Ask Los Angeles Times reporter Alana Semuels why union membership in California rose by 100,000 in 2012, and she’ll give you a simple answer: “Latino workers.” To explain the contrast between the trend in California and the United States as a whole—where union membership dropped last year by 400,000—Semuels turned to some credible sources, including Steve Smith of the …
If you asked me about the most significant issue in workplace fairness today, I wouldn’t cite any of the common answers. Although there are widespread issues such as corporate bullying, the wage gap between men and women, and a general lack of freedom among employees, there is one problem that is more widespread and more …
Workplace Fairness and Wages: The Ethical and Legal Implications of Unpaid Internships Read More »
For janitors and security officers in Minneapolis, members of SEIU Local 26, a raise would help bring them above the poverty line. It would allow them to pay for basic necessities, including groceries, school, rent or mortgage. And they’re prepared to fight for themselves, their fellow workers, and their families in order to achieve those …
Today the Bureau of Labor Statistics released new data on union membership for 2012. We did some number-crunching which shows that while unions are really important to women, their membership is dropping. What’s going on with women and unions? Between 2011 and 2012 the number of union members dropped by 398,000. Women were less than …
Women Account for 72 Percent of the Decline In Union Membership from 2011 to 2012 Read More »
When the ESPN Zone restaurant in Baltimore’s touristy Inner Harbor development closed abruptly on June 16, 2010, about 150 workers lost their jobs. Most were paid low hourly wages with few benefits, barely making ends meet and relying on the busy summer tourist season to get them through the slow winter months. Because they’d only …
United Workers Win WARN Act Victory in Baltimore ESPN Zone Case Read More »
During World War Two, employers were prohibited from raising wages because of wartime Wage and Price controls. With labor in short supply, employers and union leaders sought ways around the government limits and agreed to new health insurance benefits as an alternative to increased compensation. Thus was born our odd system of employer-based health insurance. …
“Just Cause”: Isn’t It Time For All Workers to Have Some Job Security? Read More »
As if we didn’t already have enough on our plates (having to fend off attacks from the “Fix the Debt” CEOs), now there’s another group of CEOs, the Business Roundtable, telling us we need to “modernize,” a.k.a. cut, Social Security and Medicare benefits by raising the eligibility ages and reducing cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs). How helpful. R.J. Eskow took …
Oh Great, More CEOs Telling Us We Need to Cut Social Security and Medicare Benefits Read More »
If the summer of 2012 was supposed to be a vacation, Renissa Pinner was not enjoying it much. Pinner, a teacher assistant with a pre-school program on the southwest side of Indianapolis, was laid off in June. The layoff was a common occurrence during Pinner’s 12 years working for the not-for-profit Head Start provider Family …
Are Workers ‘Sacrificial Lambs’ For Indiana’s Unemployment Fund Deficit? Read More »
An interesting look at the unemployment rate. “What is currently a temporary long-term unemployment problem runs the risk of morphing into a permanent and costly increase in the unemployment rate” unless Congress takes action to create jobs. Why the Unemployment Rate Is So High – New York Times Unemployment claims have increased slightly. “The Labor …
Unemployment: Why Won’t Congress Talk About It!? Read More »
Here’s a riddle: what large entity has the theoretical access to deploy a few trillion dollars, quickly, if given the chance? If you answered the Chinese or US governments, thank you for playing and please try again another time. The answer: labor unions. Piling up around the world is the largest and most accessible source …
Madeline Messa is a 3L at Syracuse University College of Law. She graduated from Penn State with a degree in journalism. With her legal research and writing for Workplace Fairness, she strives to equip people with the information they need to be their own best advocate.
