
Greg Volynsky is a student at Harvard Law School.
In Today’s News & Commentary, Kaiser Permanente reached a tentative agreement with 75,000 workers, SF public school teachers authorized a strike, and Michigan law allows retired teachers to go back to work while still collecting retirement benefits.
On Friday, Kaiser Permanente and a union representing 75,000 of its frontline healthcare workers—primarily medical assistants, laboratory technicians, receptionists and sanitation staff—announced a tentative agreement, a week after a disruptive three-day strike. This labor conflict is among several recently experienced by health care institutions, exacerbated by acute staffing challenges post-pandemic. For instance, on Tuesday, 1,500 health workers began a five-day strike against a medical center in California, as some Walgreens pharmacy staff across four states initiated a walk-out on the same day. Workers under the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions expressed gratitude for the involvement of acting U.S. Labor Secretary Julie Su in facilitating the agreement. Kaiser Permanente provides health plans and services for 13 million individuals across eight states.
On Thursday, the San Francisco public school teachers’ union announced members had overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike. The union represents approximately 6,500 teachers from the San Francisco Unified School District. The vote follows 10 months of negotiations and comes as the district faces a staffing crisis, with a quarter of teaching positions unfilled. Teachers seek a $12,000 raise over two years, while the district has proposed $10,000; teachers have also voiced deep dissatisfaction with a new, multimillion dollar payroll system the district rolled out last year. A week ago, SF custodial and other staff members also voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. A second vote is necessary to actually initiate a walk-out.
On Wednesday, Governor Whitmer of Michigan signed legislation allowing retired teachers to go back to work while still collecting retirement benefits.
Daily News & Commentary
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July 9
In Today’s News and Commentary, the Supreme Court green-lights mass firings of federal workers, the Agricultural Secretary suggests Medicaid recipients can replace deported farm workers, and DHS ends Temporary Protected Status for Hondurans and Nicaraguans. In an 8-1 emergency docket decision released yesterday afternoon, the Supreme Court lifted an injunction by U.S. District Judge Susan […]
July 8
In today’s news and commentary, Apple wins at the Fifth Circuit against the NLRB, Florida enacts a noncompete-friendly law, and complications with the No Tax on Tips in the Big Beautiful Bill. Apple won an appeal overturning a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decision that the company violated labor law by coercively questioning an employee […]
July 7
LA economy deals with fallout from ICE raids; a new appeal challenges the NCAA antitrust settlement; and the EPA places dissenting employees on leave.
July 6
Municipal workers in Philadelphia continue to strike; Zohran Mamdani collects union endorsements; UFCW grocery workers in California and Colorado reach tentative agreements.
July 4
The DOL scraps a Biden-era proposed rule to end subminimum wages for disabled workers; millions will lose access to Medicaid and SNAP due to new proof of work requirements; and states step up in the noncompete policy space.
July 3
California compromises with unions on housing; 11th Circuit rules against transgender teacher; Harvard removes hundreds from grad student union.