Melissa Greenberg is a student at Harvard Law School.
Politico reports that the Senate will likely vote to confirm President Donald Trump’s nominee for labor secretary, Alexander Acosta, today. President Trump also appointed current National Labor Relations Board member Philip A. Miscimarra to serve as chairman of the National Labor Relations Board. Miscimarra has been serving as acting chairman of the Board beginning in January 23, 2017. The National Law Review suggests that being named to this position “while largely administrative, may bode well for Miscimarra’s renomination to a new term.” His term expires in December of 2017.
Yesterday, President Donald Trump assured Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that he would seek to renegotiate NAFTA rather than exit the agreement right away. The White House had indicated earlier on Wednesday that President Trump would sign an executive order officially withdrawing from the trade agreement. The New York Times suggested the initial White House announcement on withdrawal was “an example of Mr. Trump’s deal-making in real time.” Under NAFTA Article 2205, the United States must provide six months advanced warning before terminating the trade agreement. It remains unclear whether President Trump might still sign an executive order initiating withdrawal from the agreement at some point in order to begin the notification process and gain leverage in negotiations. Read more here.
In other news from the White House, President Donald Trump vowed to appeal an order by Judge William H. Orrick of the Federal District Court for the Northern District of California. The order temporarily restrains the Administration from withholding federal funds from sanctuary cities. Although the federal government has yet to flesh-out the definition of a sanctuary city, the term is generally defined as a jurisdiction that does not fully cooperate with efforts by the federal government to enforce its immigration policy. Read more about the decision here.
Daily News & Commentary
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October 17
Third Circuit denies DOL's en banc rehearing request; Washington AG proposes legislation to protect immigrant workers; UAW files suit challenging government surveillance of non-citizen speech
October 16
NLRB seeks injunction of California’s law; Judge grants temporary restraining order stopping shutdown-related RIFs; and Governor Newsom vetoes an ILWU supported bill.
October 15
An interview with former NLRB chairman; Supreme Court denies cert in Southern California hotel case
October 14
Census Bureau layoffs, Amazon holiday hiring, and the final settlement in a meat producer wage-fixing lawsuit.
October 13
Texas hotel workers ratify a contract; Pope Leo visits labor leaders; Kaiser lays off over two hundred workers.
October 12
The Trump Administration fires thousands of federal workers; AFGE files a supplemental motion to pause the Administration’s mass firings; Democratic legislators harden their resolve during the government shutdown.