Linh is a student at Harvard Law School.
For the first time, Amazon is facing a National Labor Relations Board complaint for allegedly refusing to bargain with the Amazon Labor Union (ALU), who represents its workers at the Staten Island warehouse. The ALU became the workers’ representative after a vote in April 2022, which made the location the first Amazon warehouse to have unionized. The certification of the union as the exclusive bargaining representative was an uphill battle––there were months-long legal battles with Amazon where the company accused ALU of illegally pressuring workers to vote for the union.
On Wednesday, the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor sent the White House a proposal to expand overtime protections to more workers. Currently, salaried workers who make more than a certain amount of money per year and work in a “bona fide executive, administrative, or professional capacity” are exempt from the one-and-a-half overtime pay requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The new proposal purportedly raises the salary threshold piece of the test, which would expand overtime protections to more workers. More details of the proposal will be available once it is cleared by the White House to be published in the Federal Register.
Also on Wednesday, Democratic Gwynne Willcox was nominated to continue another five-year term on the National Labor Relations Board. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee approved the nomination in a 12-9 vote, with one sole Republican vote in support of Wilcox. If Willcox remains on the Board, Democrats will continue to control the five-member NLRB with a 3-1 majority.
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
July 3
Unions seek a preliminary injunction to prevent USDA downsizing; the D.C. District Court issues a preliminary injunction against new student loan regulations; Matt Bruenig releases an analysis of Starbucks’ ongoing legal battle against Starbucks Workers United.
July 2
First Circuit denies federal worker unions’ mandamus petition; federal court denies preliminary injunction against new union reporting rule; House introduces the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act.
July 1
Trump nominates Keith Sonderling as Labor Secretary; DOL eliminates disparate-impact liability from Title VI regulations; OPM finalizes rule allowing suitability-based removal of federal employees for post-appointment conduct.
June 30
SCOTUS ends removal protections for agencies; staff at NYC cocktail bar vote to unionize.
June 29
In today’s News and Commentary, student-athletes file a class action suit challenging the NCAA’s new Age-Based Rule, a federal judge declines to issue a preliminary injunction against FEMA’s reduction in force but expedites proceedings, and Gavin Newsom opposes California’s proposed billionaire tax in favor of a federal approach. On Thursday, DeJuan Campbell, at basketball player […]
June 28
Philadelphia utility workers announce July 4 strike; national parks workers vote to unionize; Michigan considers “right to disconnect” bill.