Luke Hinrichs is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s news and commentaries, district court judge orders reinstatement of FLRA board member unlawfully removed by Trump, and the UAW files unfair labor practices charges against Volkswagen.
U.S. District Judge of the District of Columbia Sparkle Sooknanan ordered the reinstatement of Susan Grundmann to her board member position on the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), an agency which impartially manages and resolves disputes between the federal government and federal employees’ unions. The court ruled that the February 10 firing of Grundmann through a two-sentence email sent on behalf of President Trump was unlawful given the statutory provision that FLRA members can only be removed for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office during their staggered five-year terms, and only after notice and a hearing. The decision is expected to be appealed to the D.C. Circuit.
The United Auto Workers (UAW) announced it has filed federal labor charges against Volkswagen for “violating workers’ rights” at the automaker’s Chattanooga, Tennessee plant after the company announced it was cutting jobs and limiting production to a two-shift model. The company has also begun offering production employees a “voluntary attrition program,” including a severance package, retirement options, and benefits. Volkswagen’s downsizing decision comes as the union is negotiating its first contract with the company. The UAW won the unionization election at the Chattanooga factory last April, becoming the first auto plant in the South to unionize via election since the 1940s.
Daily News & Commentary
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September 17
A union argues the NLRB's quorum rule is unconstitutional; the California Building Trades back a state housing law; and Missouri proposes raising the bar for citizen ballot initiatives
September 16
In today’s news and commentary, the NLRB sues New York, a flight attendant sues United, and the Third Circuit considers the employment status of Uber drivers The NLRB sued New York to block a new law that would grant the state authority over private-sector labor disputes. As reported on recently by Finlay, the law, which […]
September 15
Unemployment claims rise; a federal court hands victory to government employees union; and employers fire workers over social media posts.
September 14
Workers at Boeing reject the company’s third contract proposal; NLRB Acting General Counsel William Cohen plans to sue New York over the state’s trigger bill; Air Canada flight attendants reject a tentative contract.
September 12
Zohran Mamdani calls on FIFA to end dynamic pricing for the World Cup; the San Francisco Office of Labor Standards Enforcement opens a probe into Scale AI’s labor practices; and union members organize immigration defense trainings.
September 11
California rideshare deal advances; Boeing reaches tentative agreement with union; FTC scrutinizes healthcare noncompetes.