In today’s News and Commentary, the UK is considering new anti-trade union legislation which may threaten workers’ right to strike, the NBA and Players’ Union have reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement, and New York City’s largest municipal union voted to approve its contract.

Anti-trade union legislation is set to return to the UK’s House of Lords for its final stages before enactment. If passed, the bill would enforce “minimum service levels” in certain industries such as health, education, and transportation. This means that workers, who have democratically voted to strike, can be required to work or else fired. The bill comes after several months of large scale strikes, particularly in the sectors that this law seeks to cover.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Players’ Union have reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement. The current contract will expire following the 2024 season, as the two sides chose not to exercise an opt-out provision, trimming the last year of the contract. The new seven-year agreement includes a similar opt-out provision, which can be exercised at the end on the 2029 season. It also addresses the disparity in spending between the league’s teams, limiting roster moves by the highest-paying teams. If ratified, the new collective bargaining agreement will require that players attend at least 65 of the 82 regular season games in order to be eligible for All-Star teams or Most Valuable Player awards. Notedly, though this negotiation cycle was expected to roll back the age limit rule preventing players from entering the draft straight out of high school, the NBA’s one-and-done rule will remain intact – players must wait one year post-high school graduation before the draft. Owners and players still need to vote to approve the deal.

The members of DC37, New York City’s largest municipal union, overwhelmingly voted to approve its contract with the city. The union reached a tentative agreement in February, securing for its members a five-year contract with annual raises and a one-time $3,000 bonus for eligible members. The contract also creates for union members a childcare trust fund to be established by the union with annual $3 million contributions from the city. Nearly 46,000 union members voted in the ratification process, 97% of whom voted in favor of the agreement.