🏛️ This week the Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to Minnesota's ban on captive audience meetings which force employees to listen to political, religious, or anti-union employer views—on work time. 1/

U.S. Supreme Court upholds Minnesota's worker protection law decision

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a challenge against Minnesota's ban on captive audience meetings.

kimt.com

Since 1938, workers have counted on overtime pay when working over 40 hrs/week. But Project 2025 proposes allowing to skirt the rules. States need to act now to defend/protect workers’ right to overtime pay. @dskamper.bsky.social and @jensherer.bsky.social describe how ↴

Overtime pay: State solutions to the U.S. worker rights crisis

What does current federal law say about overtime pay? The overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) provide protections to most hourly workers and many low-salaried workers, guarantee...

epi.org

Before 2008, workers in every state were guaranteed 26 weeks of unemployment insurance if they lost a job. Today, many states have cut back benefits, some to as little as 12 weeks. With the economy teetering, unemployment benefits are more important than ever.

Unemployment insurance: State solutions to the U.S. worker rights crisis

What does current federal law say about unemployment insurance? Established in the wake of the Great Depression through the Social Security Act of 1935, unemployment insurance (UI) is a critical safet...

epi.org

Did you know that kids as young as 10 can be employed on farms, and there are no limits on how many hours they can work? Federal child labor laws are much weaker in agriculture, the most dangerous industry for children. But states can step in to keep kids safe: www.epi.org/publication/...

Child labor standards: State solutions to the U.S. worker rights crisis

What does current federal law say about child labor? The 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets guidelines for the hours and nonhazardous jobs for which employers can hire minors under 16. The FLSA...

epi.org

Did you know that in 6 states—AL, AR, LA, MS, SD, TN—you aren’t guaranteed any info about your own paycheck? To increase transparency & prevent wage theft, other states require pay stubs w/ written info on how pay was calculated Learn more about the laws in your state: www.epi.org/publication/...

Wage payment: State solutions to the U.S. worker rights crisis

What does current federal law say about wage payment? The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)—which establishes wage and hour standards that apply to most workers at private businesses with annual revenue...

epi.org

24 states & DC have discrimination laws that are more expansive than federal law. 19 states offer weaker protections. With Trump gutting federal protections, state laws are more important than ever. How well does your state protect you from discrimination? www.epi.org/publication/...

Workplace nondiscrimination protections: State solutions to the U.S. worker rights crisis

What does current federal law say about workplace nondiscrimination protections? Discrimination in the workplace—either in employment, promotion, job assignments, pay, benefits, discipline, discharge,...

epi.org

In 2023, 385 workers died from hazardous working conditions every. single. day. The highest fatality rates? WY, WV, AR, AK, MN, and ND. As federal workplace protections are dismantled, states need to step in to protect workers on the job. Learn more: www.epi.org/publication/...

Workplace health and safety standards: State solutions to the U.S. worker rights crisis

What does current federal law say about workplace health and safety?  The federal Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act—passed in 1970 after decades of fierce advocacy by organized labor and its al...

epi.org

Millions of workers earning less than $60k/year were on track to get overtime pay until Trump took it away. But states can step in and make sure workers get the overtime pay they’ve earned. AK, CA, CO, ME, NY, and WA have done so. Has your state? Learn more: www.epi.org/publication/...

Overtime pay: State solutions to the U.S. worker rights crisis

What does current federal law say about overtime pay? The overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) provide protections to most hourly workers and many low-salaried workers, guarantee...

epi.org

"We are facing an all-out war on workers," EPI's @jensherer.bsky.social told America's Work Force Union Podcast. “We’re in a situation right now where no workers can count on the federal government to protect their basic fundamental rights.” Listen here: awf.labortools.com/listen/jenni...

Jennifer Sherer Warns of Unprecedented Attacks on Workers' Rights

The America’s Work Force Union Podcast is the nation’s premier daily labor program. Jennifer Sherer of the EPI joined us on today’s show.

awf.labortools.com

Solidarity with brave CDC employees (past and present) and their AFGE union standing up for themselves, their agency’s mission, and all of us.

CDC union says vaccine misinformation put staff at risk after Atlanta shooting

Deadly violence not random as staff have endured ‘months of mistreatment, neglect and vilification’, says union

theguardian.com

I hereby nominate NYT spelling bee developers to take over headline writing

Philip Gourevitch@pgourevitch.bsky.social · 12mo ago

Grossly irresponsible of the Times to have this ludicrous credulous spin as the top story the morning after a president who rules by fiat proclaims a totally specious emergency to militarize the capital - an editorial insult to our intelligence and our democracy.

Trump nominated right-wing Project 2025 contributor EJ Antoni as the next Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner. Trump wants to hide the consequences of his bad policies by manipulating BLS data—but it won’t work, says EPI Chief Economist @joshbivens-econ.bsky.social: www.epi.org/press/trump-...

Trump wants to hide the consequences of his bad policies by manipulating BLS data—it won’t work

Yesterday, Trump announced that he will nominate E.J. Antoni as the next commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Antoni has repeatedly and unfairly attacked the agency he’d be set to run...

epi.org

Quote this with a book you read way too young that explains why you are the way you are. (Read in 2nd or 3rd grade when I was 7 or 8; can’t remember which b/c I had the same amazing teacher both years).

Dave Kamper@dskamper.bsky.social · 12mo ago

Quote this with a book you read way too young that explains why you are the way you are. (Read it in 1984 when I was 9.)

In the face of federal attacks on workers, many states used this year's legislative season to pass bills that protect workers and improve job quality. Here's how states took action for and against workers: www.epi.org/blog/2025-wo...

2025 worker-led state policy victories show how states can—and must—do more to hold the line against escalating federal attacks on workers’ rights

State action to strengthen worker rights and protections has become critically important at a moment when long-standing U.S. labor standards are under acute threat. Escalating threats include Trump ad...

epi.org

Ghislaine Maxwell, who helped Jeffrey Epstein procure and sexually abuse young women, was transferred to a cushy minimum-security prison in Texas in the midst of Trump needing her support with the Epstein files. We all know what's happening but shouldn't lose focus. www.jezebel.com/since-no-one...

Since No One Else Seems to Care, Let’s Remember Epstein’s Survivors

They've already told us everything we need to know...

jezebel.com

Today, President Trump directed his team to fire the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) because he didn’t like the jobs numbers they released. This is a move straight out of an autocratic playbook, says EPI President ‪@hshierholz.bsky.social‬ www.epi.org/press/trumps...

Trump’s firing of BLS commissioner is undemocratic and economically dangerous

Today, Trump directed his team to fire the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) because he didn’t like the jobs numbers they released. This is a move straight out of an autocratic play...

epi.org

Good on her. This is not the biggest issue but, as an economist, I am amazed at how many people and vehicles ICE is wasting to make a single, simple arrest. Imagine if we staffed Head Start classrooms like that!

Always good to be with union siblings in Chicago, but especially good on a day like today.

If I hear one more reporter say these attacks on universities and science are about "antisemitism," I am going to lose it. This is about destroying higher education full stop and it doesn't help to parrot the White House's talking points. www.science.org/content/arti...

‘It’s a nightmare.’ U.S. funding cuts threaten academic science jobs at all levels

“There is a lot of pressure to essentially leave the country or not pursue research,” one Ph.D. student says

science.org

For what it's worth, this is precisely the reason the Klan wore hoods when they terrorized communities and disappeared unfavored minorities. Historically, it wasn't called doxxing it was just recognizing a fascist community member.

Roy Edroso@edroso.bsky.social · last yr.

A land of contrasts

for anyone wondering how it's possibly legal to restrict DC 33 picketlines in Philadelphia: like many (most?) states, PA has mass picketing laws on the books dating back to the 1930s, and those laws are an incredibly underexamined problem for worker power.

Happy anniversary to the Fair Labor Standards Act! 🎉 We hope you last another 87 years—and that you get some long-overdue improvements! The FLSA brought us important labor standards like the federal minimum wage and child labor protections. Check out our work on these important topics: 🧵

Cedar Rapids #nokings #iowa 👏👏💙

No Kings rally in Cedar Rapids

YouTube video by Iowa's News Now

youtu.be

NO KINGS #iowacity Crowds at 35+ other events across the state are ranging from 50 in tiny towns to at least 10K in Des Moines.

Devastating loss. Grieving with my MN friends and family and sending love to all state legislators and public servants who should never have to live in fear.

“One of the strongest natural proofs of the folly of hereditary right in kings, is, that nature disapproves it, otherwise, she would not so frequently turn it into ridicule by giving mankind an ass for a lion.” #nokings #thomaspaine

Historic breakthrough in Maine: Gov. Mills has signed legislation extending the state min wage to farmworkers. Congrats to all who fought for years to win this! @maineaflcio.bsky.social @mecep.bsky.social

Farmworkers now ‘belong fully’ in Maine minimum wage laws • Maine Morning Star

After multiple attempts in recent years, farmworkers will now have the right to state minimum wage like most other employees in Maine.

mainemorningstar.com

Let’s be clear: ICE injured and detained the president of SEIU California for peacefully observing. ICE picked the wrong side. The wrong state. The wrong person. and the wrong union. David Huerta stood up. And now 750,000 SEIU workers are standing up behind him. seiuca.org/press-releas...

SEIU California | SEIU California President David Huerta Injured, Detained at ICE Raid in Los Angeles

We are proud of President Huerta’s righteous participation as a community observer, in keeping with his long history of advocating for immigrant workers and with the highest values of our movement…

seiuca.org

What happened on Friday May 9 to make FedEx stock jump 7%? FedEx board member David Steiner was nominated to lead the Postal Service in the wake of a Wells Fargo report naming FedEx as a big winner if the Postal Service were privatized--an idea Trump has floated. #USPS 1/2

Big win for workers in Washington! Gov. Ferguson has signed legislation making WA the third state to extend unemployment insurance to striking workers.

Washington will pay unemployment benefits to striking workers • Washington State Standard

Labor advocates scored a win on Monday after Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a new law to extend unemployment benefits to striking workers in Washington.

washingtonstatestandard.com