Jacqueline Rayfield is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s News and Commentary, SAG-AFTRA complains about major video game studios’ AI proposal amid a months-long strike, and German unionized Ford workers criticize the automaker for rescinding an economic agreement in place since 2006.
Members of SAG-AFTRA at major video game studios have been on strike for over seven months about job security in the face of AI replacement. Yesterday, the union highlighted “alarming loopholes that will leave our members vulnerable to AI abuse,” in the companies’ latest bargaining proposal. The union explains that this proposal would allow companies to recycle union members’ past work on video games and outside projects without bargaining with the union. The union urged its members to reject jobs on video game projects since these jobs could undermine the union’s position on AI. It has been just over a year since SAG-AFTRA’s actors’ strike focused on AI in TV roles.
Ford Motor Co. plans to inject $4.4 billion into its German operations amid Europe’s challenging landscape for electric vehicles. However, the company’s German labor union claims this is a “dirty trick” by management to begin job cuts of Ford workers. The plan to provide funding also terminated an agreement between Ford Germany and its international parent company to subsidize German operations. This agreement has been in effect since 2006.
Daily News & Commentary
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January 29
Texas pauses H-1B hiring; NLRB General Counsel announces new procedures and priorities; Fourth Circuit rejects a teacher's challenge to pronoun policies.
January 28
Over 15,000 New York City nurses continue to strike with support from Mayor Mamdani; a judge grants a preliminary injunction that prevents DHS from ending family reunification parole programs for thousands of family members of U.S. citizens and green-card holders; and decisions in SDNY address whether employees may receive accommodations for telework due to potential exposure to COVID-19 when essential functions cannot be completed at home.
January 27
NYC's new delivery-app tipping law takes effect; 31,000 Kaiser Permanente nurses and healthcare workers go on strike; the NJ Appellate Division revives Atlantic City casino workers’ lawsuit challenging the state’s casino smoking exemption.
January 26
Unions mourn Alex Pretti, EEOC concentrates power, courts decide reach of EFAA.
January 25
Uber and Lyft face class actions against “women preference” matching, Virginia home healthcare workers push for a collective bargaining bill, and the NLRB launches a new intake protocol.
January 22
Hyundai’s labor union warns against the introduction of humanoid robots; Oregon and California trades unions take different paths to advocate for union jobs.