
Courtney Brunson is a student at Harvard Law School and member of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau.
Following efforts led by Washington state’s grocery worker unions to get greater protections for workers in light of the coronavirus pandemic, Safeway/Albertsons and Fred Meyer/QFC have agreed to make hour and benefit related changes to worker contracts. United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Locals 21, 367, and 1439 and General Teamsters Union Local No. 38 representatives successfully negotiated for workers to receive more paid time off, flexible scheduling, and several other benefits. These changes have also expanded to UFCW members across the nation. Safeway and Kroger also announced that they would be providing hazard pay to its employees.
Full time employees of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils teams were informed on Monday evening that they would be receiving cuts to their hours and pay as a result of the virus. Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, the company that owns both of the teams, originally mandated that employees who make more than $50,000 would be subject to pay cuts of up to 20% and would be moving to a four-day work week. However, after reported pushback from staff and the players, the company owner reversed course and issued the following statement: “After listening to our staff and players, it’s clear that was the wrong decision. We have reversed it and will be paying these employees their full salaries. This is an extraordinary time in our world – unlike any most of us have ever lived through before – and ordinary business decisions are not enough to meet the moment. To our staff and fans, I apologize for getting this wrong.”
The House of Representatives has introduced another coronavirus bill, which allocates $2.5 trillion in economic stimulus to combat the impacts of COVID-19 on American citizens and the economy. Bloomberg Law reported on the details of a provision in the bill that mandates OSHA issue a rule that provides workers in occupations with elevated risk to the coronavirus with greater infection prevention protections. The draft version of the bill not only covers health-care providers but also includes firefighters and emergency responders. The Senate version of the bill does not include any such requirement, but does set aside $10 million for enforcement. In contrast, the House bill also allocates $30 million to OSHA for training, education, and enforcement related to the coronavirus pandemic through fiscal year 2021.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA), a labor union of television show, movie, news program, and other media related content writers, signed a franchise agreement with Paradigm Talent Agency, the fifth largest agency representing entertainment writers. The LA Times stated that the agreement included provisions in which Paradigm agreed to end its package fee collection practice and limit its investment in affiliated production. Both practices, the WGA contends, creates conflicts of interest and disadvantages writers. Though the other large talent agencies have not signed similar agreements, this effort is considered a significant move for the union as it aims to get talent agencies to change their industry practices.
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July 18
Trump names two NLRB nominees; Bernie Sanders introduces guaranteed universal pension plan legislation; the DOL ends its job training program for low-income seniors; and USCIS sunsets DALE.
July 17
EEOC resumes processing transgender workers' complaints; Senate questions Trump's NLRB General Counsel nominee; South Korean unions strike for reforms.
July 16
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services lays off thousands of employees; attorneys for the Trump Administration argue against revealing plans to reduce the workforce of federal agencies; and the Fourth Circuit grants an emergency stay on the termination of TPS for thousands of Afghans.
July 15
The Department of Labor announces new guidance around Occupational Safety and Health Administration penalty and debt collection procedures; a Cornell University graduate student challenges graduate student employee-status under the National Labor Relations Act; the Supreme Court clears the way for the Trump administration to move forward with a significant staff reduction at the Department of Education.
July 14
More circuits weigh in on two-step certification; Uber challengers Seattle deactivation ordinance.
July 13
APWU and USPS ratify a new contract, ICE barred from racial profiling in Los Angeles, and the fight continues over the dismantling of NIOSH