The California Supreme Court is expected to make a ruling today in a lawsuit between Gerawan Farming and the United Farm Workers of America. At issue in the case is a 2002 state law allowing the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board to order mediation for unions and farming companies to reach binding contracts, the Associated Press reports. Two years ago, a state appeals court held in a 3-0 decision that the mediation and conciliation law was unconstitutional. If the state’s highest court affirms, organized farm labor’s power in California would go down dramatically.
This week, Ivanka Trump is leading a U.S. delegation to southern India, where she will promote female entrepreneurship and economic power. The Washington Post reports that the visit will highlight Trump’s silence around labor conditions for the predominantly female garment workforce in India that makes clothing for her fashion line. “If Ivanka truly wants her legacy to include protecting working women,” said Judy Gearhart, executive director of the International Labor Rights Forum, “she needs to start with the women in her supply chain.”
The Wall Street Journal reports that New Hampshire is launching efforts to bring recovering opioid addicts into the workforce. In doing so, Governor Chris Sununu is aiming to address two problems facing his state: extremely low unemployment (below 3 percent) and extremely high levels of opioid addiction. “We want to re-instill that level of self worth that so many people in recovery have lost,” and, “we need those able-bodied working adults. We need that workforce in the state,” said Governor Sununu.
In Minnesota, companies are investing in high schools to train students for the 21st-century workplace, taking corporate partnerships to a new level. The Minnesota Star Tribune reports that a looming labor shortage—combined with Minnesota’s racial achievement gap—prompted the hands-on programming, which puts corporate resources and employees into curriculum planning and classroom teaching roles.
Daily News & Commentary
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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 […]
May 2
Immigrant detainees win class certification; Missouri sick leave law in effect; OSHA unexpectedly continues Biden-Era Worker Heat Rule