The Ninth Circuit struck down on Friday a Seattle ordinance that purported to give Lyft and Uber drivers the right to unionize. The panel said that Washington had not authorized the law specifically enough, but upheld the trial court’s ruling that Seattle’s law was not pre-empted by the National Labor Relations Act. Some workers’ advocates see the opinion as an overall win, as the court articulated how states could authorize such pro-unionization laws.
The New York Times reports that a high school principal in Queens has been reassigned to a new position after being accused of several acts of sexual misconduct. The New York City government has paid out over $600,000 to settle several lawsuits that accused the principal, Howard Kwait, of sexual harassment and discrimination. City agencies settled 32 such suits from 2014 to 2017 for a total of $4.7 million. Mr. Kwait was accused of making sexual advances on subordinates, discrimination against a teacher on the basis of pregnancy, and retaliation. The move comes as the City seeks to strengthen its sexual harassment responses.
Washington D.C. is grappling with the possible effects if Amazon chooses the city for its second headquarters. Some residents and city leaders are concerned that the influx of workers would burden infrastructure, create traffic, and exacerbate a housing shortage. Amazon has suggested that the average salary for the up-to 50,000 new jobs at HQ2, as it is known, would be $100,000. D.C. Council member Robert C. White, Jr. noted that the city is already experience dramatic gentrification and displacement, and the addition of thousands of high-earning workers may worsen the problem.
Daily News & Commentary
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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 […]