Anita Alem is a student at Harvard Law School.
On Wednesday, the NLRB issued a complaint alleging that Amazon engaged in illegal conduct as part of its attempts to discourage unionization at the JFK8 facility, which nonetheless successfully voted to unionize, as Kevin reported on in April. The complaint stated Amazon unlawfully forced employees to sit through captive audience meetings, promised employees benefits if they did not vote in favor of the union, and threatened employees with loss of benefits if they voted in favor of the union. The complaint also alleged that Amazon discouraged workers from advocating for Juneteenth to be declared a holiday. An Amazon spokesperson told Vice that the NLRB complaint is without merit. Amazon Labor Union lawyer Seth Goldstein stated the complaint was “historic”: “I think it’s going to reverse decades’ worth of anti-union decisions.”
Bloomberg reported that the EEOC has declared its remote mediation program, launched in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, an “overwhelming success” after studies showed that 90% of participants were satisfied with their experience. However, the EEOC is itself facing unfair labor practice charges as a result of allegedly forcing unionized employees to return to the office without appropriately negotiating with the union. Rachel Shonfield, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 216, recommended the EEOC take the success of this program as a sign that remote work should be embraced, including for its own workers.
In other labor news, the Vox Media Union tweeted that 95% of its members have signed a strike pledge in the event the parties do not reach an agreement before their contract expires on June 13. The New York Times reported that the union is seeking wage increases, including cost of living raises, and affordable benefits, in the face of rapid inflation of consumer goods.
Following their initial success in California with Proposition 22, Uber, Lyft, and other gig economy platforms are continuing to push a ballot measure in Massachusetts to ensure its workers are barred from legal protections available to employees rather than independent contractors. While these efforts have been ongoing, on Wednesday, five U.S. Senators and three House Representatives, including Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, as well as Senator Bernie Sanders, sent letters to gig companies questioning whether they are taking adequate steps to keep drivers safe.
Finally, the Washington Post reported that the labor market may finally be “cooling” as companies seem to be entering a period of either relative stability or layoffs following a long period of significant hiring activity over the course of 2021 and early 2022. The “right-sizing” of the labor market may signal a coming stabilization in inflation rates.
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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 […]
May 2
Immigrant detainees win class certification; Missouri sick leave law in effect; OSHA unexpectedly continues Biden-Era Worker Heat Rule
May 1
SEIU 721 concludes a 48-hour unfair labor practice strike; NLRB Administrative Law Judge holds that Starbucks committed a series of unfair labor practices at a store in Philadelphia; AFSCME and UPTE members at the University of California are striking.