Morgan Sperry is a student at Harvard Law School and also serves as OnLabor's Social Media Director.
In today’s news and commentary, the National Domestic Workers Alliance calls for increased Medicaid rates to compensate care workers, Grindr is union-busting, and Guggenheim Museum employees have secured their first contract.
Yesterday, National Domestic Workers Alliance President Ai-jen Poo, along with Nicole Jorwic, called upon lawmakers to expand access to home and community based services in order to honor the Americans with Disabilities Act. Specifically, Poo and Jorwic are calling upon state legislatures and Congress to increase the dollars they put into the Medicaid program—including by increasing wage rates for care workers, who currently make less than $12 per hour on average. As Poo and Jorwic write, making these changes would ensure that all disabled and aging people can live and thrive while staying in their homes and communities.
Mere weeks after its employees announced their intention to unionize, Grindr has instituted a return-to-work policy that requires workers to either move within 50 miles of the company’s new offices by August 31st or lose their jobs. While the company claims that the plan has “nothing to do with the N.L.R.B. election petition,” workers have noted that Grindr has hired Littler Mendelson, a law firm that specializes in union-busting. The union has filed a ULP charge with the NLRB alleging that the new policy was retaliatory to unionizing workers.
After more than two years of bargaining, the Guggenheim Museum reached an agreement with its workers’ union last week. The contract, which goes into effect immediately, gives workers an average salary increase of 11 percent over two-and-a-half-years. It also offers improved health and retirement benefits and just cause employment protections. With this contract, the Guggenheim workers join a cohort of unionized museum curators, conservators and other employees—including those at the Whitney Museum and the New Museum.
Daily News & Commentary
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September 28
The Protect College Sports Act nears passage in the Senate; San Francisco municipal workers agree to contract extensions.
September 27
The Trump Administration reaches a settlement with federal unions on reduction in force actions; the United Auto Workers file an en banc petition seeking review of a Second Circuit decision regarding labor arbitrations.
September 25
Healthcare workers rally to restore legal status for TPS holders; nurses at a Maine hospital overwhelmingly vote to form their union despite alleged aggressive union busting tactics.
September 24
NLRB abandons rule for offensive conduct during protected activity; New York home care workers seek a union election; maritime deck officers endure long fight for first contracts.
September 23
DoorDash settles delivery-worker pay claims; Philadelphia school workers win new contract; stock gains spur retirements.
September 22
Judge blocks ICE raids in Alabama; Chicago hotel workers vote to strike; AutoZone workers look to create first union