COVID seemed to create an awareness amongst employees that they could have better living conditions. There was a capitulation on the part of employers (especially in the tech industry).
Now it seems employers are firing a warning shot across the bow, reminding employees where the power truly lies.
Seeing twitter cut in half and continuing to function probably begs questions at other companies about how many folks are “essential”.
The macroeconomic situation is probably a factor but one could make the argument that it’s only creating a window of convenience for a little house cleaning.