Alexa Kissinger is a student at Harvard Law School.
Today, President Trump met with two dozen chief executives of major U.S. companies and reiterated campaign promises to bring millions of jobs back to the United States. USA Today reports that yesterday in advance of the meeting, Business Roundtable, a trade group that represents large U.S. companies, sent a letter to the Trump Administration listing ideas for regulatory relief, and voicing concern for “unintended consequences” resulting from recent Administration policies. Before meeting with Mr. Trump, the CEOs broke into working groups and discussed topics including taxes, infrastructure, and regulation.
According to POLITICO, Governor Chris Christie turned down President Trump’s offer to be his nominee for Secretary of Labor. Reportedly, Governor Christie declined the offer last Tuesday, between when Mr. Trump’s first nominee, Andrew Puzder, lost Senate support, withdrew his nomination, and was replaced by former U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta.
Today in Chicago, the largest state employee union voted in favor of authorizing a strike over a longstanding contract dispute with Governor Rauner. The Chicago Tribune reports that talks between AFSCME and the governor’s team stalled more than a year ago. The union hopes the vote, which passed with 81 percent of eligible members, will spur the governor’s negotiators back to the bargaining table.
The New York Times Magazine published a series of pieces on the Future of Work. The magazine includes a riveting series of photos and pieces about the emerging face of the American working class. Telling a story of technological progress, changing consumer preferences, shifting racial demographics, and the rise of service-sector employment, one article paints a picture of the American workforce through the lives of nine workers.
Yesterday, Ed Garvey, former leader of the National Football League’s players’ union, passed away at age 76. According to The New York Times, he led the players’ union to two strikes during a dozen years as its executive director and later became a progressive political activist in his home state of Wisconsin.
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
May 9
Philadelphia City Council unanimously passes the POWER Act; thousands of federal worker layoffs at the Department of Interior expected; the University of Oregon student workers union reach a tentative agreement, ending 10-day strike
May 8
Court upholds DOL farmworker protections; Fifth Circuit rejects Amazon appeal; NJTransit navigates negotiations and potential strike.
May 7
U.S. Department of Labor announces termination of mental health and child care benefits for its employees; SEIU pursues challenge of NLRB's 2020 joint employer rule in the D.C. Circuit; Columbia University lays off 180 researchers
May 6
HHS canceled a scheduled bargaining session with the FDA's largest workers union; members of 1199SEIU voted out longtime union president George Gresham in rare leadership upset.
May 5
Unemployment rates for Black women go up under Trump; NLRB argues Amazon lacks standing to challenge captive audience meeting rule; Teamsters use Wilcox's reinstatement orders to argue against injunction.
May 4
In today’s news and commentary, DOL pauses the 2024 gig worker rule, a coalition of unions, cities, and nonprofits sues to stop DOGE, and the Chicago Teachers Union reaches a remarkable deal. On May 1, the Department of Labor announced it would pause enforcement of the Biden Administration’s independent contractor classification rule. Under the January […]