, closing and reopening of businesses, as well as the redistribution of population in different locations and industries, and fear of the virus in places where business is conducted face to face. But the historic rise in job quits also appears to be about more than all of this.

In a new working paper, University of California, Berkeley economist, Ulrike Malmender suggests there is something existential behind the great resignation: “The pandemic and the emergence of remote work has changed the way we view our lives and the world.”

And while some managers insist that working from the office should be done remotely, 56 percent of American workers surveyed by Bankrate for job seekers last August said they plan to look for a new job next year, and that adjusting work hours and work Remote is a big priority for them.

What effect does this have on inflation?

Whether you call it a “big resignation” or a “national reassessment of work,” the labor market shake-up of the pandemic could have unexpected repercussions on the US economy for years to come, especially as the lack of desire to work will reduce job demand, which will push employers to work. To raise wages to attract employees, which will increase the cost of production and consequently increase prices sharply that will lead the country to high inflation rates.

And last November, wages rose sharply, especially in low-wage jobs after they had been stagnant for many years before, as the average working hour in supervisory jobs increased by 4.8% from last year, to more than $ 31 an hour, According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

With wages rising sharply, in addition to the significant rise in prices due to several factors, the most important of which are the increase in demand for raw materials and the rise in oil prices, as well as the problems that affected global supply chains, some view inflation as a potential threat, while political decision makers are still , including the Fed Chair, stress that the rate increases are mainly related to the economic distortions caused by the pandemic that will soon dissipate.

53 people die in migrant truck crash in Mexico

At least 53 people, most of them Central American nationals, died Thursday when the truck they were traveling in overturned in southern Mexico.

It was the worst accident ever to befall migrants who risk their lives to set foot in the United States.

The truck hit a sharp bend outside the town of Tuxtla Gutierrez in Chiapas State, throwing the migrants inside, according to post-accident video and information from authorities.

The state attorney general put the death toll at 53.

As a result of the accident, several dozen people were injured and taken to hospitals in Chiapas, which borders Guatemala. There were more than 100 people in the truck, according to authorities.

The Chiapas state government said the victims were men, women and children.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador took to Twitter to express his condolences for the "deeply sad" accident.

authorities have offered accommodation and humanitarian visas to survivors of the crash.

Chiapas Governor Rutilio Escandon said the person responsible for the crash would be brought to justice.

Migrants fleeing poverty and violence in Central America usually travel through Mexico to reach the United States.

Sometimes, they are forced to jostle aboard the large trucks provided by smugglers to make the very dangerous journey.