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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September 6
Encore casino workers strike; President Trump commutes sentence of former Philadelphia IBEW leader; Durham labor activist ends his hunger strike against Amazon.
September 4
NLRB advice memo narrows political protest protections; NLRB asks federal appeals court for deference.
September 3
Seond Circuit rejects a NLRB standard for union insignia in employer dress codes; House Republicans ramp up labor union investigations.
September 2
Trump’s US Steel agreement impacts labor talks; Mamdani clashes with teachers’ union; Boeing plans to resume bargaining talks.
September 1
California legislature passes a bill banning AI workplace surveillance of workers' emotional states; Labor Department repeals decades-old farmworker protection rules; Sixth Circuit upholds a $1.4 million verdict for farmworkers.
August 31
Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians stave off first-ever strike; Cleveland Public Library workers ratify new contracts; New York State AFL-CIO makes endorsements