Holt McKeithan is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s News and Commentary, the Labor Department charges an Alabama Hyundai plant for use of child labor and UC workers strike over the schools’ handling of Gaza protests.
An investigation revealed that a 13-year old child worked 50-60 hour weeks on a Hyundai assembly line in Luverne, Alabama. The Department of Labor charged three Alabama companies – Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama LLC, SMART Alabama LLC, and Best Practice Service LLC – in connection with the finding. The DOL’s complaint seeks an injunction against the use of child labor and a portion of the profits Hyundai made while employing child labor. Hyundai Alabama is also facing pressure from an organizing campaign. The UAW is organizing a union campaign at an Alabama Hyundai plant. 30% of workers at the Montgomery plant had signed cards as of February.
UCLA and UC Davis workers walked off the job on Tuesday to protest the schools’ responses to Gaza protests. In response to a request from UCLA, police in riot gear arrested more than 200 students. Now, researchers, graduate students, and other workers affiliated with the UAW have walked off the job. Union leaders are demanding no arrests, expulsions, suspensions, or other disciplinary action against protestors, as well as divestment of university funds associated with the war in Gaza. The university has claimed the strike is unlawful.
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.