Gallup Senior Economist Jonathan Rothwell synthesizes data challenging the notion that globalization and manufacturing’s decline explain President Trump’s electoral victory. When controlling for demographic factors, Mr. Trump was only three percent more popular among manufacturing workers than non-manufacturing workers. Current supporters of the president are less concerned than their countrymen about how trade and technology may impact their work. Writing for the New York Times, Rothwell notes that conscious racial attitudes correlate strongly with support for Trump; in the Atlantic Ta-nehisi Coates analyzes the depth and breadth of unacknowledged racial attitudes in connection with the president’s rise to power.
The U.S. Department of Labor announced an increase in the minimum wage for work done on federal contracts: contractors are currently guaranteed $10.20 per hour, and their minimum wage will increase to $10.35 per hour effective January 1, 2018. The analogous minimum cash wage for tipped employees will increase from $6.80 to $7.25 at the same time. Politco notes that this move has the Trump Department of Labor carrying out—not rescinding—an Obama-era executive order, though it’s unclear how many workers will be affected by these increases.
Commentators react to Tuesday’s Census reports showing a higher national median household income and lower rate of poverty for 2016 than 2015. “The Economy Isn’t Broken,” concludes David Brooks. If anything, low labor productivity is the problem. Patricia Cohen takes a longer view, arguing that earnings aren’t as high or equitable as they seem. The median lifetime income for an American man has decreased 19 percent since 1967, with high earners faring markedly better than others.
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April 24
NLRB seeks to compel Amazon to collectively bargain with San Francisco warehouse workers, DoorDash delivery workers and members of Los Deliveristas Unidos rally for pay transparency, and NLRB takes step to drop lawsuit against SpaceX over the firing of employees who criticized Elon Musk.
April 22
DOGE staffers eye NLRB for potential reorganization; attacks on federal workforce impact Trump-supporting areas; Utah governor acknowledges backlash to public-sector union ban
April 21
Bryan Johnson’s ULP saga before the NLRB continues; top law firms opt to appease the EEOC in its anti-DEI demands.
April 20
In today’s news and commentary, the Supreme Court rules for Cornell employees in an ERISA suit, the Sixth Circuit addresses whether the EFAA applies to a sexual harassment claim, and DOGE gains access to sensitive labor data on immigrants. On Thursday, the Supreme Court made it easier for employees to bring ERISA suits when their […]
April 18
Two major New York City unions endorse Cuomo for mayor; Committee on Education and the Workforce requests an investigation into a major healthcare union’s spending; Unions launch a national pro bono legal network for federal workers.
April 17
Utahns sign a petition supporting referendum to repeal law prohibiting public sector collective bargaining; the US District Court for the District of Columbia declines to dismiss claims filed by the AFL-CIO against several government agencies; and the DOGE faces reports that staffers of the agency accessed the NLRB’s sensitive case files.