
Fred Wang is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s news and commentary, TikTok has a work culture problem; Amazon fires managers after historic union victory; and unions rally ahead of the 2022 election season.
TikTok has a work culture problem, according to a recent exposé in the Wall Street Journal. Employees have complained of sleep deprivation driven by weekend workloads and hours of late mandatory meetings with overseas colleagues. Others have reported health problems such as weight fluctuation and severe emotional lows. Of course, long hours, stress, and demanding deadlines are problems in many workplaces. But several employees who have worked elsewhere in the tech industry claim that TikTok is different. A good deal of work at TikTok consists of adapting products developed in China for American audiences, which therefore requires long meetings with managers in Beijing. The company frequently assigns multiple teams to work on the same project, having them race to see which can finish it most quickly. It also has a policy against employees accessing internal organization charts, which has created internal communication problems. The result is a culture of stress and secrecy “to a degree uncommon in the industry.”
On Thursday, Amazon fired over half a dozen senior managers involved with its JFK8 warehouse — the same warehouse that had won a historic union last month — according to a recent report in the New York Times. The managers had been in charge of implementing the company’s response to the unionization efforts. Various commentators described the firings as Amazon sending a strong message to its other managers: “Lose a union election and we will fire your ass.”
Unions are doing their part this election season, a recent piece in the New Republic explains. Across the country, union leaders are rallying workers to vote in this year’s upcoming federal midterm, state, and local elections — in an effort not only to stave off anti-worker legislation, but also “to reserve some semblance of majority rule.” As Republican legislatures continue to gerrymander district maps, it has become increasingly difficult for average citizens to select their leaders. Robust political science literature has long documented the “big role” that unions can play as mobilizers in elections.
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
October 9
Equity and the Broadway League resume talks amid a looming strike; federal judge lets alcoholism ADA suit proceed; Philadelphia agrees to pay $40,000 to resolve a First Amendment retaliation case.
October 8
In today’s news and commentary, the Trump administration threatens no back pay for furloughed federal workers; the Second Circuit denies a request from the NFL for an en banc review in the Brian Flores case; and Governor Gavin Newsom signs an agreement to create a pathway for unionization for Uber and Lyft drivers.
October 7
The Supreme Court kicks off its latest term, granting and declining certiorari in several labor-related cases.
October 6
EEOC regains quorum; Second Circuit issues opinion on DEI causing hostile work environment.
October 5
In today’s news and commentary, HELP committee schedules a vote on Trump’s NLRB nominees, the 5th Circuit rejects Amazon’s request for en banc review, and TV production workers win their first union contract. After a nomination hearing on Wednesday, the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee scheduled a committee vote on President Trump’s NLRB nominees […]
October 3
California legislation empowers state labor board; ChatGPT used in hostile workplace case; more lawsuits challenge ICE arrests