often looks like working all the time instead of 9 to 5.
Someone like Moon doesn’t quite fi t the typical
understanding of the employment market in the U.S.;
as an independent worker, she’s not fi lling an avail-
able job listing. But with six clients and counting,
she’s certainly not underemployed and doesn’t see
herself shifting back to working for someone else,
ever. “It’s allowed me a lot of time to think and pro-
cess and make better decisions than I probably would
if I had the pressure of a management team,” she says.
Plus, the anxiety of depending on others for income
is long gone. “I’ve had PTSD from past roles where
I’ve seen people get fi red out of the blue, or I’ve been
fi red before,” she says, citing the instability of start-
ups where many white collar Gen Z and millennial
workers gravitate.
The burnout of startup culture is common. Seattle-
based engineer Cory Gabrielsen, 30, quit his job as
the second employee at an agriculture technology
startup in April. The travel demands were intense;
he spent 14-day stretches on site visits overseeing
robotic farm equipment, with requirements he calls
“pretty insane.” After two years on the job, he was
ready for time off. For several months after he quit,
he says he did “nothing,” recovering from burnout.
Now, he spends his days option trading, running
a Twitter bot account that tracks Ethereum pricing,
and dabbling in Web3 and cryptocurrency invest-
ments. And while he wouldn’t describe himself as
happier now—he misses the social interaction of an
offi ce—his mood is more “neutral” day-to-day, and
he looks forward to building his presence as an inde-
pendent entity who can do what he wants when he
wants. “I have no stress on the job compared to what
I used to do,” he says. He’s not working full-time and
has no concerns about money, thanks to his savings,
investments and a boom time in the crypto world.
“My goal is not to go back to having a boss,” he says.
ECONOMISTS PREDICT THAT the Great Resignation
is only getting started, especially for Gen Z and mil-
lennial workers who are well positioned to fi nd new
ways to earn income. A former colleague of Gabri-
elsen’s quit the same day he did and has since moved
to Amsterdam. Moon and Green say many of their
friends have sought advice on how to shift away from
their nine-to-fi ves. Jayaraman warns that, unless the
restaurant industry introduces drastic changes, even
more young service workers will choose their men-
tal health over income. Without signifi cant govern-
ment investment in childcare, young mothers will
prioritize their families. Whatever their motivation,
though, young blue collar and white collar workers
alike are fi nding themselves happier—and more in-
dependent. For Green, the change has helped kick-
start her dream of a balanced, fulfi lling career, which
becomes more of a reality with every daily scoop of
gelato. — With reporting byMARIAH ESPADA
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becoming president of AFL-
CIO been like for you in the
wake of Richard Trumka’s
unexpected death?When you were elected, you
said you were “honored and
ready to guide this federation
forward.” What does that
mean in real terms?Union membership rates
continue to be highest among
workers who are ages 45 to- What can unions do to
recruit and retain younger
Americans?
Union membership is half of
what it was in the 1980s.
The PRO Act, which would
create new protections for
unionizing workers, isn’t
likely to pass the Senate,
and some of the country’s
largest companies are
successfully squashing
union drives. What gives you
hope that “Striketober” is a
turning point?How Liz Shuler, newAFL-CIO chief, plansto seize ‘Striketober’