Labor

Kentucky-based cable installer Bowlin Group, LLC has been ordered to pay $1,075,000 in back wages and damages to 196 employees after the Department of Labor (DOL) obtained a consent judgement from a federal court.

“It is astounding that Caltech and JPL, home to the 21st Century’s leadership in science and engineering, could harbor administrative bureaucrats who develop workplace rules similar to those described in Charles Dickins’ 19th Century writings"

President Obama set a goal of 1 million new manufacturing jobs in his second term. Last month we added zero. Not one. Nada. Zip. We did add low-wage jobs, though. Maybe we can talk about a national manufacturing strategy now?

Paperwork and unfinished materials pulled from the rubble from the collapse of a Bangladeshi clothing factory indicate the list of companies that bought clothing from the factories included: Benetton, Children’s Place, Cato Corporation, Kik, Loblaw, Mango, Corte Inglés, Bon Marche, and Primark.

Republicans in Congress have renewed their decades-old attack on the 40-hour work week. Once again, they are pushing so-called “comp time” legislation that would allow employers to stop giving workers any extra pay for overtime work.

In April, more than 600 labor leaders and union activists gathered in Sacramento for California Labor’s annual Joint Legislative Conference, co-sponsored by the California Labor Federation and the State Building & Construction Trades Council.

A new report from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration shows that construction deaths more than tripled on NYC work sites last year with 21 workplace fatalities versus six the year before.

The Austin American-Statesman reported Friday that the Texas Supreme Court ruled "unionized government workers in Texas - including firefighters, police and teachers - don't have the right to be accompanied by a union representative while being questioned during internal investigations."

Over 400 food workers at more than 50 fast food locations in New York City went on a surprise strike Thursday demanding higher wages and the ability to unionize without retaliation. Wages of $15 an hour are being sought. Workers are being assisted in their organizing by Fast Food Forward, a campaign created by New York Communities for Change. Workers’ desire to organize has been met with retaliation and even termination. In late November, New York workers staged their first strike, but now many workers who were afraid to take action at the time appear willing to join.
This is the second action of its kind by fast food workers in the city, but this effort appears to feature much larger numbers and may cause store closures.

Over 200 union workers stood outside the Nevada legislature in protest as the Nevada Assembly Government Affairs Committee debated a proposed law that would make drastic changes to the state’s prevailing wage standards.