Esther Ritchin is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s news and commentary, Vance crosses the picket line and the CFPB passes new guidance protecting workers from surveillance.
On Thursday, current Vice Presidential candidate J.D. Vance crossed the picket line of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Vance published an op-ed with the newspaper, officially crossing the picket line of the longest current strike in America. Vance has presented himself as a pro-worker candidate, a claim debunked in another OnLabor post. According to NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss, “JD Vance is a scab just like anybody else who crosses a picket line.” The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is appearing in federal court on Monday, facing an injunction.
On Thursday, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued guidance to protect workers from employer digital surveillance. The guidance clarifies that employers using “third-party consumer reports,” such as surveillance based scores of workers, must follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), meaning employees must consent to the use of these tools, employers must be transparent about the data used in disciplinary processes, and employees must be able to dispute inaccurate information. Currently, these tools are used to do things such as predict worker behavior, including possible union organizing, reassign workers, issue disciplinary actions, and look at social media activity.
Daily News & Commentary
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August 4
WestJet reaches a deal to end a flight attendant strike; the NLRB rules Whole Foods legally banned Black Lives Matter display; a commentary argues college athletes should have the right to collectively bargain.
August 3
Queens College faculty stage protest; UAW holds presidential debate; the Protect College Sports Act gets new life.
August 2
WestJet flight attendants go on strike, and the American Federation of Government Employees challenges another VA attempt to terminate its collective bargaining agreement.
July 31
Legislators move to end mandatory arbitration in employment contracts; NYC tip laws result in greater pay for delivery workers; women's college basketball players seek to unionize.
July 30
Supreme Court denies Cemex's bid to pause bargaining order; employers remain exposed to Title VII suits over English-only rules; Texas judge declines to enjoin NLRB proceeding despite unconstitutional removal protections.
July 29
NYC public defender strikes spread to the Bronx; NLRB drops challenge to New York labor law after Amazon wins its case; new data shows appointments of women and minorities to S&P 500 boards at lowest level in a decade.