Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley has signed a bill that will increase the state’s minimum wage in steps over several years from $7.25 to $10.10, reports The Washington Post. “It is not fair, it is not right, it is not just that people should play by the rules... More »
The United Auto Workers Union announced today it is dropping its efforts to force a new unionization efforts at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., reports the New York Times. After the union lost a vote at the plant in February, it asked the National ... More »
The US Senate is expected to approve legislation today restoring unemployment benefits to nearly 3 million people, reports the New York Times. The bill is expected to face opposition from House Republicans. On Tuesday, Senate Democrats will bring up a bill to ... More »
The New York Times Editorial Board applauds recent steps taken by New York University and Columbia University to tighten their policies on unpaid internships to prevent exploitative arrangements. According to a report last year by the National Association of C... More »
Steven Greenhouse in the New York Times profiles the devastating effects of Wisconsin’s 2011 law restricting the rights of public sector unions. Championed by Governor Scott Walker, the law bars public sector unions from bargaining over pensions, health covera... More »
A Bangladeshi court has jailed the owners of a garment factory in which more than 100 workers died in a 2012 fire. According to the Wall Street Journal, the owners, who were denied a bail application on Sunday, are charged with “culpable homicide not amounting... More »
The Supreme Court hears oral arguments today for the recess appointment case National Labor Relations Board v. Noel Canning (explained here). The L.A. Times Editorial Board urges the Court to reject the appeals court’s “extreme view” that recess appointments c... More »
The Petitioners in Harris v. Quinn argue in their merits brief that Abood v. Detroit Bd. of Educ. should be overturned, essentially asking the Court to declare all public sector “agency shop” or “fair share” agreements unconstitutional. (For more background on... More »
The New York Times reports on the Democratic Party’s plans to focus the 2014 election season on raising the minimum wage at both federal and state levels. Raising the minimum wage is believed to be popular amongst voters in both parties, with a recent poll sho... More »
Joan Walsh in Salon connects America’s “low-wage work swamp” to the Democratic Party’s persistent failure in recent years to supplement its support of public assistance programs with a robust defense of the labor movement. The U.S. now has the highest percenta... More »
The New York Times reports on an announcement by the Obama Administration that it would provide financial assistance to certain health insurance companies to offset potential losses caused by the administration’s recent decision to allow insurers to renew thei... More »
A new report by Amnesty International reveals widespread and routine abuse of migrant workers in Qatar’s construction sector, reports the Wall Street Journal. Typical abuses include non-payment of wages, harsh and dangerous working conditions, and shocking sta... More »
May 5th, 2014