Skip to main content

What I’ve Been Reading This Week: Update Edition


Recently, there have been several developments on some topics I have written about that I wanted to bring to the attention of readers.  As with many topics I write about, situations change and are constantly evolving.  As we head into the homestretch of 2021, I wanted to highlight a few recent developments that readers might find worth a read.

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


Coronavirus Testing, Vaccinations, & Paid Leave

Yesterday, it was announced that there is a new deadline for large employer to comply with the coronavirus vaccine requirements as directed by the Biden administration.  Following the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issuing its Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”) on the matter, questions have started to arise over what, if any, paid leave employers will be required to provide to employees to get tested and/or get a coronavirus vaccine.  Earlier this morning, Jeff Nowak over at FMLA Insights posted a good overview on the matter that I would suggest readers take a look at to get a better handle on the topic.


As Unionization Effort Gets Second Bite At the Apple, Amazon Remains On Offense

Earlier this year, Amazon successfully beat back a unionization effort at one of its warehouses in Alabama.  In fact, the defeat was somewhat resounding, given how many people surmised it might be close and perhaps the first unionization at an Amazon workplace.  Nevertheless, a challenge was subsequently asserted to the election results on the grounds that a ballot receptacle on the workplace premises tainted the final outcome.  In doing so, there have been rumblings that a second election might be on the horizon.  As a result, as this article from Reuters notes, Amazon has been staying on offense in recent weeks by requiring workers to attend meetings and posting signage critical of labor unions, among other measures.  While a second vote is not assured, Amazon appears to be taking it as a serious possibility and doing what it can to get ahead of the matter before/if a second election gets set.


Union Rejects John Deere’s “Last, Best, & Final” Offer

On Wednesday, the United Auto Workers (which represents over 10,000 unionized John Deere workers currently on strike) rejected the most recent collective bargaining proposal from John Deere.  While the decision to reject the proposal was somewhat close (55% - 45%), the union indicated the proposed six year agreement which included annual raises was not sufficient.  In doing so, the strike will extend into yet another week as both sides appear to be digging in their heels.  One thing to note, however, is this vote to reject the most recent proposal from John Deere was much narrower than the previous 90% vote in favor of going on strike.  Stay tuned.


House Democrats Plan to Include 4 Weeks of Paid Leave in Their Domestic Policy Legislation

Remember last week when a proposed 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave was jettisoned from the proposed legislation Democrats in Congress were working on and many thought paid leave was D.O.A.?  In the words of Lee Corso…not so fast, my friend.  Yesterday, House Democrats indicated they would seek to include 4 weeks of paid leave in the legislation currently working its way through Congress.  Now as anyone that follows Congress will tell you, both the House and Senate have to vote on and approve the same legislation.  That presents a problem when there does not appear to be enough support in the Senate for paid leave in this legislation…given that there are already gripes about what the legislation will cost and paid leave being one of the things that went to the chopping block to winnow down costs.  For those hoping to see paid leave in the final version of this legislation when/if it hits President Joe Biden’s desk…I would not necessarily hold your breath.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NLRB: Discussion Among Employees About Tip Pooling is Protected Concerted Activity

  This Advice Memorandum from the National Labor Relations Board’s Associate General Counsel, Jayme Sophir, addressed whether employees which discussed and complained about tip pooling at work constituted protected concerted activity. In relevant part, an employer in New York operated a chain of steakhouses.  While tip pooling was in place at these steakhouses, some of the employees objected to it on the grounds that it was not transparent and improperly divided tips among the workers.  Employees were told not to complain or talk to each other about the tip pool and were told that doing so would endanger their jobs.  Despite the employer later attempting to provide some clarity as to how the tips were being divided, rancor still existed among some employees.  At one point, the employees were told by a general manager that some employees that had been talking about the tip pool were “cleared out” and the employer would continue to do so. In the Advice Memorandum, it was noted that emplo
Post a Comment
Read more

Happening Tomorrow: Connecticut’s Minimum Wage Increases

For those employers and employees alike in Connecticut, mark your calendars as tomorrow, the minimum wage rate increases in the state from $13/hour to $14/hour. This wage hike comes after Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont had signed Public Act 19-4 into law in 2019 which progressively raised the state’s hourly minimum wage rate every year for five years.  In fact, next year, the hourly wage rate will top out at $15/hour.  Beginning in January of 2024, the hourly wage rate will be indexed to the employment cost index. For additional information:   https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2022/06-2022/Governor-Lamont-Reminds-Residents-That-Minimum-Wage-Is-Scheduled-To-Increase-on-Friday
Post a Comment
Read more

What I’ve Been Reading This Week

A few years ago, I remember when the “Fight for $15” movement was taking off around the country.  Lo and behold, it appears that a $15/hour minimum wage is not the stopping point, which should be no surprise.  As the below article notes, New York is aggressively moving to ramp up hourly wage rates even higher.  While all the  below articles are worth a read, I called particular attention to that one. As always, below are a couple article that caught my eye this week. Disney World Workers Reject Latest Contract Offer Late last week, it was announced that workers at Disney World had rejected the most recent contract offer from the company, calling on their employer to do better.  As Brooks Barnes at The New York Times writes, the unions that represent about 32,000 workers at Disney World reported their members resoundingly rejected the 5 year contract offer which would have seen workers receive a 10% raise and retroactive increased back pay.  While Disney’s offer would have increased pa
Post a Comment
Read more