Holt McKeithan is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s News and Commentary, OSHA reaches a settlement with Dollar General over unsafe work conditions, union leaders split over support for Biden, and a report shows the number of Americans making low wages has sharply decreased.
In September, Bloomberg reported a slew of hazardous working conditions at Dollar General stores around the country, including intentionally blocked fire-exits, electrical hazards, and workers stabbed and threatened by customers. Yesterday, OSHA reached a settlement with Dollar General agreeing to significantly reduce store inventory to avert hazards, pay $12 million, create new safety protocols, and potentially pay $100,000 a day if future hazards aren’t fixed. Julie Siu, acting Labor Secretary, said the settlement should “end this practice of constantly finding violations, fining them, and then seeing the violations repeat.”
Yesterday, the presidents of the UAW and Association of Flight Attendants met privately with President Biden’s staff to discuss his campaign. Shawn Fain and Sara Nelson suggested that Americans’ doubts about Biden’s reputation are damaging his ability to do his job. But other leaders have continued to back Biden. As Divya wrote yesterday, the AFL-CIO, Teamsters, and International Brotherhood of Electrial Workers have also continued to back the president.
An Oxfam report shows that the percentage of Americans earning less than $15 an hour has sharply decreased over the last two years. In 2022, 31.9% of Americans earned less than that wage. That percentage is down to 13% in 2024. Even after adjusting for inflation, 23% of Americans are making what Oxfam defines as low wages.
Daily News & Commentary
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July 4
The DOL scraps a Biden-era proposed rule to end subminimum wages for disabled workers; millions will lose access to Medicaid and SNAP due to new proof of work requirements; and states step up in the noncompete policy space.
July 3
California compromises with unions on housing; 11th Circuit rules against transgender teacher; Harvard removes hundreds from grad student union.
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 […]