Sean McDonough is a student at Harvard Law School and a member of the Labor and Employment Lab.
In a temporary victory for Virginia educators and students, Virginia’s Department of Education delayed implementation of their “2022 Model Policies on the Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for All Students and Parents in Virginia’s Public Schools” until November 26, at the earliest. The policies, which OnLabor discussed in more detail here and which were originally scheduled to take effect on October 27, would have banned trans students from using the public bathrooms associated with their gender identity and would have forced educators to deadname and misgender trans students from nonaffirming homes. After opposition from the Virginia Education Association, local school boards, and students across Virginia, the policies received more than 71,000 public comments, and implementation is now delayed while the Department of Education reviews those comments. Despite the fierce opposition from members of school communities, Gov. Glenn Youngkin continued to tout the policies at a rally after the delay was announced, saying he still expects to implement them.
Daily News & Commentary
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November 22
In Today’s News & Commentary: Starbucks shuts down the first store in Seattle to unionize; and the nation’s largest rail union rejects labor deal.
November 21
Auto workers at Rivian Automotive filed safety violation complaints against the electric vehicle manufacturer; members of New York’s first farm-worker union and supporters protested outside of Pindar Vinyards on Long Island; and temporary staffing agencies have ramped up lobbying efforts to stop a temp worker protection bill from passing in the New Jersey State Senate.
November 20
District judge declines to reinstate fired Amazon union organizer; Southern service workers form new union; NLRB leaders threaten furloughs absent additional funding
November 18
A nationwide Starbucks strike of 112 stores; Iran metal workers join the resistance; Sanders vies to take Murray's seat as HELP committee chair; and the NLRB Union challenged the General Counsel's plan to change their telework policy
November 17
Strikes at Starbucks; House passes bill nullifying gag orders around workplace sexual harassment; St. Louis Apple Store workers move to unionize; New York City proposes higher wages for delivery app workers; SCOTUS decision will determine next steps in cases against meatpacking companies by families of workers who died of COVID-19; Missouri doubles down on subminimum wages for disabled workers
November 16
Whistleblowers expose employment law violations at Tesla's new Texas facility; uncertainty around fate of tentative railway deal; Starbucks shutters yet another unionized store; the implications of the midterm elections for national labor and employment policy