Anjali Katta is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s news and commentary, the NLRB sues New York, a flight attendant sues United, and the Third Circuit considers the employment status of Uber drivers
The NLRB sued New York to block a new law that would grant the state authority over private-sector labor disputes. As reported on recently by Finlay, the law, which was passed on September 5th, states that private-sector employees fall within the scope of the state’s Public Employment Relations (PERB) unless the NLRB asserts jurisdiction via a court order. The NLRB claims that the law is preempted by the NLRA, under precedent forth in Garmon, as it creates a conflicting, parallel system regulating private sector employees. Challenges to this law may hint at challenges to similar bills in California and Massachusetts.
A former United Airlines flight attendant, Ava Lawrey, filed a class action lawsuit in New Jersey federal court, seeking damages for herself and around 1,000 New Jersey-based flight attendants. She alleges United violated state wage laws by failing to pay for time spent on essential duties outside ‘actual’ flight time which is defined as the period between aircraft door closure and opening. Lawrey claims she regularly worked 12-hour shifts with 2–4 unpaid hours for tasks like security, pre-flight meetings, debriefings, and layovers. The lawsuit seeks back pay, overtime, and penalties up to 200% of unpaid wages, along with injunctive relief to stop future violations.
The Third Circuit appeared unwilling to allow a third trial in a decade-long dispute over whether Uber misclassified drivers for its now-defunct service, Uber Black, as independent contractors. The former drivers have asked the Third Circuit to restore their case which was dismissed by a district court after two separate juries failed to reach a verdict. The Third Circuit Judges questioned how many trials should be allowed before a case is deemed futile. Uber’s attorney called a third trial unfair, while the former drivers’ lawyer argued that the issue’s public importance justifies continuing the case. The case could set precedent for app-based gig worker classification amid nationwide battles over gig workers’ status as independent contractors or employees.
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November 24
Labor leaders criticize tariffs; White House cancels jobs report; and student organizers launch chaperone program for noncitizens.
November 23
Workers at the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority vote to authorize a strike; Washington State legislators consider a bill empowering public employees to bargain over workplace AI implementation; and University of California workers engage in a two-day strike.
November 21
The “Big Three” record labels make a deal with an AI music streaming startup; 30 stores join the now week-old Starbucks Workers United strike; and the Mine Safety and Health Administration draws scrutiny over a recent worker death.
November 20
Law professors file brief in Slaughter; New York appeals court hears arguments about blog post firing; Senate committee delays consideration of NLRB nominee.
November 19
A federal judge blocks the Trump administration’s efforts to cancel the collective bargaining rights of workers at the U.S. Agency for Global Media; Representative Jared Golden secures 218 signatures for a bill that would repeal a Trump administration executive order stripping federal workers of their collective bargaining rights; and Dallas residents sue the City of Dallas in hopes of declaring hundreds of ordinances that ban bias against LGBTQ+ individuals void.
November 18
A federal judge pressed DOJ lawyers to define “illegal” DEI programs; Peco Foods prevails in ERISA challenge over 401(k) forfeitures; D.C. court restores collective bargaining rights for Voice of America workers; Rep. Jared Golden secures House vote on restoring federal workers' union rights.