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What I’ve Been Reading This Week


Even in a work from home setup, it feels like the last few weeks have been busier than normal.  Between Zoom calls, an increasing number of emails, and a few projects that pop up, I have not had as much time to read through articles as I anticipated.  It does not help that with not traveling right now, I do not have the benefit of reading through things while on a layover between cities.

As always, below are a couple articles that caught my eye this week.


As Target’s Sales Rise, Sickout Planned For Next Friday

Over the past few weeks, there has been a noticeable uptick in the number of workers and groups around the country calling for greater protections, increased pay, and related protection measures for those working in a position that interacts with the general public.  Lauren Zumbatch at The Chicago Tribune makes note of that fact as a sickout is planned for next Friday by some workers at the company.  The group spearheading this planned sickout, Target Workers Unite, is calling on the company do so more to protect its employees.  (It is worth noting that Target has temporarily increased the pay of its in store workers by $2/hour.)  Nevertheless, with online sales surging at Target over the past few weeks, it appears some workers at the company are hesitant to work and do not believe the company is doing enough to protect them.  It will be interesting to see how much attention next Friday’s sickout garners.



Earlier this week, the Virginia Legislature met to consider whether to delay implementation of several recently approved pieces of legislation, including one that would see the state raise its hourly minimum wage rate from $7.25/hour to $9.50/hour on January 1, 2021 (with an eventual hike to $15/hour by 2026.)  After Governor Ralph Northam had previously voiced support for a delay in changing the minimum wage rate, the Democratically controller Virginia Legislature voted to delay the wage hike until May 1, 2021.  (Subsequent wage hikes will not be affected.)  With Democrats having only recently gained majority control of the state legislature (and the Governor’s office), there was some hesitation to delay implementing what many sought as a “victory” that was a long time coming.  However, with there being growing unease among many in the state about having the wage hike take effect as planned, I would not call it much of a surprise that it was pushed off a few months.  The Legislature’s decision might not fall on receptive ears right now, especially among those minimum wage advocates that had January 1, 2021 circled on their calendars.  With that being said, that minimum wage hike is coming and it will be here before you know it.

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