Alexander W. Miller is a student at Harvard Law School.
President Donald Trump’s executive order banning entry from seven majority-Muslim nations has dominated the news over the past 48 hours. Though a federal judge in the Eastern District of New York stayed large portions of the order Saturday night, news outlets continue to report on the ongoing implications of the ban, especially for the numerous workers from the targeted countries who had regularly traveled to and from the United States. Politico and the Washington Post examine the effect the restrictions may have on employers—especially tech companies and those using H-1B visas—while the New York Times delves into the consequences the order could have for professional athletes.
In other news, the Center for Economic and Policy Research has issued a troubling new report analyzing the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data on union membership, which indicates that both public and private sector unionization rates dropped in 2016. Despite union members continuing to earn a significant premium over nonunion workers, private sector union membership now consists of only 6.4% of workers. This represents the lowest rate of union membership since statistics began being recorded by the government, with declines being particularly steep in recent right to work state states such as Wisconsin, which has lost 40% of its union members since a 2011 law barring most public sector collective bargaining.
Finally, the New York Times looks at the ongoing failure of the federal government to provide health care for soldiers exposed to dangerous levels of radioactivity while cleaning up after atom bomb tests on islands in the Pacific Ocean during the late 1970s. Inadequate safety equipment and poor monitoring of radiation exposure may have contributed to elevated cancer rates among workers involved in efforts to restore the islands to suitability for human habitation.
Daily News & Commentary
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August 13
EEOC complaint process expected to harm federal workers; former UAW leaders endorse Fain challenger; Xbox employees protest layoffs.
August 12
Third Circuit affirms dismissal of driver’s bias and retaliation claims against CBS and Teamsters; employment litigation surges in Washington state; MIT Sloan professor argues the rise of “disposable workers” is transforming American employment.
August 11
Rideshare drivers nearing union certification in California; UFCW campaigns against electronic shelf labels; Teamsters support NYC delivery driver bill.
August 10
Employee sues for a fossil-fuel-free 401(k) plan as a religious accommodation; DHS submits a proposed rule eliminating 60-day grace period for H-1B workers; Eighth Circuit dismisses constitutional challenge to the FMSHRC.
August 7
Starbucks beats claims it denied shifts to union workers; Center for State Labor Innovation aims to address labor law shortcomings.
August 6
Taylor Farms faces scrutiny over labor practices; Bipartisan labor bill gains momentum.