Martin Drake is a student at Harvard Law School.
A new study by the National Bureau of Economic research shows that the gig economy is perpetuating the gender pay gap, MarketWatch reports. According to the study, which was distributed on Monday, women Uber drivers earn 93 cents on the dollar compared to men. The study’s authors found that the pay gap is caused by the length of experience women drivers have with Uber, preferences over work hours and location, and driving speed. Another study recently released by Bankrate.com confirms a gender pay gap in the gig economy; according to the Bankrate study, men average $989 per month from gig work compared to women’s $361 per month.
Fired Amazon workers can appeal their discharge to a panel of their co-workers, Bloomberg Businessweek reports. The company announced the appeal program last year, stating that it had been too quick fire employees rather than addressing issues in other ways. The appeal process has a reputation of unfairness, however, and has created resentment among the e-commerce giant’s staff. Seattle employment lawyer George Tamblyn told Bloomberg that the panels are “a kangaroo court.”
A new study shows that almost half of all LGBTQ employees remain closeted at work, USA Today reports. The study, released by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, found that 46 percent of LGBT employees are not open about their sexuality at work for fear of being stereotyped, making people feel uncomfortable or losing connections with coworkers. The study’s results have only slightly changed since it was first conducted in 2008, when it recorded the number of closeted employees at 51 percent.
In international labor news, a 24-hour general strike in Argentina largely shut down the country’s economic activity on Monday, Al-Jazeera reports. The strike was called by the country’s largest trade union confederation, CGT, and it disrupted bus, train, taxi and airline services. The unions were demanding salary raises and protesting the Argentine government’s $50 billion loan from the IMF. According to the transport ministry, 600 flights were cancelled due to work stoppages and at least 71,000 passengers were affected.
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
May 22
U.S. employers spend $1.7B on union avoidance each year and the ICJ declares the right to strike a protected activity.
May 21
UAW backs legal challenge to Trump “gold card” visa; DOL requests unemployment fraud technology funding; Samsung reaches eleventh-hour union agreement.
May 20
LIRR strike ends after three-day shutdown; key senators reject Trump's proposed 26% cut to Labor Department budget; EEOC moves to eliminate employer demographic reporting requirement.
May 19
Amazon urges 11th Circuit to overturn captive-audience meeting ban; DOL scraps Biden overtime rule; SCOTUS to decide on Title IX private right of action for school employees
May 18
California Department of Justice finds conditions at ICE facilities inhumane; Second Circuit rejects race bias claim from Black and Hispanic social workers; FAA cuts air traffic controller staffing target.
May 17
UC workers avoid striking with an 11th-hour agreement; Governor Spanberger vetoes public employee collective bargaining protections; Samsung workers prepare for an 18-day strike.