
Sarah Leadem is a joint degree candidate at Harvard Law School and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
In today’s News & Commentary, public approval of labor unions has reached a record high and Seattle’s independent contractors have new rights starting this Thursday.
A Gallup poll released on Tuesday reports that 71% of Americans support labor unions—the highest approval rating since 1965. The trend toward union support started with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the same annual poll, public approval rose from 64% pre-pandemic to 68% last year. It continues to rise. Several commentators point to increased labor organizing during the COVID-19 pandemic to explain this boost in public support. In particular, unionization at highly visible U.S. corporations like Starbucks, Amazon, and Chipotle may be the cause of this upswing. The poll yielded other insights. While public support may be on the rise, many nonunion workers are hesitant to join a union. Just over half of nonunion workers (58%) surveyed did not express interest in unionizing, presenting a potential challenge for organized labor. However, those in unions value their union affiliation: 2 out of every 5 union members reported that their union membership is “extremely important.” These findings come from Gallup’s annual Work and Education poll. This phone-based poll was conducted from August 1-23 using a random sample of approximately 1,000 U.S. adults.
This week, independent contractors in Seattle will exercise new rights. Seattle’s Independent Contractor Protection Ordinance takes effect this Thursday. Passed in June of 2021, this ordinance extends new rights related to disclosure and timely compensation to the city’s independent contractors. Starting Thursday, those hiring independent contractors must provide a “pre–work written notice” detailing the terms and conditions of the contract. They must also pay contractors pursuant to the written notice or within 30 days of completing the work and must document payments made to independent contractors. The city of Seattle has released several resources to help the public, including a Fact Sheet on the law, a Notice of Rights for workers, and a sample pre-work written notice.
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
June 30
Antidiscrimination scholars question McDonnell Douglas, George Washington University Hospital bargained in bad faith, and NY regulators defend LPA dispensary law.
June 29
In today’s news and commentary, Trump v. CASA restricts nationwide injunctions, a preliminary injunction continues to stop DOL from shutting down Job Corps, and the minimum wage is set to rise in multiple cities and states. On Friday, the Supreme Court held in Trump v. CASA that universal injunctions “likely exceed the equitable authority that […]
June 27
Labor's role in Zohran Mamdani's victory; DHS funding amendment aims to expand guest worker programs; COSELL submission deadline rapidly approaching
June 26
A district judge issues a preliminary injunction blocking agencies from implementing Trump’s executive order eliminating collective bargaining for federal workers; workers organize for the reinstatement of two doctors who were put on administrative leave after union activity; and Lamont vetoes unemployment benefits for striking workers.
June 25
Some circuits show less deference to NLRB; 3d Cir. affirms return to broader concerted activity definition; changes to federal workforce excluded from One Big Beautiful Bill.
June 24
In today’s news and commentary, the DOL proposes new wage and hour rules, Ford warns of EV battery manufacturing trouble, and California reaches an agreement to delay an in-person work mandate for state employees. The Trump Administration’s Department of Labor has advanced a series of proposals to update federal wage and hour rules. First, the […]