News outlets around the country have reported on the decision of the NLRB’s general counsel to treat McDonald’s as a joint employer with its franchises. The Washington Post writes that the decision could have “potentially far-reaching implications for the ability of millions of low-wage workers to join a union.” The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, reports that “McDonald’s vowed to fight the decision.”
In what the Los Angeles Times calls a “stinging defeat” for the administration of Mayor Eric Garcetti, the Los Angeles Employee Relations Board voted unanimously to order the City Council to rescind a 2012 law reducing pension benefits for new city employees. A lawyer for the Coalition of L.A. City Unions said that the decision “shows the city could not unilaterally impose changes in pension benefits on its workforce.”
In the midst of the Metropolitan Opera’s “worst labor crisis in years,” the New York Times reports on a history of labor disputes at the Met going back as far as 1906. The contracts for 15 unions working at the opera expire this week, and the Times reports that “while both sides say they hope to avoid a lockout, the chances of reaching deals by Friday appear to be slim.”
As the start of the college football season approaches, the Washington Post reports that the effort to unionize the Northwestern University football program remains front and center. Coach Pat Fitzgerald “championed the team’s unity,” even as he discussed the divided opinions on his team regarding the unionization question.
Daily News & Commentary
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April 14
Meatpacking workers ratify new contract; NLRB proposes Amazon settlement; NLRB's new docketing system leading to case dismissals.
April 13
Starbucks' union files new complaint with NLRB; FAA targets video gamers in new recruiting pitch; and Apple announces closure of unionized store.
April 12
The Office of Personnel Management seeks the medical records of millions of federal workers, and ProPublica journalists engage in a one-day strike.
April 10
Maryland passes a state ban on captive audience meetings and Elon Musk’s AI company sues to block Colorado's algorithmic bias law.
April 9
California labor backs state antitrust reform; USMCA Panel finds labor rights violations in Mexican Mine, and UPS agrees to cap driver buyout offers in settlement with Teamsters.
April 8
The Writers Guild of America reaches a tentative deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers; the EEOC recovers almost $660 million in compensation for employment discrimination in 2025; and highly-skilled foreign workers consider leaving the United States in light of changes to the H-1B visa program.