Lauren Godles is a student at Harvard Law School.
Donald J. Trump will be the 45th President of the United States. In one of the biggest upsets in American political history, Trump defied the predictions of almost every major poll and eclipsed the 270 electoral college votes needed to win. Hillary Clinton, who conceded the race to her opponent via telephone early this morning, is poised to win the popular vote.
Down the ballot, all four states considering minimum wage hikes voted yes on those increases. Voters in Washington approved an initiative that will raise the minimum wage to $13.50 by 2020, and will also require paid sick leave for employees. Arizona, Colorado, and Maine also voted to increase the minimum wage to $12 per hour by 2020. Donald Trump has said he would support a $10 minimum wage and allow the states to determine any increases beyond that amount. However, according to the Washington Post, he has also changed his stance on this issue approximately a dozen times.
The right to work movement had mixed outcomes last night.In Alabama, voters approved an amendment that enshrined the state’s right to work status in the state constitution. Many business leaders and state representatives had come out in support of the amendment. In contrast, a similar ballot initiative in Virginia failed. Note that neither vote will affect the status quo in those right to work states; it will merely make it more difficult for Alabama to move away from right to work in the future.
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
August 2
WestJet flight attendants go on strike, and the American Federation of Government Employees challenges another VA attempt to terminate its collective bargaining agreement.
July 31
Legislators move to end mandatory arbitration in employment contracts; NYC tip laws result in greater pay for delivery workers; women's college basketball players seek to unionize.
July 30
Supreme Court denies Cemex's bid to pause bargaining order; employers remain exposed to Title VII suits over English-only rules; Texas judge declines to enjoin NLRB proceeding despite unconstitutional removal protections.
July 29
NYC public defender strikes spread to the Bronx; NLRB drops challenge to New York labor law after Amazon wins its case; new data shows appointments of women and minorities to S&P 500 boards at lowest level in a decade.
July 28
DOJ drops charges against SEIU California president; Massachusetts nurses file ULP against hospital; Democratic lawmakers look to remove damage caps in employment discrimination cases
July 27
NY Port Authority proceeds to trial on PUMP Act case; First Circuit denies stay in order vacating H-1B visa fee; DC Circuit panel denies First Amendment claim over disclosure of confidential emails in allegation of prison's COVID-19 mismanagement.