People
Sharon Block
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Why Amazon’s latest labor fines come out to only $60K
January 23, 2023
Amazon (AMZN) was cited for labor violations by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) this week. The violations centered on the company’s warehouses in…
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How a 2017 strike could slam shut the new era of worker activism
January 13, 2023
Over 200,000 Americans went on strike in 2022, making it the hottest year for work stoppages since 2005. But a case argued before the U.S.
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Cement-truck drivers went on strike. A lawsuit by their company may pave the way for restricting workers’ rights.
January 13, 2023
An article by Sharon Block: Striketober. Starbucks walkouts. Work stoppages at iconic companies like John Deere, The New York Times, and Kellogg’s. The number of…
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Court grapples with how to handle company’s lawsuit against union that went on strike
January 13, 2023
An article by Sharon Block: Tuesday’s argument in Glacier Northwest v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters provided little new insight into how the Supreme Court may…
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Grace Norris was hopeful when she logged into her first virtual bargaining session with Starbucks on the morning of October 24. A few months after…
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The federal agency that oversees labor union activity will have its budget bumped up in the coming year as part of the omnibus spending bill…
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Twitter faces serious legal threat from ex-employees, experts say
November 28, 2022
Elon Musk, who admitted to overpaying for Twitter, cut workers at the social media platform almost immediately. In response, some of the axed employees want…
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New Supreme Court Case Could Weaken Unions’ Ability To Strike
October 5, 2022
The U.S. Supreme Court has decided to hear a case that union supporters fear could end up diminishing the power of workers to go on…
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Reclaiming the Deep State
October 4, 2022
The government agencies of the New Deal revolution were created to check the cruelties of unregulated capitalism. They were born progressive. Their leaders were deeply…
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Why does work feel so dysfunctional right now? A psychologist, labor expert and CEO weigh in
September 26, 2022
Dysfunction in the Covid-era workforce has reached a fever pitch. If you’ve talked to anyone about work in the last month, you’ve probably discussed quiet…
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When overtime isn’t optional
September 22, 2022
The Polk County Professional Firefighters union is in the throes of its final weeks of bargaining before its current contract expires at the end of…
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‘It just shouldn’t be this hard’
September 20, 2022
This is an encouraging moment for labor law — and a potentially scary one as well, according to Harvard Law School Professor of Practice Sharon Block.
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U.S. railroad worker fight for pay, benefits could be model for other deals
September 19, 2022
Union railworkers in the United States scored a potential key victory in their fight for improved pay and working conditions on Thursday in what could…
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A super-sized labor experiment
September 15, 2022
NPR – Historically, building a union in the United States has been a grassroots process. For example, while workers at one Chipotle may succeed in…
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US Freight Railroads to Cut Services as Union Talks Fail, Report Says
September 12, 2022
Bloomberg – US freight railroads will reduce their services starting Monday after two of the country’s largest rail unions failed to agree on a new…
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California legislature passes bill that could transform worker bargaining. Here’s how.
September 1, 2022
U.S. labor unions enjoy their highest level of approval in almost 60 years, as high-profile worker victories at Amazon and Starbucks have galvanized public support.
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Labor union approval at highest rate since 1965: Poll
August 31, 2022
Across the country, labor unions have celebrated recent victories at companies like Starbucks and John Deere. However, union membership rates have dropped to a historic…
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Recent union efforts in Mass. part of growing national trend
August 31, 2022
A slew of unionizing efforts at companies across Massachusetts reflects a national labor trend and a shift in attitudes about unions. Last month, workers voted…
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Labor movement adds union members store by store
August 29, 2022
Workers at a Chipotle outlet in Lansing, Michigan, and an REI in Berkeley, California, voted to unionize this week. They’re the latest of hundreds of…
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The fate of President Joe Biden’s agenda could soon rest with the administrator of a tiny office deep within the White House. But first, Biden…
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State of the Union?
July 15, 2022
"My hope is that workers bank power for when things aren’t as good and build unions to protect themselves," says Sharon Block.