How Should Essential Workers Empower Themselves in the Workplace?

Essential workers are on the front lines of the pandemic; they’re also the least protected and, often, the lowest paid. A lack of PPE, hazard pay, and paid sick leave for workers in vulnerable sectors, like grocery store, fast food, sanitation, and some other sects of retail, is putting the pressure on employers to act, and the pressure on workers to demand protections.

On this videostream, Voice of B2B Daniel Litwin spoke with Shaun Richman, program director for SUNY Empire State College’s School of Labor Studies. A contributor for In These Times and The American Prospect, Shaun previously spent a decade and a half as a union organizer and representative, and brings his experience to give a worker-focused perspective on…

  1. Why some businesses are providing protections for workers while others aren’t
  2. The history of our “broken” labor relations system and the atomization of the workplace
  3. How a lack of union representation in essential sectors creates an imbalance tilted against workers
  4. What the long term strategy is for organizing workers in vulnerable sectors
  5. What small and large businesses can do now to protect their essential workers

For the latest thought leadership, news and event coverage across B2B, be sure to check out our industry pages.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

influencer partnerships
Moving Beyond Social Media Buzz: How Authentic Content & Long-Term Influencer Partnerships Can Drive Hotel ROI
July 30, 2025

Influencer marketing is rapidly changing, and many hotels are still figuring out how to tap into its full potential. As travelers demand more authentic and relatable content, the pressure is on for hotels to adapt their marketing strategies. But with skepticism around the true ROI of influencer partnerships, it’s more important than ever for brands…

Read More
workforce
Building a Future-Ready Workforce: With Traditional Training Models Failing, It’s Time for Employers and Educators to Build Solutions Together
July 30, 2025

In an era where the average job tenure in the U.S. hovers under four years and industries are evolving faster than academic curricula can keep up, the need for a new approach to workforce development has never been more urgent. Companies like Amazon and McDonald’s are responding by investing in “education as a benefit”…

Read More
belief
Learning Out Loud with Belief, Courage, and the Power of Yes
July 30, 2025

In a world where workplace disengagement is on the rise, with global employee engagement falling to just 21% in 2024, leaders and teams are increasingly seeking meaning, connection, and growth in their work. Amid this shift, professionals are asking deeper questions about purpose and fulfillment, both individually and collectively. That’s exactly where Paul Plamondon’s…

Read More
professional advancement
The Measured Mindset: How Mentorship, Curiosity, and Listening Drive Professional Advancement and Growth
July 29, 2025

Not every path into analytics starts with code and spreadsheets. For some, it begins with curiosity, adaptability, mentorship, and a willingness to learn something entirely new. That’s the case for Mayank Malviya, whose journey from a humanities education in India to a career in U.S.-based market research reveals how initiative and mentorship can accelerate…

Read More