Holt McKeithan is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s News & Commentary, how unions can defend immigrant workers in the face of ICE raids, Utah Republicans advance a restrictive labor law, and how to use state and local funds to build worker power.
The Trump administration has begun aggressively raiding worksites to find and deport undocumented immigrants. Based on a survey of collective bargaining agreements compiled by unions and labor activists, Labor Notes released suggestions for defending immigrant workers in union contracts. Suggested provisions include requiring employers to ensure ICE complies with legal requirements before entering the worksite, informing employees if ICE has issued a subpoena for a search to the employer, allowing 90-day absences from work for employees to gain extensions or continuations of lawful residence status, protecting private employee information like immigration status, and more.
Republicans in Utah advanced a bill that would ban collective bargaining for all public sector workers in the state. Teachers see the bill as a direct political attack. ““The harm of the bill will be borne by public school educators living and working in every single legislative district,” said Sara Jones of the Utah Education Association. “It sends a message that educators don’t deserve a collective voice in their profession, don’t deserve input on their salaries or working conditions or benefits, or don’t deserve a say in the policies that impact their classrooms.”
The bill advanced out of the state house committee. It would place Utah alongside North and South Carolina, the two most restrictive states for public sector unions.
Demos has released a report on using state and local funding to build worker power. It highlights ways governments can work within the so-called “market participant” exception to broad federal preemption of state labor regulation, in which a government may impose labor conditions on recipients of public funding, rather than acting as a direct regulator. It suggests a focus on pro-worker provisions in project labor agreements in the construction industry, labor peace agreements in other industries, and community benefits agreements for publicly funded projects.
Daily News & Commentary
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July 2
Block, Nanda, and Nayak argue that the NLRA is under attack, harming democracy; the EEOC files a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by former EEOC Commissioner Jocelyn Samuels; and SEIU Local 1000 strikes an agreement with the State of California to delay the state's return-to-office executive order for state workers.
July 1
In today’s news and commentary, the Department of Labor proposes to roll back minimum wage and overtime protections for home care workers, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit by public defenders over a union’s Gaza statements, and Philadelphia’s largest municipal union is on strike for first time in nearly 40 years. On Monday, the U.S. […]
June 30
Antidiscrimination scholars question McDonnell Douglas, George Washington University Hospital bargained in bad faith, and NY regulators defend LPA dispensary law.
June 29
In today’s news and commentary, Trump v. CASA restricts nationwide injunctions, a preliminary injunction continues to stop DOL from shutting down Job Corps, and the minimum wage is set to rise in multiple cities and states. On Friday, the Supreme Court held in Trump v. CASA that universal injunctions “likely exceed the equitable authority that […]
June 27
Labor's role in Zohran Mamdani's victory; DHS funding amendment aims to expand guest worker programs; COSELL submission deadline rapidly approaching
June 26
A district judge issues a preliminary injunction blocking agencies from implementing Trump’s executive order eliminating collective bargaining for federal workers; workers organize for the reinstatement of two doctors who were put on administrative leave after union activity; and Lamont vetoes unemployment benefits for striking workers.