A California judge has ruled that Uber and Lyft drivers must be classified as employees, as the two rideshare giants threaten to pull out of the state in response. Uber and Lyft Drivers Not Independent Contractors On August 10, 2020, California Superior Court Judge Ethan Schulman issued a ruling on a lawsuit brought against Uber>> Read More

While the coronavirus has largely kept children confined at home this summer, it is not the only cause for concern for parents. The New York Times recently looked at some of the most common child summer safety risks and how they have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Summer Safety Risk #1 – Drowning One>> Read More

A recent joint investigation by ProPublica and the New York Times examined how Amazon may be shirking responsibility for crashes caused by its increasingly fast delivery methods. “Free” Delivery with a Hidden Human Cost Amazon has come to dominate e-commerce. According to the most recent estimate, the company accounts for about 37.7 percent of online>> Read More

A new law will keep a person’s immigration status private during most civil lawsuits in Illinois. “Immigration Status Should Never Be Used as a Weapon” Gov. JB Pritzker signed the measure on August 23, 2019. The law would prohibit somebody’s immigration status from being used against them in a way that would prevent them from>> Read More

A union complaint filed with a federal agency alleges that Tesla fired pro-union workers at a solar products plant in Buffalo, NY. Retaliation for “Outspoken Union Support” On June 19, 2019, the United Steelworkers filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). According to a partially redacted document released by the NLRB, the>> Read More

A recent New York Times editorial argues that, despite Donald Trump having run for office as “a champion of American workers and a friend of labor unions,” the Trump administration has consistently favored the interests of employers over the rights of workers. Trump Administration Limiting Wages, Overtime Eligibility In its policies and actions related to>> Read More

Health officials have found two new clusters of Legionnaires’ disease in Illinois, the first linked to a Walmart in Johnsburg and the second affecting residents at a nursing home in Chicago’s South Loop. Walmart, Nursing Home Linked to Legionnaires’ Disease Three people who reported being at the Johnsburg Walmart in McHenry County have been diagnosed>> Read More

Gizmodo has uncovered an Amazon union-busting training video that was distributed to “Team Leaders” at Whole Foods Market recently. The move by Amazon, which was made in response to rumors that Whole Foods employees are seeking to unionize, suggests that there may be strong anti-union sentiment at the nation’s second largest employer. Whole Foods Workers Seeking>> Read More

Missouri voters rejected a right-to-work law through a ballot referendum this week. The measure, known as Proposition A, would have made it illegal for unions to charge fees to workers they represent who choose not to pay them. Labor advocates argue that voter rejection of the initiative by margins of more than two to one>> Read More

The company that owned the capsized duck boat that recently left seventeen dead in Missouri was reportedly warned by a private inspector last year that design flaws could put its boats at greater risk of sinking. Additionally, a report by a government safety agency highlighted the structural dangers of duck boats nearly two decades ago, though>> Read More

In a widely expected development, the United States Supreme Court ruled 5-4 against public-sector unions in Janus v. American Federation State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 31 (also known as Janus v. AFSCME). The decision ended mandatory funding by government workers for public-sector unions and is largely believed to have dealt a blow to future collective>> Read More

A recent report by Reveal alleges that Tesla concealed the number of injuries occurring at its Fremont, CA facility, where the company is producing its Model 3 economy vehicle.  The report also suggests that the number of injuries exceeded the industry average. Injury Reports Required Tesla is required by law to report every work-related injury>> Read More