| | | | |  | | By Olivia Olander and Nick Niedzwiadek | With help from Josh Sisco
| | WITH ISRAEL, MOSTLY: The biggest names in labor are standing firmly with Israel in its war with Hamas. But as with institutions in business, education and the Democratic Party itself, organizers have faced some dissent in their ranks including calls for a cease-fire, nearly a month into the conflict and humanitarian crisis after Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel Oct. 7. “The terrain has really shifted on what people are comfortable with and hoping to ignore,” said Gene Bruskin, an labor organizer for more than a half century who advocated against the wars in Vietnam and Iraq. Who’s in disagreement: Bruskin worked with United Electrical Workers and UFCW Local 3000, which says it represents 50,000 workers in the Pacific Northwest, to lead a petition calling for a cease-fire; several other union locals have also signed on. Starbucks Workers United is also in the midst of a legal back-and-forth with Starbucks after social media posts in support of Palestine following the attacks. But those organizations are decidedly in the minority: At an AFL-CIO executive council meeting last week, The New York Times reported, only one person — American Postal Workers Union President Mark Dimondstein — called for a cease-fire. AFL-CIO in a statement Oct. 11 said: “The labor movement condemns and stands resolute against all terrorism, and we are concerned about the emerging humanitarian crisis that is affecting Palestinians in Gaza and throughout the region.” AFT President Randi Weingarten, quoted by the Times as backing Israel’s right to defend itself, on Friday called for a humanitarian pause on fighting to aid civilians in Gaza, in line with some Democratic senators. (Neither AFL-CIO or APWU responded to a request for comment Friday; AFT declined to comment.) The Biden administration so far has rejected calls for a cease-fire as Israel’s attacks have made people in Gaza desperate for basic necessities, saying Israel has a right to defend itself. “We should have those hostages released and then we can talk,” Biden said last week, referring to the more than 200 people seized in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. Bruskin said he’ll vote for Biden in 2024 over former President Donald Trump. But he worries younger progressives won’t show up with the same energy to support Biden if they disagree with the president’s stance on the war. “He’s done some really terrific things … his support for labor, workers, women and so on,” Bruskin said. “But this one, I can’t get behind.” GOOD MORNING. It’s Monday, Oct. 30. Welcome back to Morning Shift, your go-to tipsheet on labor and employment-related immigration. It’s been 230 days since the Senate received Julie Su’s nomination. Send feedback, tips and exclusives to nniedzwiadek@politico.com and oolander@politico.com. Follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @NickNiedz and @oliviaolanderr.
| | | | GET READY FOR POLITICO’S DEFENSE SUMMIT ON 11/14: Russia’s war on Ukraine … China’s threats to Taiwan … a war in Gaza. The U.S. is under increasing pressure to deter, defend and fight in more ways — but not everyone agrees how. Join POLITICO's 3rd Annual Defense Summit on November 14 for exclusive interviews and expert discussions on global security and the U.S.'s race to bolster alliances and stay ahead of adversaries. Explore critical topics, including international conflicts, advanced technology, spending priorities and political dynamics shaping global defense strategies. Don’t miss these timely and important discussions. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | “Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You’ll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day’s biggest stories.
| | AI EO: The Labor Department and Office of Personnel Management are among the numerous agencies set to have a lot of work on its plate under an executive order President Joe Biden is expected to sign Monday. The order, a draft of which was obtained Friday by our Mohar Chatterjee and Rebecca Kern, would streamline high-skilled immigration, create a raft of new government offices and task forces and pave the way for the use of more AI in nearly every facet of life touched by the federal government. With job disruptions one of the most widely shared concerns about the rise of AI, the executive order sends numerous strong rhetorical signals that the Biden administration wants agencies to put worker and labor-union concerns in the center of their AI decisions. It tasks the Council of Economic Advisers with drafting a report within 180 days on the “labor-market effects of AI” and similarly asks the Labor Department to evaluate the ability of federal agencies to aid workers whose jobs are disrupted by AI technology. The executive order also asks OPM to develop guardrails on the use of generative AI by the federal workforce.
| | EVs IN TA: The United Auto Workers tentative agreement with Ford includes a “pathway” for electric vehicle workers to be included in the master agreement, Olivia reports on union President Shawn Fain’s announcement Sunday evening. UAW this weekend came to tentative agreements with both Ford and Stellantis. The movement could be good for President Joe Biden’s 2024 prospects, Nick, Holly Otterbein and Olivia report, as it eases the danger that unrest in the sprawling auto industry will be an economic drag as he makes his pitch for reelection. More union news: “Ford hits pause on EV battery plant backed by $9B federal loan,” from our James Bikales and Kelsey Tamborrino. Even more: “Starbucks Commits Rash of Labor Law Violations, NLRB Judge Says,” from Bloomberg Law.
| | | MONOPOLIES’ IMPACT: Federal antitrust authorities are weighing major changes to how they evaluate mergers, with harm to labor markets taking center stage. And it's not just wages that the government is examining. Other issues like lower workplace quality and increased safety issues could be a reason to block a deal, said Ioana Marinescu, a senior Justice Department antitrust economist at a conference in Salt Lake City on Friday. As enforcers, “we keep saying price and quality and innovation,” are the focus in merger reviews, Marinescu said, adding that labor markets are “no different.” One potential example of workplace quality is the ability to work remotely, she said. If the DOJ found that a company planned to limit that option at the expense of its employees, “that would be one element in the evidence that this merger plausibly will lead to harm for workers.” In recent years antitrust enforcers have increasingly focused on how workers are impacted by mergers and monopolies. The DOJ’s successful lawsuit blocking the merger between Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster on the theory that it would harm authors has emboldened the government. And for the first time agencies are explicitly weighing labor market harms when reviewing deals. When asked if she would advise DOJ lawyers to sue to block a merger solely on harm to job quality, Marinescu responded: “If the facts are there, yes definitely.” WHAT OIG IS UP TO: DOL’s internal watchdog has laid out its game plan for audits in fiscal year 2024. It includes a review of the Equity Grants that DOL issued as part of the unemployment insurance modernization funding included in the American Rescue Plan, an audit of the agency’s enforcement of mental health parity laws on insurers, as well as the troubling backlog of H-2B visa applications that has lasted for several years. The inspector general’s office is also continuing to conduct a series of probes related to pandemic-era assistance programs that have come in for heavy criticism for their inability to guard against waste, fraud and abuse.
| | LEFT FIELD: Sen. Bernie Sanders on Friday called for “adequate” hospital staffing at a field hearing in New Jersey, where he was the only HELP Committee senator to make an appearance, our Daniel Han reports. — Related: “Why is maternity leave for doctors such a complete mess?” from STAT. More hill news: “Retailers urge Congress to crack down on theft, as industry ramps up lobbying effort,” from CNBC.
| | | SMALL FARMS, BIG BLINDSPOT: At least 17 dairy workers in Wisconsin have died since 2009. However not all those deaths were subsequently investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, due in part to a scattershot enforcement approach that hinges on whether a small farm has housing designated as a temporary labor camp. OSHA is barred by statute from inspecting farms with fewer than 11 employees — unless they have certain on-site housing for workers to make it a labor camp. “How OSHA interprets and applies its definition of a temporary labor camp — and whether it should consider dairy workers temporary when farms produce milk year-round — has significant implications for the safety of thousands of workers in one of America’s most dangerous industries,” ProPublica reports. More state news: “WA farmworkers voice varying opinions on increased overtime protections,” from the Yakima Herald-Republic.
| | CHICKEN PLANTS AND CHILD CARE: Private child care is seeing a shift to lower income and rural areas, a pricey solution as businesses seek to retain employees, The Washington Post reports. “That’s particularly the case in understaffed industries such as manufacturing, retail and education that have struggled to find low-wage workers in communities where child care is often scarce. A lack of readily available options is keeping many workers on the sidelines,” the Post reports. More in the workplace: “Work advice: Pump-at-work horror stories,” from The Washington Post. Even more: “Chef says she was ‘humped’ working US Open — and fired for complaining: suit,” from the New York Post.
| | | | SUBSCRIBE TO CALIFORNIA CLIMATE: Climate change isn’t just about the weather. It's also about how we do business and create new policies, especially in California. So we have something cool for you: A brand-new California Climate newsletter. It's not just climate or science chat, it's your daily cheat sheet to understanding how the legislative landscape around climate change is shaking up industries across the Golden State. Subscribe now to California Climate to keep up with the changes. | | | | | | | | | — “How a robotaxi crash got Cruise’s self-driving cars pulled from Californian roads,” from The Washington Post. — “Airline Industry’s ‘Silent’ Struggle: Pilots and Mental Health,” from The Wall Street Journal. — “I Work at Spirit Halloween. It’s As Bloodcurdling As It Seems,” from Slate. THAT’S YOUR SHIFT! | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Follow us | | | | |
Comments
Post a Comment