Edward Nasser is a student at Harvard Law School.
Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx issued a policy paper that outlines 15 points he expects automakers to comply with as self-driving cars hit the road. The paper hits on four main points: what the vehicles need to do to be safe, what federal and state governments need to do, how the Department of Transportation will use existing regulatory tools, and what new regulatory tools may be needed. Self driving cars have the potential to render the employee or independent contractor question obsolete for Uber and other car service companies, and have already been introduced in some American cities.
On the same line of news, Uber announced plans to open a facility in Detroit to allow it to work more closely with car companies to develop its plans for a self-driving cab fleet. The company has not yet released specifics about the plan, including how many people it plans to employ there.
G.M. and Unifor, the private sector union for auto workers in Canada, reached a deal to avert a 3,900 person strike. The parties agreed to a deal in which G.M. closes one assembly line in Oshawa, Ontario but agreed to open another one, resulting in a net increase of jobs, and moved production of an engine from Mexico to another Ontario plant. If this contract is approved by workers, Unifor will use it as a template for upcoming negotiations with Ford Motor Co. and Fiat-Chrystler Automobiles.
Louise Matsakis at Motherboard profiles a shipping and packing warehouse, Quiet Logistics, that “employs” primarily robot workers. Many of those interviewed said they do not envision robot workers entirely replacing human workers, but workers themselves are not convinced.
Daily News & Commentary
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June 26
Mamdani issues workplace heat protections order; Fifth Circuit denies enforcement of NLRB order against Starbucks; AFGE unlikely to secure injunction against FEMA layoffs.
June 25
NLRB orders Amazon to bargain with workers; federal judge blocks ICE agents from making arrests in courthouses.
June 24
NYC primary vies for union support; NLRB ruling tees up Cemex challenge; Sixth Circuit deals blow to NLRB policymaking.
June 23
The Supreme Court declines review of a taxpayer lawsuit against a teacher union's paid leave policy; Congressional Democrats oppose Labor Department's proposed joint employer rule.
June 22
Pro-labor candidate wins DC mayoral primary; Department of Labor secures court order regarding back wages.
June 21
The Bolivian government declares a state of emergency in response to union-led protests, and hotel workers in Philadelphia strike amidst World Cup celebrations.