According to this New York Time article, the number of Americans filing for unemployment insurance rose by less than expected. While unemployment claims had risen due to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, the labor market seems to have recovered from those two storms. This marks the 138th straight week that unemployment claims remained below 300,000 which is the level associated with a strong labor market.
According to this article, Iowa public sector employees overwhelmingly voted to recertify their unions. Specifically, 436 out of 468 public sector bargaining units voted in favor of retaining the existing union. The Iowa State Legislature recently passed a law requiring recertification whenever a new contract is negotiated, as opposed to just when a member petitions for decertification.
According to this article and a recent Bloomberg analysis of US Bureau of Labor Statistics Data, renewable energy is creating jobs faster than any other sector. Specifically, solar panel installers and wind turbine technicians will grow twice as fast as any other occupation. The new jobs in solar are driven by US capacity for solar energy rising by 72% year over year in the past decade
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.