Facebook, Inc., is taking significant steps to make sure that its contractors treat their workers better. According to the Wall Street Journal, the company recently required that any contractors whose employees perform a significant amount of work for Facebook must pay them a minimum wage of at least $15/hour, at least 15 paid holidays annually, sick leave, vacation, and either paid parental leave or a $4,000 compensatory bonus. The company expects to absorb the price increases that come as contractors raise their rates to compensate for the new policies. The move comes as part of a larger trend of Silicon Valley companies voluntarily taking measures to account for the rising inequality in the Bay Area.
According to Politico, the AFL-CIO is working with Congressional Democrats to craft a series of bills to overhaul the NLRA. According to sources, the bills will be unveiled in the next few weeks.
The Los Angeles Times reports that “the Los Angeles city council will hold a special hearing this afternoon on raising the minimum wage.” “Business leaders say the city is rushing the process, because the meeting agenda was not released until yesterday afternoon. Mayor Eric Garcetti suggested raising the minimum wage to $13.25 by 2017, but some lawmakers want the minimum wage to go up to $15.25 by 2019. The city is also discussing whether tips should count towards the minimum wage.”
“On Monday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced emergency protections for the state’s nail salon workers, just days after two New York Times reports detailed widespread wage theft and health risks in the industry.” Lydia DePillis writes in the Boston Globe that nail salon workers are not the only ones left significantly under-protected by labor and health and safety laws. She documents the vulnerability of temporary workers, fracking workers, agricultural and domestic workers, and car wash workers. Many of these jobs are filled by recent immigrants with limited English capacity, who often become ripe targets for exploitation on-the-job.
Daily News & Commentary
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July 6
Municipal workers in Philadelphia continue to strike; Zohran Mamdani collects union endorsements; UFCW grocery workers in California and Colorado reach tentative agreements.
July 4
The DOL scraps a Biden-era proposed rule to end subminimum wages for disabled workers; millions will lose access to Medicaid and SNAP due to new proof of work requirements; and states step up in the noncompete policy space.
July 3
California compromises with unions on housing; 11th Circuit rules against transgender teacher; Harvard removes hundreds from grad student union.
July 2
Block, Nanda, and Nayak argue that the NLRA is under attack, harming democracy; the EEOC files a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by former EEOC Commissioner Jocelyn Samuels; and SEIU Local 1000 strikes an agreement with the State of California to delay the state's return-to-office executive order for state workers.
July 1
In today’s news and commentary, the Department of Labor proposes to roll back minimum wage and overtime protections for home care workers, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit by public defenders over a union’s Gaza statements, and Philadelphia’s largest municipal union is on strike for first time in nearly 40 years. On Monday, the U.S. […]
June 30
Antidiscrimination scholars question McDonnell Douglas, George Washington University Hospital bargained in bad faith, and NY regulators defend LPA dispensary law.