Jacqueline Rayfield is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s News and Commentary, a Kroger worker strike hints at broader dissatisfaction among retail workers, and the American Federation of Teachers filed the latest in a string of lawsuits against Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
In Colorado, over 10,000 workers at the Kroger-owned supermarket, King Soopers, reached nearly a week on strike. The workers’ union, UFCW Local 7, began bargaining with Kroger and King Soopers in October, but the union reported that both retail chains refused to bargain in good faith. UFCW called an unfair labor practice (ULP) strike on February 6 in response to the retail chain’s refusal to bargain. Yesterday, King Soopers responded to the ongoing strike by seeking a temporary restraining order against thousands of their own striking employees, claiming that these workers have created unsafe conditions outside their stores. Commentators note that despite low overall union density, retail workers continue to express interest in joining unions, and their union membership rate has increased gradually in the past year. Workers at Starbucks, Amazon, and Whole Foods have made headlines over the past year for their unionization efforts against union-hostile employers.
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) filed a lawsuit on Monday alleging that Elon Musk’s new government department, DOGE, violated federal law by disclosing U.S. citizens’ personal information. Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, named after the Shiba Inu-themed meme and cryptocurrency, aims to reduce government spending and regulation. The AFT’s suit against DOGE is one of many filed by labor unions alleging that the Trump administration has breached the Privacy Act.
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
May 2
Immigrant detainees win class certification; Missouri sick leave law in effect; OSHA unexpectedly continues Biden-Era Worker Heat Rule
May 1
SEIU 721 concludes a 48-hour unfair labor practice strike; NLRB Administrative Law Judge holds that Starbucks committed a series of unfair labor practices at a store in Philadelphia; AFSCME and UPTE members at the University of California are striking.
April 30
In today’s news and commentary, SEIU seeks union rights for rideshare drivers in California, New Jersey proposes applying the ABC Test, and Board officials push back on calls for layoffs. In California, Politico reports that an SEIU-backed bill that would allow rideshare drivers to join unions has passed out of committee, “clear[ing] its first hurdle.” […]
April 29
In today’s news and commentary, CFPB mass layoffs paused again, Mine Safety agency rejects union intervention, and postdoctoral researchers petition for union election. A temporary pause on mass firings at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has been restored. After a trial court initially blocked the administration from mass firings, the appeals court modified that […]
April 28
WA strike bill goes to governor; MLBPA discloses legal expenses; Ex-Twitter employees seek class certification against Musk.
April 27
Judge thwarts Trump's attempt to strip federal workers' labor rights; AFGE to cut over half of its staff; Harvard unions rally amid attacks.