Esther Ritchin is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s News & Commentary, Uber drivers protest the deactivation policy, Amazon workers continue the fight for fair treatment, and Florida companies face criticism for putting workers in harm’s way while facing Hurricane Milton.
Drivers with the Activate Respect campaign have long protested Uber’s “deactivation” policy, where the app terminates a driver’s ability to work for Uber without explanation or an appeal process. After Uber executives refused to meet with the campaign, drivers marched to Uber headquarters to deliver an open letter. According to posts on X, Uber executives refused to receive the letter. Drivers shared their stories with one another, with many describing being deactivated with no explanation or recourse after driving for Uber for many years, having their income suddenly cut off.
On Prime Day, Amazon’s two day sale event for Prime members, Amazon workers spoke out about their poor treatment at the hands of the company and ways Amazon can improve conditions for workers. In a series of videos posted on X, Amazon workers discussed their need for fair workloads, safe working conditions, and higher wages. Amazon workers at a warehouse in Queens, New York are also demanding that two of their coworkers are reinstated after alleging that they were fired unfairly.
Companies in Florida have faced criticism for not closing early enough in advance of Hurricane Milton, with many concerned employees will be put in harm’s way. Walt Disney announced on October 8 that it would be monitoring the storm, and other reporting indicated that Disney’s Florida parks were still open the morning and early afternoon of October 9. Waffle House faced similar criticism after a post on X indicating many of their Florida stores had closed as of 2 PM on October 9. Waffle House is known for staying open during extreme weather, giving rise to what the Federal Emergency Management Agency has called the “Waffle House index” as a way to measure how severe weather is. This phenomenon has been criticized as unfairly putting workers at risk.
Daily News & Commentary
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November 21
The “Big Three” record labels make a deal with an AI music streaming startup; 30 stores join the now week-old Starbucks Workers United strike; and the Mine Safety and Health Administration draws scrutiny over a recent worker death.
November 20
Law professors file brief in Slaughter; New York appeals court hears arguments about blog post firing; Senate committee delays consideration of NLRB nominee.
November 19
A federal judge blocks the Trump administration’s efforts to cancel the collective bargaining rights of workers at the U.S. Agency for Global Media; Representative Jared Golden secures 218 signatures for a bill that would repeal a Trump administration executive order stripping federal workers of their collective bargaining rights; and Dallas residents sue the City of Dallas in hopes of declaring hundreds of ordinances that ban bias against LGBTQ+ individuals void.
November 18
A federal judge pressed DOJ lawyers to define “illegal” DEI programs; Peco Foods prevails in ERISA challenge over 401(k) forfeitures; D.C. court restores collective bargaining rights for Voice of America workers; Rep. Jared Golden secures House vote on restoring federal workers' union rights.
November 17
Justices receive petition to resolve FLSA circuit split, vaccine religious discrimination plaintiffs lose ground, and NJ sues Amazon over misclassification.
November 16
Boeing workers in St. Louis end a 102-day strike, unionized Starbucks baristas launch a new strike, and Illinois seeks to expand protections for immigrant workers