From federal agencies like the National Labor Relations Board to lawmakers in Washington and state capitals, government at all levels makes decisions that affect workers' lives. Throughout U.S. history, employers have attempted to use government as a tool against workers, while unions have mobilized their members on behalf of many significant improvements, including abolition of child labor and passage of minimum wage, workplace safety, overtime pay, Social Security, health care and many other laws.
Fighting to keep one of the Obama administration’s top pro-worker initiatives alive, the Labor Department announced it will appeal a rural Texas federal judge’s ban on the department's expansion of worker eligibility for overtime pay.
The state of Minnesota is projected to have a $1.4 billion budget surplus when the fiscal year ends next June. Labor leaders caution against spending it on tax breaks for the wealthy.
The Supreme Court may make the rules even worse for workers experiencing wage theft when their companies go bankrupt.
The president of one of the nation’s two largest postal unions, Fred Rolando of the National Association of Letter Carriers, is hailing the $610 million operating profit for the United Postal Service and said it bolsters calls for reform.
The State Capitol Commemorative Plaque Design Competition deadline has been extended to Dec. 8. Minnesota sixth-grade students are invited to submit a design for a commemorative plaque dedicated to the workers who helped build the Minnesota State Capitol Building.
Minnesota has become the fourth state in the nation to offer state employees paid parental leave. The temporary measure benefits some 35,000 families and will become permanent if approved by the Legislature.
MAPE, the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, led a coalition of state employee unions in advocating for the new policy.
Though Republican President-elect Donald Trump has often been vague about his legislative goals, one recent speech and the 2016 Republican platform offer clues about specific worker policies Trump and the GOP plan to pursue when they take complete control of the executive and legislative branches this coming January.
Amid the gloom of Election Day losses for endorsed candidates, unions found some solace in down-ballot wins in various referendums, including measures to stop so-called “Right to Work” and to raise the minimum wage.
The political roof fell in on national unions and their leaders on Nov. 8 as unionists – as well as other voters – voted for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
Secretary of State Steve Simon is reminding Minnesotans about the resources available to all eligible voters as they prepare for Election Day, Nov. 8.
They include the right to register at the polls and the right to take time off from work to vote.
An investigation by Workday Minnesota found wage theft is larger and more widespread than most people realize. Minnesotans are losing millions of dollars every year.
