Lauren Godles is a student at Harvard Law School.
Democratic representatives and AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka shared a rare moment of unity with President Elect Trump during a press conference yesterday morning, in which they pledged to support Mr. Trump in revising NAFTA and other trade deals. During the conference, Trumka specifically called for tougher trade enforcement and the reworking of labor deals in NAFTA, while stating broadly that the entire agreement needs to be improved. Representatives also voiced their support for the President Elect officially putting an end to the TPP in his first 100 days. However, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), along with others, cautioned that they would not support any measures proposed by Trump that would be detrimental to the environment or the lives of U.S. workers.
The New York Times Editorial Board delivered a sharp critique of the “crony capitalism” occurring between the President Elect and the corporations that are helping him “lie” about his successes in creating and preserving American jobs. Most recently, Sprint and its parent company SoftBank have been helping Mr. Trump take credit for adding 5,000 new jobs that were actually pledged before the election. Softbank executives have every incentive to ingratiate themselves to Mr. Trump, because they are hoping that the regulators he appoints will permit a merger between Sprint and T-Mobile. (Regulators appointed by President Obama effectively blocked the merger in 2014.) According to the Editorial Board, that merger would do lasting damage to the economy that would far outweigh the benefits of 5,000 jobs, and Mr. Trump’s failure to see the bigger economic picture should greatly worry Americans.
The Washington Post reports that federal agencies are scrambling to fill thousands of positions before the inauguration on January 20. According to OPM, the number of jobs posted in November and December of 2016 represented a 15% increase from the same period in 2015 (up more than 8,000 total postings). At the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, HR representatives were forced to cancel their year-end vacations to process offer letters and other paperwork for new hires. The President Elect has promised to freeze federal hiring and not replace employees who leave, “regardless of [agencies’] workload or workforce needs.”
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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.
July 2
Block, Nanda, and Nayak argue that the NLRA is under attack, harming democracy; the EEOC files a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by former EEOC Commissioner Jocelyn Samuels; and SEIU Local 1000 strikes an agreement with the State of California to delay the state's return-to-office executive order for state workers.
July 1
In today’s news and commentary, the Department of Labor proposes to roll back minimum wage and overtime protections for home care workers, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit by public defenders over a union’s Gaza statements, and Philadelphia’s largest municipal union is on strike for first time in nearly 40 years. On Monday, the U.S. […]
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 […]