If the cost of hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year has left you a bit stunned, you’re not alone. A survey by the New York Farm Bureau found a 26 percent spike in the cost of the traditional American feast. Looking at the cost of turkey, potatoes (whether russet or sweet), pumpkin pie (filling and crust), and other typical items, the agency found this year to have the biggest year-to-year jump in the cost of a Thanksgiving meal in the thirty-year history of its annual survey.

Inflation is not just the unwelcome guest at the holiday dinner table; it will follow many of us to today’s Black Friday sales. The day after Thanksgiving — often fun for those who love bargain shopping — may be a subdued affair this year, and inflation is a major reason: people don’t have as much money to spend, and their discretionary cash won’t go as far.

While inflation has upended our usual Thanksgiving rituals — glorious feasting followed by blowout sales — it’s worth noting that America’s organized left has lagged behind our international counterparts in protecting workers from the damage. In many other countries, the labor movement has proposed a logical solution: higher wages to keep up with the cost of living.