An editorial in the Wall Street Journal discusses this Talking Points Memo regarding police unions’ reactions to the recent national backlash against police brutality. The author argues that the police should refrain from engaging in political controversies.
In California, an appeals court has overturned a lower’s court decision finding that exotic dancers were independent contractors and therefore prevented from pursuing a class action lawsuit. Politico reports that the lower court is to reassess its findings in light of a California Supreme Court decision addressing misclassification of workers. The named plaintiff, Stacy Salazar, is suing Victory Entertainment, Inc. for unpaid wages.
The New York Times will begin laying off union employees, the paper reports. The Times began offering voluntary buyout packages earlier this month. Labor reporter Steven Greenhouse accepted, and left the paper this week.
Strikes at the German sites of retail giant Amazon will continue, the Wall Street Journal reports. Verdi, a German labor union, wants Amazon staff to be part of the retail industry’s bargaining unit. Amazon designates these employees as logistics workers. The strike coincides with the busy holiday season, but Amazon says delivery schedules will continue reliably, according to the BBC.
The New York Times has published the latest article in its “How I Do It” series. Terry Adcock, who lives with her daughter, her daughter’s fiancee, and her grandchild, describes her family’s financial struggles. Two of the adults in the house work and the family receives food stamps and WIC, but lack of money continues to be a “real strain on everything.” Relatedly, the Upshot reports that countries with the highest taxes and most generous welfare systems, like Scandinavian countries, also have some of the highest employment rates. A recent study suggests that providing direct aid to the working poor, such as subsidized childcare, sick leave, and public transportation, may effectively keep people in the labor force.
In immigration news, the Supreme Court ruled yesterday that Arizona cannot deny “Dreamers” driver’s license, the Los Angeles Times reports. President Obama’s first immigration-related order halted deportations of young immigrants brought to the U.S. by their parents. Many of these immigrants are now young adults, and need licenses to get to school and work.
Daily News & Commentary
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June 4
Federal agencies violate federal court order pausing mass layoffs; Walmart terminates some jobs in Florida following Supreme Court rulings on the legal status of migrants; and LA firefighters receive a $9.5 million settlement for failure to pay firefighters during shift changes.
June 3
Federal judge blocks Trump's attack on TSA collective bargaining rights; NLRB argues that Grindr's Return-to-Office policy was union busting; International Trade Union Confederation report highlights global decline in workers' rights.
June 2
Proposed budgets for DOL and NLRB show cuts on the horizon; Oregon law requiring LPAs in cannabis dispensaries struck down.
June 1
In today’s news and commentary, the Ninth Circuit upholds a preliminary injunction against the Trump Administration, a federal judge vacates parts of the EEOC’s pregnancy accommodation rules, and video game workers reach a tentative agreement with Microsoft. In a 2-1 decision issued on Friday, the Ninth Circuit upheld a preliminary injunction against the Trump Administration […]
May 30
Trump's tariffs temporarily reinstated after brief nationwide injunction; Louisiana Bill targets payroll deduction of union dues; Colorado Supreme Court to consider a self-defense exception to at-will employment
May 29
AFGE argues termination of collective bargaining agreement violates the union’s First Amendment rights; agricultural workers challenge card check laws; and the California Court of Appeal reaffirms San Francisco city workers’ right to strike.