Maia Usui is a student at Harvard Law School.
Sunday is World Day Against Child Labor, and a reminder of the work that still needs to be done. Despite recent successes, the International Labor Organization estimates that there are still 168 million child laborers worldwide. Nonprofit leaders are calling upon corporations to scrutinize their supply chains, noting the continued importance of partnering with unions on this front.
More American workers are being replaced with foreigners on temporary visas, and some of them are starting to speak up. According to the New York Times, some of the workers who have lost their jobs to global outsourcing are now sharing their experiences with the public — but not without running afoul of severance agreements prohibiting them from criticizing their former employers. To combat the chilling effect of these “nondisparagement” agreements, some have suggested revising the visa laws to allow former employees to formally contest their layoffs.
Are manufacturing workers paid enough? NPR reports on a recent study from UC Berkeley’s Labor Center, suggesting that over a third of American manufacturing workers and their families depend on public assistance.
Daily News & Commentary
Start your day with our roundup of the latest labor developments. See all
October 1
Senate confirms Keith Sonderling as Labor Secretary; Amazon warehouse workers launch an unfair labor practice strike.
September 30
Harvard grad union wins in First Circuit; AI data trainers initiate misclassification suits; Trader Joe’s found liable under ERISA.
September 29
Unions, AI companies, and private equity firms form a new coalition to shape data center policies; unions express support for the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger.
September 28
The Protect College Sports Act nears passage in the Senate; San Francisco municipal workers agree to contract extensions.
September 27
The Trump Administration reaches a settlement with federal unions on reduction in force actions; the United Auto Workers file an en banc petition seeking review of a Second Circuit decision regarding labor arbitrations.
September 25
Healthcare workers rally to restore legal status for TPS holders; nurses at a Maine hospital overwhelmingly vote to form their union despite alleged aggressive union busting tactics.