The Economist yesterday questioned the wisdom of the NFL’s new national anthem policy and cited Professor Sachs’ recent piece arguing that the policy change was an illegal violation of federal labor law and possibly the First Amendment. The Economist noted that President Trump was unusually vocal in his opposition to players who protested police brutality and racial inequality by kneeling during the anthem, and the magazine expressed skepticism of the president’s suggestion that patriotism required the abridgment of players’ free speech rights.
This American Life dedicated its entire episode this week to the story of LaDonna Powell, a security guard at JFK Airport who alleges rampant sexual harassment, retaliation, racism, and misogyny in her workplace. Ms. Powell details how supervisors filmed and monitored employees without notice, refused them bathroom breaks, and made sexually humiliating comments. The story focuses on how Ms. Powell came to understand how employer abuse operates and how she learned to fight back against it.
With 36 hours left to go in their current contract, Las Vegas casinos and the hospitality employees’ union rushed to reach a new agreement. The union has said that its 50,000 workers may strike if a deal isn’t reached by the time the current contract expires. The union is seeking a 4% annual increase in wages and benefits after several years of below-average wage increases. A strike, if it happens, would be the first city-wide strike in Las Vegas in three decades and could bring chaos to the city’s tourism economy, and could cost the casinos over $10 million a day.
Walmart announced a plan to offer nearly free college tuition for 1.4 million U.S. workers. The plan will allow employees to take classes in person or remotely at three universities, including the University of Florida. The program is limited to employees studying supply chain management or business, though the company says it may expand in the future. Walmart expects roughly 68,000 employees to take advantage of its offer.
Daily News & Commentary
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August 30
Worker interviews raise concerns about the enforcement of California’s new indoor heat protections; SAG-AFTRA celebrates the progress of an AI regulation bill in California; preventable trench collapses threaten worker safety.
August 29
Federal labor and antitrust agencies enter agreement to collaborate on merger investigations; United Airlines Flight Attendants vote 99.99% for strike authorization; and Cornell and UAW reach tentative agreement on new labor contract.
August 28
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) found merit to allegations that Chipotle Mexican Grill violated federal labor law, over 4,000 Fred Meyers workers began a strike in Portland, Oregon, and unionized software workers filed a labor complaint against Activision Blizzard and Microsoft.
August 26
NLRB bids adieu to consent orders; New research on teachers' strikes; 5th Circuit vacates DOL rule.
August 23
NLRB: Amazon is joint employer of drivers; UAW threatens Stellantis strike; Canada intervenes in railway labor dispute.
August 22
Dartmouth College players union files an unfair labor charge and two prominent Canadian Railways are planning to institute worker lockouts.