Mark Bittman, writing in the New York Times, asks whether McDonalds efforts to transform its image is too little, too late. The fast food chain recently announced that it would raise the salaries of minimum wage workers by $1, a change that only affects 11% of McDonalds’ workforce. The chain “tries to play it both ways, controlling what franchisees buy and sell but insisting that it cannot dictate how they treat employees.”
The Huffington Post reports that an advocacy organization called StudentsFirst is the latest to sue California’s teachers’ unions. In the lawsuit, Bain v. California Teachers Association, the plaintiffs allege that the union punishes employees who choose not to pay the optional fee for political activities like lobbying. StudentsFirst claim that the union provides supplemental benefits to members in order to coerce all employees to pay the political portion of their dues, violating dissenting teachers’ free speech rights. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said the lawsuit is an attempt to stifle the union’s ability to engage in the political process.
A recent report finds that quotas are not the best way to increase the number of women on corporate boards, the New York Times reports. While a quota system ensures that women are placed on boards, it does not guarantee that women will remain in their posts. Other policies like a corporate governance code (written policies addressing gender diversity), substantial maternity leave, and female political power were more helpful in increasing the number of women. Australia, Norway, and Denmark have the highest registered levels of female economic power. The United States ranks sixth.
French air controllers went on strike yesterday, according to the New York Times. 40% of the country’s flights have been cancelled. Employees are demanding better working and retirement conditions.
A recent Labor Department report suggests that hiring may pick up, according to the New York Times. Although a jobs report released on Friday showed that employers only added 126,000 jobs in March, the new report shows that job openings increased by 3.4% in February, reaching a 14 year high. Businesses have been slow in filling the new positions but hiring could pick up in the next few months. The number of unemployment benefits applications also fell last week.
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
July 8
In today’s news and commentary, Apple wins at the Fifth Circuit against the NLRB, Florida enacts a noncompete-friendly law, and complications with the No Tax on Tips in the Big Beautiful Bill. Apple won an appeal overturning a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decision that the company violated labor law by coercively questioning an employee […]
July 7
LA economy deals with fallout from ICE raids; a new appeal challenges the NCAA antitrust settlement; and the EPA places dissenting employees on leave.
July 6
Municipal workers in Philadelphia continue to strike; Zohran Mamdani collects union endorsements; UFCW grocery workers in California and Colorado reach tentative agreements.
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.