Labor
‘Why not us?’ Nannies, housekeepers win labor protections in some states
When she first started working as an au pair, Edy Dominguez earned less than the minimum wage and went without paid sick time or overtime pay for extra-long weeks. That’s because domestic workers, including nannies, housekeepers and home health workers, have historically been excluded from the basic labor protections most workers enjoy. “There are standards […]
Richmond janitors file federal complaints alleging discrimination and retaliation
Two Richmond janitors have filed federal complaints against Nu-Tech Janitorial Services, accusing the company of disability discrimination and retaliation linked to their union activity. Clarissa McGhee, a janitor at the Marshall Plaza municipal building, says she intermittently uses a cane due to arthritis but has never let it interfere with her work — until she […]
US adds 227,000 jobs in what analysts say is a healthy economy
The economy added 227,000 jobs in November, making for a strong jobs report despite a slight increase in the unemployment rate. Although the labor market has cooled this year, the Trump administration stands to inherit a fairly healthy labor market, with decent job growth across many sectors. The number of jobs was bolstered by the […]
Workforce housing directive to bolster economic development and new home construction in Virginia
Virginia will help fund housing construction near major business developments, Gov. Glenn Younkgin announced this week. A new executive order, on the heels of an announcement about a major manufacturing development near Danville, sets a goal of investing $75 million towards localities that want to bolster housing supply tied to new job creation over the […]
Manufacturing already has made a comeback
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, McLean County, Illinois, was known mostly as the home of State Farm Insurance in Bloomington and Illinois State University in Normal. Now, the area illustrates a trend that’s bringing more factories to small cities with lower costs of living: It has thousands of new jobs manufacturing Rivian electric vehicles and a […]
Fed cuts interest rates heading into end of Biden White House and looking to Trump’s 2nd term
The Federal Reserve cut its key rate on Thursday — one of many factors that will decide what kind of economy Americans remember from President Joe Biden’s final days in office and what President-elect Donald Trump is left with at the start of his second term. The Federal Reserve cut the rate by a quarter […]
Port of Virginia receives $380 million award to bolster sustainability efforts
The Virginia Port Authority will receive $380 million in federal funding to purchase new zero-emission cargo handling equipment and charging infrastructure. According to members of Virginia’s congressional delegation, the funding was provided through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Ports grant program, stemming from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, designed to address and support […]
Cargo delays expected as workers strike at East, Gulf Coast ports, including Port of Virginia
As experts anticipated, members of the International Longshoremen’s Association went on strike Tuesday, hoping to settle on a new agreement with the United States Maritime Alliance, leaving cargo in limbo at East and Gulf Coast ports, including at the Port of Virginia. Workers want better pay and restrictions on how automation can be used at […]
Trump and Harris, with starkly different records on labor issues, are both courting union voters
Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and Republican nominee Donald Trump are in a tight race for the White House. Every voting bloc will count – including members of labor unions and other people in their households. The majority of union leaders have over generations endorsed Democratic candidates, and this race is no exception. Although rank-and-file union members have […]
U.S. unemployment rises as the Fed holds tight on key interest rates
The unemployment rate climbed to 4.3% in July, up 0.2% from June, the Friday employment report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows, alarming some economists who believe the Federal Reserve has waited too long to cut interest rates. The economy added 114,000 jobs and the number of people who were on temporary layoff rose by 249,000. […]
Working-class people rarely have a seat ‘at the legislative table’ in state capitols
In her first few months as a Minnesota state legislator in 2021, state Rep. Kaela Berg often wondered: “What the hell am I doing here?” A single mother and flight attendant without a college degree or prior political experience, Berg now had a seat at the legislative table, shaping policy decisions in her home state. […]
Bill to require salary ranges in job posts, bar salary history requests advances
Amid a docket of new policy proposals, a Virginia Senate panel heard a familiar one Monday when Sen. Jennifer Boysko again presented legislation to require employers to list a wage or salary range in all job postings and prohibit them from asking prospective employees for a salary history. “This is the eighth time I have […]