Gilbert Placeres is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s News & Commentary, the UAW’s federal monitor criticized for involving himself in the Union’s Gaza stance, EPA staffers win scientific integrity protections, and a DOJ working group asks for stronger federal protections against sexual misconduct.
In In These Times, former Congressman Andy Levin and law professor Sanjukta Paul ask why the UAW’s federal monitor is involving himself in the Union’s stance against Israel’s actions in Gaza. The monitor was appointed by a federal judge in 2021 as part of a settlement to resolve fraud and corruption charges against the Union and several of its officers. (The charges concerned a bribery and kickback scheme between Union officials and Chrysler (now Stellantis). Another provision of the settlement was direct elections, the first of which led to the rise of a reform slate and current President Shawn Fain.) Although the monitor’s scope is related to those charges, he has twice expressed concern to the UAW about their stance against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. First, he called Fain personally and, later, forwarded a letter from the Anti-Defamation League. Levin and Paul argue the monitor has unethically used his position to influence the Union and the judge should seriously consider replacing him.
Staff at the Environmental Protection Agency ratified a new contract that aims to insulate their scientific work from inappropriate interference, including political meddling. Staffers will now be protected from retaliation in reporting scientific integrity violations. The move is seen as aimed to guard against a potential second Trump presidency and the targeting of civil service protections that could follow.
Elsewhere in the federal workforce, a Justice Department working group wrote a letter urging the Biden administration to take action against sexual misconduct in federal workplaces. The DOJ Gender Equality Network argues there are not currently adequate response systems to sexual misconduct across all federal agencies. The letter comes after a string of federal sexual misconduct reports, including at the Drug Enforcement Agency. The group calls for regular climate surveys and centralized reporting systems and investigations.
Daily News & Commentary
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May 12
Trump administration proposes expanding fertility care benefits; Connecticut passes employment legislation; NFL referees ratify new collective bargaining agreement.
May 11
NLRB Judge finds UPS violated federal labor law; Tennessee bans certain noncompetes; and Colorado passes a bill restricting AI price- and wage-setting
May 10
Workers at the Long Island Rail Road threaten to strike, and referees at the National Football League reach a collective bargaining agreement.
May 9
HGSU wraps up its third week on strike and economists find that firms tend to target workers with “wage premiums” for AI replacement.
May 7
DOL drops litigation of Biden-era overtime rule; EEOC sues NYT for discrimination against white male employee; New Jersey finalizes employee classification rule.
May 6
Trump Administration exempts foreign doctors from travel ban; job openings hold steady at 6.9 million; 30,000 healthcare workers prepare to strike across University of California hospitals.