In immigration news, the crisis of unaccompanied minors at the border continues. According to the Wall Street Journal, President Obama met with the presidents of Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador to discuss a solution that addresses longer-term regional problems that drive the children to come to America. Salvadoran Foreign Minister Hugo Martinez said, “[t]he sheer size of transnational organized crime is not something that can be tackled by one nation.” Meanwhile, the New York Times reports that religious groups in the United States have mobilized in support of providing aid to the immigrant children. According to the Times, the child immigration issue may be pushing otherwise conservative religious groups to support broader immigration reform.
In Massachusetts, the Boston Globe reports that unions are a stronger force in Massachusetts’s politics than at any time in the past 25 years. Unions have played a key role in raising the minimum wage, passing “new workplace protections for state employees, a bill of rights for housekeepers and other domestic workers,” and supporting more victories for workers.
In sports news, the New York Times reports that student-athletes have won several long-sought concessions from the N.C.A.A. and universities. Schools and the N.C.A.A. have stated that these changes have been in the works for some time, but outside observers see this is a reaction to some players’ attempts to unionize, as well as an anti-trust lawsuit against the N.C.A.A. Some universities are now guaranteeing multi-year rather than one-year scholarships, improving medical coverage and providing greater financial support. The N.C.A.A. is also no longer asking players to sign a waiver giving the organization the right to use their likeness without compensation. We’ve covered the student-athlete attempts to unionize previously, including here, here, and here.
National Geographic has a feature on the “The New Face of Hunger” in America. The magazine explores why “[o]ne-sixth of Americans don’t have enough food to eat” through profiles of families in Iowa, Texas, and New York.
In international news, Iberia airlines reached an agreement with its union to cut its staff by 1,427, according to the Wall Street Journal. The reduction in staff will last through at least 2015.
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
July 22
EDNY strikes down state labor board law; D.C. Circuit applies Loper Bright to NLRB; Joint employer bill reaches the House floor.
July 21
Fifth Circuit transfers an Anheuser-Busch NLRB case to the Eleventh Circuit; a new report makes the case for tripling union membership.
July 20
New York City weighs banning horse carriages despite union opposition; public defenders go on strike; cinema workers stage walkout.
July 17
Canadian wildfires endanger rail workers; 26 Meta employees allege targeted layoffs for those on paid leave; FIFPRO pushes for more rigorous heat protections for players.
July 16
Trump's NLRB nominee set for Senate vote, federal district court grants partial win on WARN Act claims, Brigham and Women's nurses return to work.
July 15
U.S. labor productivity climbs at its fastest pace in decades; a federal judge grants a preliminary injunction to anti-abortion groups challenging Michigan’s civil rights law; and Jackson, Mississippi’s bus workers walk off the job.