Hannah Belitz is a student at Harvard Law School.
According to the New York Times, the election of Donald Trump has mired Mexico “in a state of anguish and paralysis.” Trump’s campaign rhetoric (referring to Mexican immigrants as “rapists” and criminals), calls to build a wall, and threats of mass deportations have left many in Mexico worried about what a Trump presidency will mean. They also worry about what it signals for the future of democracy. As Juan Pardinas, a Mexican academic who works on anti-corruption legislation, explained, “A lot of people see the U.S. as a beacon of freedom, as something to aspire to. But what happens when you lose a role model, the role model of a nation? Now all of us who admired the U.S. are having second thoughts.”
The Guardian reports that the labor movement is gearing up for a “three-front battle” with Trump, Congress, and the courts. The labor movement fears that all three branches of government will be hostile to labor and take steps — ranging from appointing pro-business board members to the NLRB to overturning worker-friendly Obama administration regulations to enacting a national right-to-work law — that harm workers and unions. As Lee Saunders, president of AFSCME, put it, “These are going to be some challenging times. We’re just going to have to hunker down.”
On Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio received the backing of two labor unions: the Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association, a municipal union; and the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, one of New York City’s largest and most powerful private sector unions. The New York Times notes that neither union initially backed Mayor de Blasio in 2013, and the two endorsements could prompt other unions — none of which have yet made endorsements for next year’s election — to back de Blasio as well.
Daily News & Commentary
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July 26
Prop 22 survives; video game workers take action; NLRB challenged.
July 25
Disney union reaches tentative agreement, FAA agrees to improve worker conditions, and Olympic dancers drop strike notice.
July 24
Unions demand end to military aid for Israel; UAW and Teamsters hold out on Harris endorsement; Judge declines to block FTC ban on non-competes
July 23
NLRB drops appeal of a district court case striking down its joint employer rule; red states challenge EEOC’s pregnancy rule; and the WNBA players’ union taps advisors.
July 22
Unions respond to Biden's exit, many back Harris.
July 19
The Bronx Defenders Union announces a tentative collective bargaining agreement; Amazon workers continue a strike in Skokie; Bangladesh students continue protests over government job quotas.