800 adjunct and non-tenure-track (NTT) faculty at Fordham University reached their first contract with the university earlier this week. Fordham NTT faculty — represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) — won 67%-90% raises for most adjuncts; a minimum salary of $64,000 by end of the contract for full-time NTT faculty; longer-term appointments; just cause protection... More »
For the discriminatory loss of early retirement benefits, the New York State Nurses Association has won a $20.8 million-dollar settlement from New York City. The city repeatedly denied requests from the Assoc. to classify nursing as a “physically taxing” job, and thus denied nurses early retirement (at age 50). The New York Times reports that nearly 1700 nurses – those hired beginning in 1965 an... More »
This week the U.S. Labor Department formally rescinded the Obama-era “persuader rule” that mandated employers to disclose information about their one-on-one communications with union-avoidance consultants. The rule was promulgated under the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA), but business groups long argued that it impinged on attorney-client privilege and exceeded the scope of... More »
Amazon workers went on strike across Europe during Amazon Prime Day. The yearly shopping sale is the e-commerce giant’s busiest day of the year, usually netting the company more than $2 billion. On Monday, nearly 1,800 warehouse workers walked off site in Spain and Germany to protest low pay and poor benefits. Supporters worldwide organized boycotts in solidarity with striking workers. The average... More »
Seven fast food chains will stop enforcing “no poaching” agreements at all of their locations nationwide after an investigation by 11 state Attorney Generals. About 80% of fast food workers are constricted by these anti-competitive clauses, which critics say is an illegal practice that drives down wages for millions of workers. Arby’s, Auntie Anne’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Carl’s Jr., Cin... More »
Workers from the D.C. Metro system’s largest union voted to authorize a strike yesterday, the Washington Post reports. Union members approved the potential strike by a 94 percent margin. Union leaders have yet to say whether they will go forward with the strike now that they have authorization. The strike would significantly disrupt a transit system that serves about 1 million people a day. Tesl... More »
The Fifth Circuit recently ruled that the fast-food chain In-N-Out Burger violated the National Labor Relations Act when it prohibited employees from wearing “fight for 15” buttons at work. Amanda Healey wore a quarter-sized button in April of 2015, and a couple of co-workers caught on, and hoped, too, to show support for the movement for a higher wage. They were told, instead, to comply with a ... More »
In Janus, the Supreme Court held that agency fees amount to compelled speech that violates the First Amendment. As I’ve explained, the underlying premise of this theory is that agency fees are employees’ money tha... More »
It has been a dramatic year for French unions. On September 22, 2017 President Emmanuel Macron overhauled his country’s labor law by executive order. This was a major milestone for the young politician who had pledged to tur... More »
Thousands of workers rallied in Columbus, Ohio yesterday, pushing for a solution to the country’s growing pension crisis, the Associated Press reports. Congressional field hearings on the issue will be held today in Columbus at 2 p.m., and will include both of Ohio’s U.S. senators. The hearings will examine the financial effects of potential pension failures —pensions which were guaranteed by th... More »