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Holt McKeithan is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s News and Commentary, OSHA reaches a settlement with Dollar General over unsafe work conditions, union leaders split over support for Biden, and a report shows the number of Americans making low wages has sharply decreased.
In September, Bloomberg reported a slew of hazardous working conditions at Dollar General stores around the country, including intentionally blocked fire-exits, electrical hazards, and workers stabbed and threatened by customers. Yesterday, OSHA reached a settlement with Dollar General agreeing to significantly reduce store inventory to avert hazards, pay $12 million, create new safety protocols, and potentially pay $100,000 a day if future hazards aren’t fixed. Julie Siu, acting Labor Secretary, said the settlement should “end this practice of constantly finding violations, fining them, and then seeing the violations repeat.”
Yesterday, the presidents of the UAW and Association of Flight Attendants met privately with President Biden’s staff to discuss his campaign. Shawn Fain and Sara Nelson suggested that Americans’ doubts about Biden’s reputation are damaging his ability to do his job. But other leaders have continued to back Biden. As Divya wrote yesterday, the AFL-CIO, Teamsters, and International Brotherhood of Electrial Workers have also continued to back the president.
An Oxfam report shows that the percentage of Americans earning less than $15 an hour has sharply decreased over the last two years. In 2022, 31.9% of Americans earned less than that wage. That percentage is down to 13% in 2024. Even after adjusting for inflation, 23% of Americans are making what Oxfam defines as low wages.
Daily News & Commentary
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July 15
Workday bias suit moves forward; DOL proposes new LMRDA rule; Bronx Defenders to go on ULP strike
July 14
Teamsters president to speak at RNC; youth work permit requirement rollbacks; eulogies to Jane McAlevey.
July 12
Dollar Tree and OSHA settle; union leaders split over Biden support; new report on low wages.
July 11
President Biden meets with union leadership and a New York law firm announces new applicant screening policy regarding student protest activity.
July 10
NSEU calls for indefinite strike; Disney may face nation's largest strike this year; UAW monitor reveals details of investigation
July 9
Bloomberg publishes an investigation into sexual harassment at SpaceX; Paris airport workers announce strike ahead of the Olympics; and Korean autoworkers reach a tentative deal with Hyundai.