Jon Weinberg is a student at Harvard Law School.
A major union is mounting a high-profile effort to represent gig economy workers in New York. Crain’s reports that this week, the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1181 delivered union cards signed by 14,000 New York Uber and Lyft drivers to New York’s Taxi and Limousine Commission. The union also held a rally outside the TLC’s headquarters. Gothamist and the New York Daily News have more.
The ATU’s campaign comes after an IBEW local filed a petition to represent some New York Uber drivers, the Teamsters announced an intent to form an Uber “drivers’ association” in California, and Seattle passed an ordinance allowing independent contractors to unionize. Uber and Lyft drivers are presently classified as independent contractors without collective bargaining rights under the National Labor Relations Act, but the National Labor Relations Board could find that drivers are misclassified and are in fact employees.
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April 8
The Writers Guild of America reaches a tentative deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers; the EEOC recovers almost $660 million in compensation for employment discrimination in 2025; and highly-skilled foreign workers consider leaving the United States in light of changes to the H-1B visa program.
April 7
WGA reaches deal with studios; meatpacking strike brings employer back to table; union leaders take on AI.
April 6
Trump to shrink but not eliminate CFPB, 9th Circuit nixes use of issue preclusion to invalidate arbitration agreements.
April 5
Trump proposes DOL budget cuts; NLRB rules in favor of cannabis employees; Florida warehouse workers unanimously authorize strike.
April 3
NLRB says Amazon failed to bargain with union; Harvard graduate workers authorize strike, and states move to preempt local employment law.
April 2
Sheridan, Colorado educators go on strike; Maryland graduate student workers are one step closer to collective bargaining rights.