Thousands of workers are rallying today in over 200 cities—some even walking off the job—to demand a higher minimum wage. The “Fight for Fifteen” campaign sought to mobilize on Tax Day to “highlight [its] complaint that many workers must rely on public assistance,” according to Reuters. Sizeable protests have already started in Boston, where last year the Massachusetts Legislature approved a three-step increase in the minimum wage to a nation-leading $11/hour. According to Politico, some lawmakers hope to capitalize on the renewed attention, with the Congressional Progressive Caucus and Good Jobs Nation holding a forum today on “A Good Jobs Strategy for the Low Wage Economy.”
Yet Lydia DePillis reports that not everyone is happy with the SEIU’s strategy: one common complaint is that the campaign fails to actually increase union membership, given its stated purpose of supporting un-unionized workers. According to DePillis, sources close to the United Food and Commercial Workers say that their union is scaling back its sponsorship of the OUR Wal-Mart campaign, a similar effort to improve conditions among Wal-Mart employees. While noting the underlying strategy for broad-based campaigns—to increase leverage at the bargaining table by helping to set wage norms across an entire industry—she points out that union’s ability to contribute to strategies targeted at non-members (in industries that many warn will be difficult to unionize) may increasingly depend on their financial capabilities to do so.
The New York Times covers the impact of the minimum wage issue on Hillary Clinton’s campaign, which might force her to “come up with a number” about her ideal wage increase. The article notes the increased urgency of the issue on the national scene, given both the popular energy around the movement, the shrinking opposition even among economists in the business world, and the softening of some Republican politicians on the issue.
Daily News & Commentary
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April 6
Trump to shrink but not eliminate CFPB, 9th Circuit nixes use of issue preclusion to invalidate arbitration agreements.
April 5
Trump proposes DOL budget cuts; NLRB rules in favor of cannabis employees; Florida warehouse workers unanimously authorize strike.
April 3
NLRB says Amazon failed to bargain with union; Harvard graduate workers authorize strike, and states move to preempt local employment law.
April 2
Sheridan, Colorado educators go on strike; Maryland graduate student workers are one step closer to collective bargaining rights.
April 1
DOL proposes 401(k) rule; Starbucks investors reelect controversial board members; Washington passes workplace immigration warning requirement.
March 31
In today’s news and commentary, the Supreme Court hears a case about Federal Court jurisdiction over arbitration, a UPS heat inspection lawsuit against OSHA is dismissed, and federal worker unions and NGOs call on the EPA to cease laying off its environmental justice staffers. A majority of Supreme Court justices signaled support for allowing federal […]