Many retired, and are unlikely to come back for any kind of raise. Others have had children. And pay has risen steadily. It doesn't seem very obvious to me why

Many retired, and are unlikely to come back for any kind of raise. Others have had children. And pay has risen steadily. It doesn't seem very obvious to me why you think people were happy to work for $15/hr in 2019 but would rather earn nothing than $18/hr today. Wage examples taken from local small business hiring signs around my city.