It is and always has been manager propaganda. You can see it in the weasel words they use too like "labor shortage"
If you don't pay people what they are worth, they won't work for you. Its really that simple. Our economic system is designed to reward greed though. You're considered successful for 'cutting operating costs'(not paying people enough) and optimizing productivity (cutting their breaks and vacation) as well as restructuring the organization(firing and laying off people) they use certain types of language to obscure the shyttyness of what they're actually doing to people. The most infuriating thing is the media is on their side and won't push back on them. This is an example of how modern news can leave the viewer feeling even more ignorant than they did before they tuned in.