Labor
Biden administration mandates two-person crews on freight trains
The new rules from the Federal Railroad Administration come after nearly a dozen states passed similar requirements in the last decade.
Is the deal with the NBA Milwaukee Bucks a model for city development projects?
The community benefits agreement that the Bucks owners signed for $250 million in state aid to build the Fiserv Forum included provisions allowing arena workers to freely unionize. It has turned their low-wage, insecure work into sustainable jobs, according to a new report.
It’s time for local policymakers to cement the Biden administration’s workforce gains
COMMENTARY | By adopting strong job quality standards for government spending, state and local policymakers can improve residents’ quality of life and support a strong, stable workforce for generations to come.
How one city is bridging the gender gap in construction jobs
Rochester, Minnesota, launched its Equity in the Built Environment program in 2023 that looks to educate and train women for jobs in construction, project management, interior design, and other careers.
Workers are dying from extreme heat. Why aren’t there laws to protect them?
In the absence of federal protections, some states have attempted to pass their own regulations after experiencing worker fatalities during record-breaking heat waves.
What are strike funds? A labor-management relations expert explains
Despite setting labor standards, most states do not provide unemployment insurance compensation to striking workers. As a result, unions often help workers pay for essentials while they negotiate with their employers.
Many states decline to require water breaks for outdoor workers in extreme heat
Summer is here and so is the heat. But states are doing little to protect outdoor workers. Over the past decade, nearly 400 U.S. workers have died of heat exposure.
Some States May Be Barring the Door to Unemployment Benefits
Nine states are requiring unemployment insurance applicants to verify their identity before submitting applications.
Legislative Staffs Are Pushing to Unionize
Since Oregon successfully unionized in 2021, statehouse employees in half a dozen states have also sought to organize.
State & Local Roundup: Cranking Up Workforce Development Programs
Plus: A governor moves to rein in remote work. City workers go on strike. A semiconductor factory announcement. And more news you can use from across the country.
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As His First Order of Business, a New Governor Drops College Degree Requirements for State Jobs
The executive order from Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro–affecting 65,000 jobs–came on his first full day in office.
New US Industrial Policy Creates Incentives for High-quality Jobs
COMMENTARY | The last few years have been big for federal industrial policy, funneling billions into industries that have historically been union-friendly and well paying. Here's how those laws can change the labor market for the better.
How ARPA Funding Has Improved the Labor Market
COMMENTARY | Pandemic aid from the American Rescue Plan Act has helped reduce unemployment, improve pay and offer much needed child care services for working families.
The Case for Expanding Industrial Policy to Cover Service Jobs
A Harvard professor has a proposal for how government economic development investments could be shifted to better meet workforce and employer needs in the coming years.
Worker Rights Are Getting a Major Shake Up
COMMENTARY | California’s Fast Recovery Act gives low-wage workers a seat at the table with franchisees, corporations and the government to help set industry-wide labor standards, creating a model for others to follow.
New York Legislative Staffers Optimistic About Union
After going public with their campaign in July, organizers say momentum has continued to grow.
California's Sweeping New Labor Law for the Fast-Food Industry
It creates a path to mandate wages up to $22 an hour, among other provisions. Advocates who backed the first-in-the-nation effort say they plan to push for similar legislation in other states.
New Index Ranks Best and Worst States for Workers
Researchers looked at over two dozen types of policies in all 50 states as part of their analysis.
Inflation Pushes Minimum Wages Higher in Some States
Minimum wages will increase in 13 states and Washington, D.C., next year due to inflation.
Despite New Funding, Infrastructure Jobs Prove Tough to Fill
Projects can't get built without the right workers, but a National League of Cities analysis shows how hiring for infrastructure jobs can be time consuming compared to other fields. NLC also offers tips for how governments can help to ease the problem.
