Jacqueline Rayfield is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s News and Commentary, University of Michigan health workers unionize, a Major League Soccer (MLS) referee lockout ends, and a Domino’s Pizza owner is sued for child labor violations.
Over 2,300 employees at University of Michigan have joined SEIU Healthcare Michigan. One new member explained that the differences in working conditions between the University’s unionized and non-unionized employees became more apparent during COVID-19. Now, about 80% of Michigan Medicine staff belong to a union. The new union includes a range of healthcare positions like patient care techs, patient service employees, and phlebotomists.
An employer lockout which kept Major League Soccer referees from working the first six matches of the season ended yesterday with a new collective bargaining agreement. But coaches, players, and broadcasters noted frustration at referees’ absence so far. Replacement referees during the first games of the season made questionable or incorrect decisions according to spectators, despite guidance circulated by MLS instructing commentators not to discuss the lockout while broadcasting.
Pennsylvania Department of Labor fined the owner of multiple Domino’s pizza shops for over 700 child labor violations. Violations included excessive working ours, employment outside of legal working hours for children during the school year, not getting parent authorization, and failing to provide breaks. Each violation can hold a fine of up to $5,000.
Daily News & Commentary
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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.
August 13
The United Auto Workers (UAW) seek to oust President Shawn Fain ahead of next year’s election; Columbia University files an unfair labor practice (ULP) charge against the Student Workers of Columbia-United Auto Workers for failing to bargain in “good faith”; and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) terminates its collective bargaining agreement with four unions representing its employees.