"Why are Americans choosing to quit their jobs in record numbers?"

American workers were hurt by the pandemic-and possibly helped by it, as well.

The number of workers in unions has sharply declined in my lifetime. As a kid, I remember "Look for the Union Label" as almost a national mantra. Efforts at union busting since then have put workers in unsafe environments and allowed them to be abused by management.

One woman told me her supervisor at a McDonald's slapped a cookie out of her hand on her break, telling her "You're too fat to be eating cookies." She would have liked to have walked out, but was raising her two grandchildren and needed the job.

There are, however, increasing numbers of workers unwilling to pay with their very sense of self worth. Not only that, but when childcare is unaffordable, people will look for remote work. When wages won't pay the bills, some go back to college or a trade school, to eventually earn more.

The shock for me has not been the numbers of people leaving their jobs. No-my surprise is that our leaders did not see this coming. I do believe they need to wake up and realize that an increase in the federal minimum wage, affordable daycare and the chance to unionize will all be required to get our people back to work.