Another Labor Data Point

For the first time in more than 3 decades, reporters at Reuters have gone on strike.

As journalism has moved from a craft to a college educated profession, at least in their own minds, reporters have become less supportive of labor, and less inclined towards labor activism.

This is a big change:

Reuters on Wednesday alerted customers that its U.S. journalists planned to go on strike in response to ongoing contract negotiations between management and the NewsGuild, which represents its unionized staff.

Why it matters: It's the first time in over 30 years that Reuters' unionized staff have prepared a strike over contract negotiations, per the NewsGuild.

Details: Nearly 300 Reuters journalists are walking off the job for 24 hours on Thursday "in protest of management's slow-walking contract renewal negotiations," according to a statement from the NewsGuild.

There is a greater significance to this:

• The unions are becoming more aggressive and less tolerant of management delays.
• Workers who used to think of themselves as professionals, and so not the sort to go on strike or picket have realized that this is not true.
• The end of worker loyalty to their employers.  They now realize that if they take care of the job, their bosses will not take care of them.

I've always wondered what would happen when employers could no longer strip-mine employees loyalty.  It looks like we are about to find out.