Responding to the #MeToo movement and the Supreme Court’s decision in Epic Systems, the California State Senate passed a bill that would prohibit employers from requiring a mandatory arbitration provision or nondisclosure agreement as a condition of employment. Big business argued that the law, which is awaiting Gov. Jerry Brown’s signature, would conflict with the Federal Arbitration Act and would thus be ineffective.
The stock market’s steady gains continued yesterday, and the bull market became arguably the longest in U.S. history. But as the New York Times reports, the $15 trillion in newly created wealth has accrued mostly to the wealthy. For the average American, most of their wealth is held in their home, and home prices and incomes have risen at lower rates than the stock market. In fact, the median American household wealth in 2016 remained 34% below where it was before the recession.
Encouraged by the recent overwhelming rejection of a ballot measure to institute right-to-work in their state, Missouri Democrats hope that Senator Claire McCaskill’s re-election campaign might be buoyed by a ballot measure to increase the minimum wage. However, some experts doubt that the measure will have the same galvanizing effect on union members, who typically make above the minimum wage and so would not directly benefit from the measure’s passage.
Daily News & Commentary
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November 20
Law professors file brief in Slaughter; New York appeals court hears arguments about blog post firing; Senate committee delays consideration of NLRB nominee.
November 19
A federal judge blocks the Trump administration’s efforts to cancel the collective bargaining rights of workers at the U.S. Agency for Global Media; Representative Jared Golden secures 218 signatures for a bill that would repeal a Trump administration executive order stripping federal workers of their collective bargaining rights; and Dallas residents sue the City of Dallas in hopes of declaring hundreds of ordinances that ban bias against LGBTQ+ individuals void.
November 18
A federal judge pressed DOJ lawyers to define “illegal” DEI programs; Peco Foods prevails in ERISA challenge over 401(k) forfeitures; D.C. court restores collective bargaining rights for Voice of America workers; Rep. Jared Golden secures House vote on restoring federal workers' union rights.
November 17
Justices receive petition to resolve FLSA circuit split, vaccine religious discrimination plaintiffs lose ground, and NJ sues Amazon over misclassification.
November 16
Boeing workers in St. Louis end a 102-day strike, unionized Starbucks baristas launch a new strike, and Illinois seeks to expand protections for immigrant workers
November 14
DOT rule involving immigrant truck drivers temporarily stayed; Unions challenge Loyalty Question; Casino dealers lose request for TRO to continue picketing