Ross Evans is a student at Harvard Law School and a member of the Labor and Employment Lab.
Governor Andrew Cuomo defeated opponent Cynthia Nixon in yesterday’s New York primary to win the Democratic nomination for governor. Yesterday, OnLabor contributor Jared Odessky reported on the critical role labor unions were expected to play in the election, writing that Governor Cuomo,–despite past disagreements with unions–was “counting on them” to defeat Nixon.
With the general midterm election less than two months out, Politico reports that the Ohio Democratic Party is embroiled in grueling negotiations with its unionized campaign workers. In July, the Ohio Democratic Party recognized the Campaign Workers Guild Chapter–becoming the first state to do so–but now the Party finds itself in a difficult negotiating position, as a campaign-workers strike this close to Election Day could have significantly adverse repercussions. The campaign workers are seeking a monthly income floor and better car-driving mileage reimbursements (which are currently below the federal level). Furthermore, campaign workers and union organizers have expressed frustration that one of the management-side lawyers hired by the Ohio Democratic Party for the negotiations is a registered Republican. Field organizer and union negotiating team member Jake McClelland stated, “We need a fair contract, and we need it before we’re 40 days, 30 days out from the election. Staring a party in the face [that’s] hired a Republican to bust our union is, I think, a pretty good catalyst for escalation.”
Mitesh Sheth–Chief Executive Officer of Redington Ltd., a London-based investment consultancy–was interviewed by The Wall Street Journal about how his company eradicated its internal pay gap between men and women in less than two years. The firm both empowered a newly appointed female managing partner “to challenge every pay promotion process” and began working with The Return Hub, a recruiting firm that specializes in placing women back in financial-services roles after a career break. Regarding the latter, Mr. Sheth stated the “myths around [women returning to work], that all want flexible hours, or that all are mothers returning from raising children—that isn’t true.”
During a year in which thousands of teachers have gone on strike across West Virginia, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Arizona, and Colorado, BuzzFeed News explains how some teachers have creatively began supplementing their income through Instagram as “teacher influencers.”
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December 18
New Jersey adopts disparate impact rules; Teamsters oppose railroad merger; court pauses more shutdown layoffs.
December 17
The TSA suspends a labor union representing 47,000 officers for a second time; the Trump administration seeks to recruit over 1,000 artificial intelligence experts to the federal workforce; and the New York Times reports on the tumultuous changes that U.S. labor relations has seen over the past year.
December 16
Second Circuit affirms dismissal of former collegiate athletes’ antitrust suit; UPS will invest $120 million in truck-unloading robots; Sharon Block argues there are reasons for optimism about labor’s future.
December 15
Advocating a private right of action for the NLRA, 11th Circuit criticizes McDonnell Douglas, Congress considers amending WARN Act.
December 12
OH vetoes bill weakening child labor protections; UT repeals public-sector bargaining ban; SCOTUS takes up case on post-arbitration award jurisdiction
December 11
House forces a vote on the “Protect America’s Workforce Act;” arguments on Trump’s executive order nullifying collective bargaining rights; and Penn State file a petition to form a union.