An embattled St. Louis ordinance raised the city’s minimum wage to $10 an hour on May 5, 2017. Yesterday, the minimum wage dropped back down to $7.70 because a state law took effect prohibiting local minimum wages above the state minimum. Though many states have prevented local increases, few have rolled back increases that were already in place. Some St. Louis workers saw their wages fall immediately. Other businesses have publicly committed to keeping wages at or above $10, perhaps due in part to urging from the Save the Raise campaign. Raise Up Missouri, an allied campaign, is building support for a ballot initiative that would raise the statewide minimum wage to $12 per hour by 2023.
Apple CEO Tim Cook just finished a mini-tour of middle America, and the New York Times notes a strong resemblance between his trip and conventional political campaigning. Cook toured a tech company in Ohio and announced a major investment in Iowa. In Texas, Cook announced that Austin Community College will become one of 30 community colleges offering an Apple-authored curriculum on app development. Critical of governmental gridlock and of President Trump’s response to Charlottesville, Cook has demonstrated a commitment to using renewable energy, and reaping the tax benefits of doing so.
Unemployment has been unnaturally low for four straight months, where ‘natural’ refers to a balance between the risk of recession and the risk of inflation. This might mean that another recession is imminent. It also might mean that structural changes—an aging workforce, globalization, and technology—are creating a new ‘natural’ for the American economy. The Wall Street Journal observes that inflation is falling rather than rising, and this supports the second explanation.
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
July 1
Labor law impacts of Loper Bright and Jarkesy rulings; Unions push for workforce board represntation.
June 30
Explaining the turnaround in Starbucks-union negotiations; overtime rule implementation against Texas enjoined; California reforms PAGA
June 28
Gig driver classification deal reached in Massachusetts; Amazon drivers in Illinois strike over ULP; CEO pay accelerates.
June 27
The economy and immigration expected to play a central role in the upcoming presidential debate and Washington gets involved in AI regulation of the entertainment industry.
June 26
California judge fines companies for child labor violations; IATSE reaches tentative deal with studios; Texas judge likely to block Biden Administration's overtime rule
June 25
Supreme Court grants petition to hear a case on the scope of ADA standing; Texas federal district court blocks DOL rule expanding wage requirements for construction contractors, and South Korean Hyundai workers authorize strike.