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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May 8
Court upholds DOL farmworker protections; Fifth Circuit rejects Amazon appeal; NJTransit navigates negotiations and potential strike.
May 7
U.S. Department of Labor announces termination of mental health and child care benefits for its employees; SEIU pursues challenge of NLRB's 2020 joint employer rule in the D.C. Circuit; Columbia University lays off 180 researchers
May 6
HHS canceled a scheduled bargaining session with the FDA's largest workers union; members of 1199SEIU voted out longtime union president George Gresham in rare leadership upset.
May 5
Unemployment rates for Black women go up under Trump; NLRB argues Amazon lacks standing to challenge captive audience meeting rule; Teamsters use Wilcox's reinstatement orders to argue against injunction.
May 4
In today’s news and commentary, DOL pauses the 2024 gig worker rule, a coalition of unions, cities, and nonprofits sues to stop DOGE, and the Chicago Teachers Union reaches a remarkable deal. On May 1, the Department of Labor announced it would pause enforcement of the Biden Administration’s independent contractor classification rule. Under the January […]
May 2
Immigrant detainees win class certification; Missouri sick leave law in effect; OSHA unexpectedly continues Biden-Era Worker Heat Rule