The past year saw American workers reassessing their jobs. However, those shifts did not result in higher union membership at the national level, now back at previous lows.

Minnesota labor leaders say at the state level, the numbers are a little more promising, with 16% of working Minnesotans part of a union, up slightly from the previous year, and the state's highest level in 14 years.

Bill McCarthy, president of the Minnesota AFL-CIO, said apart from more unionized workers being hired for infrastructure projects, there is a growing sense younger workers want their voices heard.

"Whether it's wages or benefits or whatever the case may be, they just want to have a say in that," McCarthy explained.

Not all the organizing is being driven by staff at large employers such as manufacturers. Grocery workers and restaurant staff are formalizing plans to establish unions, and gains are being seen in health care. Despite more activity, experts say laws still make it difficult for these groups to overcome barriers in reaching their goals to successfully bargain.

Labor leaders argued it is why Congress needs to give final approval to the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which is opposed by Senate Republicans and business groups.

Aaron Sojourner, a labor economist at the University of Minnesota, said while the state's latest uptick represents a small difference, he said there is a taste for change within the labor force.

"Through the pandemic, they had the rules of their jobs scrambled and the rules of their lives scrambled," Sojourner pointed out.

He noted some workers felt accommodated, but many others did not, and while existing laws might prevent roadblocks to organizing, Sojourner added workers have a lot of leverage right now with so many open jobs, as well as strong public backing.

As the global economy faces an uncertain future, Virginia's steel producers are pushing President Joe Biden to recommit to trade policies designed to protect America's steel industry.

According to the American Iron and Steel Institute, Virginia's steel sector employs nearly 5,000 people, who collectively earn about $357 million annually.

Jerry Adams, general manager of Steel Dynamics' Roanoke Bar Division, said without protections from the feds, a global oversupply of steel could threaten those jobs.

"The problem is, these countries rely on unfair trade practices, illegal subsidies and state intervention to benefit their steelmakers at our expense right here in Virginia," Adams asserted.

In 2018, the Trump administration placed a 25% tariff on foreign steel, a policy to which the Biden administration has largely remained committed. While Biden has loosened tariffs on allied countries, such as the European Union and Japan, the administration has kept protective policies in place for more hostile nations, such as China.

According to the Alliance for American Manufacturing, more than 75% of the global steel supply since 2000 has come from China, and the world has about 700 million metric tons more steel stock than it actually needs.

Adams argued America's protective policies stabilized the domestic steel sector, which in turn allowed companies to reinvest in their operations in Virginia and across the country.

"We're seeing steelmakers investing, hiring workers, and producing more tons of steel here in the United States," Adams observed. "These trade-protection measures are making a significant impact here in Virginia."

Earlier this month, the Biden administration announced it would be temporarily lifting steel tariffs on Ukraine in a move to help spur the struggling nation's economy. The New York Times reports it should not have a major impact on the domestic steel economy, since Ukraine is America's 12th largest foreign steel supplier.

The White House is fielding pitches from top Democratic lawmakers about their desire to dramatically expand student loan forgiveness.

While a politically divisive topic, the idea has support in North Dakota, especially from those teaching future generations of professionals. The Biden administration has been considering whether to take executive action on canceling student loan debt, with possible income caps and other eligibility requirements.

Cody Mickelson, a teacher at Jamestown High School, said while his loans were not as much of a burden compared with younger teachers, he feels action is needed.

"I think it's a great opportunity for our country to invest in itself while also getting something out of that investment," Mickelson contended. "Because let's face it, student loan forgiveness doesn't mean I'm gonna go and waste my talents if I'm forgiven for those loans. It's just gonna help me believe that my country believes in me."

He emphasized if teachers feel supported, it bodes well for schools and students.

The North Dakota AFL-CIO said overwhelming debt blocks pathways toward the middle class. While some Democrats want debt as high as $50,000 canceled, the administration views a lower threshold. Skeptics say it is not fair to workers without loans or those who have paid them off, while arguing taxpayers could see a ripple effect.

Mickelson also is president of the Jamestown Education Association. He noted even though there are existing forgiveness programs, there are barriers in states such as North Dakota to make them work. He added aspiring teachers need fewer headaches in pursuing their dreams.

"It's not helpful when the price of college becomes prohibitive to good people wanting to do something for either themselves, their country or the students in our country," Mickelson asserted.

He stressed teachers like him have to go through extra hoops to take advantage of existing relief if they have their loans through the Bank of North Dakota. According to industry trackers, North Dakota and Mississippi are the only states without a dedicated student-loan forgiveness program.

A new report found dishonest employers steal from some 213,000 people in Ohio each year by paying them less than the minimum wage; and it is just one type of wage theft.

According to the analysis from Policy Matters Ohio, other forms of wage theft include nonpayment for all hours worked, not paying time and a half for hours worked overtime, and misclassifying workers as nonsalaried to avoid overtime pay.

Ernest Hatton of Cleveland said he experienced wage theft at a time when he was working a security job for nearly 60 hours a week.

"My supervisor asked me if I would mind if they would take away eight hours in exchange for a vacation day because payroll couldn't handle the amount of money that they claimed I was going to make, so they needed to offset that," Hatton recounted. "I didn't know that was illegal."

Among wage theft victims in Ohio, 8% of victims of wage theft in Ohio earn $11.44 per hour or less. The average victim loses $55 per week, which equals about a quarter of their pay, based on the minimum wage, which amounts to more than $2,800 a year on average.

The report found Hispanic people are 71% more likely to become victims than their white counterparts.

Ghandi Merida of Cincinnati, a wage theft victim from Mexico, believes an employer who stole wages from him intentionally recruited Hispanic workers.

"And they promise, like, $30 or $27 when he only pays $20 and $22," Merida asserted. "He just wants to take a lot of advantage of Hispanic workers because (they) cannot speak English, and they cannot say anything, so you can't speak up for yourself."

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, introduced the Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act, which he said will crack down on wage-theft practices and empower Ohioans to fight back.

"So many workers never report these violations," Brown noted. "Why? Because they're afraid of retaliation. I mean, who holds the power here? These are rarely union shops, so companies hold the power. "

At the state level, the report calls for requiring employers to provide pay stubs, so workers are better informed of wages; beef up wage and hour enforcement; and recognize informally classified workers as employees who can be protected by labor laws.

Reporting by Ohio News Connection in association with Media in the Public Interest and funded in part by the George Gund Foundation.