
Sunah Chang is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s news and commentary: Corporations back away from workplace DEI initiatives, the Poor People’s Campaign launches marches across the country to call for economic justice and workers’ rights, and more university workers seek to unionize.
Corporate America has officially begun its retreat from DEI programs. According to an article published by Bloomberg on Sunday, major banks and companies have begun to scale down existing workforce diversity programs in response to last summer’s SFFA decision and the ongoing public campaign against DEI. For example, Goldman Sachs has opened up its networking summit for Black college students to white students, Bank of America has broadened internal programs that were previously only for women and minorities, and Zoom has laid off its internal DEI team. Many of these DEI programs were created or bolstered during the summer of 2020, after waves of protests responding to the death of George Floyd increased demands for racial justice across the country. Yet, the current backlash against DEI threatens to undo many of these diversity efforts within American businesses.
This past Saturday, the Poor People’s Campaign organized marches in 32 states and DC to demand poverty alleviation and mobilize low-income voters in preparation for today’s Super Tuesday. Among various calls for economic, racial, and climate justice, the campaign also demands a federal minimum wage of at least $15 an hour and calls on the government to ensure paid family and medical leave, adequate OSHA protections, and the right to form and join unions. While the Poor People’s Campaign operates at a national level, the March 2nd marches were coordinated with the help of local organizers and partner organizations, including labor unions and faith leaders. Moving forward, the campaign plans to hold 40 weeks of action leading up to the November election.
Turning to universities, more student workers have made headway in their paths to unionization. On Sunday, the Vanderbilt Graduate Workers United announced that a majority of graduate student workers had signed union authorization cards to form their union. Yesterday, Harvard Academic Workers, a union which brings together non-tenure-track academic workers at Harvard University, filed for a union election with the NLRB. Last week, the Harvard Union of Residential Advisors launched its public campaign to form a union, and is preparing to file for a union election with the NLRB.
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April 2
Local academic unions face pushback in negotiations
April 1
In today’s news and commentary, Aramark workers at Philly stadiums reach tentative agreement, Crystal Carey is poised to take general counsel at NLRB, President Trump’s nominees for key DOL positions, and the National Treasury Employees Union sues the Trump administration. UNITE HERE Local 274, which represents thousands of food service workers in the Philadelphia region, […]
March 31
Trump signs executive order; Appeals court rules on NLRB firing; Farmworker activist detained by ICE.
March 28
In today’s news and commentary, Wyoming bans non-compete agreements, rideshare drivers demonstrate to recoup stolen wages, and Hollywood trade group names a new president. Starting July 1, employers will no longer be able to force Wyoming employees to sign non-compete agreements. A bill banning the practice passed the Wyoming legislature this past session, with legislators […]
March 27
Florida legislature proposes deregulation of child labor laws, Trump administration cuts international programs that target child labor and human trafficking, and California Federal judge reversed course and ruled that unions representing federal employees can sue the Trump administration over mass firings.
March 25
Illinois warehouse quota bill vetoed; Minnesota residents organize; circuit split on NLRB deference continues