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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August 20
5th Circuit upholds injunctions based on challenges to NLRB constitutionality; Illinois to counteract federal changes to wage and hour, health and safety laws.
August 19
Amazon’s NLRA violations, the end of the Air Canada strike, and a court finds no unconstitutional taking in reducing pension benefits
August 18
Labor groups sue local Washington officials; the NYC Council seeks to override mayoral veto; and an NLRB official rejects state adjudication efforts.
August 17
The Canadian government ends a national flight attendants’ strike, and Illinois enacts laws preserving federal worker protections.
August 15
Columbia University quietly replaces graduate student union labor with non-union adjunct workers; the DC Circuit Court lifts the preliminary injunction on CFPB firings; and Grubhub to pay $24.75M to settle California driver class action.
August 14
Judge Pechman denies the Trump Administration’s motion to dismiss claims brought by unions representing TSA employees; the Trump Administration continues efforts to strip federal employees of collective bargaining rights; and the National Association of Agriculture Employees seeks legal relief after the USDA stopped recognizing the union.