Business + Labor
U of M graduate instructors approve strike authorization
Faced with steep cost of living increases, including burdensome rents, unionized graduate student workers at the University of Michigan voted Thursday night to authorize a strike should union leaders determine it’s necessary in an effort to secure increased wages in their new contract. Ninety-five percent of the Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO) AFT Local 3500 members […]
Unions praise Whitmer for signing Right to Work repeal, prevailing wage restoration bills
Updated, 3:16 p.m., 3/24/23 Unions and other pro-labor groups on Friday celebrated the signing of a set of bills to reverse GOP former Gov. Rick Snyder-era laws that have curtailed union power and pushed down wages. Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday afternoon signed House Bills 4004 and 4007 and Senate Bill 34. HB 4004 […]
Native American agricultural leaders detail farm bill priorities at U.S. Senate hearing
WASHINGTON — A roundtable of Native American agricultural leaders at a recent U.S. Senate hearing lobbied for increased sovereignty and social justice in the coming farm bill by expanding tribes’ jurisdiction over U.S. Department of Agriculture programs. It’s called “638” authority and refers to Public Law 93-638, which gives tribes the power to manage certain federal […]
Members of Congress blast TikTok CEO as bipartisan support for U.S. ban looks possible
A U.S. House panel grilled TikTok’s CEO for more than five hours Thursday over the social media giant’s ties to China, and indicated there may be bipartisan consensus for a national ban on the platform. Members of both parties showed an unusual level of agreement during tough questioning of TikTok CEO Shou Chew. Several members […]
Stop dumping toxic train-derailment waste in metro Detroit, lawsuit says
A Wayne County man is suing Norfolk Southern Corp. for exposing communities to “potential significant harm” when it transported and disposed hazardous waste from the Ohio train derailment to Wayne County facilities last month. The lawsuit in Wayne County Circuit Court alleges the company endangered the community by not properly monitoring the toxic waste before […]
Column: Expanding affordable housing access will improve health and education outcomes for kids
Our state has long failed children, particularly those from families with low incomes, when it comes to education. According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Kids Count project, for the last two decades, Michigan has ranked near the bottom of the states in education, with the rate of fourth-graders not proficient in reading and eighth-graders […]
Democratic report on U.S. debt default predicts disrupted benefits for seniors, veterans
WASHINGTON — Congress’ Joint Economic Committee released a report Thursday detailing the economic repercussions of defaulting on the nation’s debt, adding fuel to the fire as Democrats pressed Republicans to address the nation’s borrowing limit without tying action to spending cuts. The report, from Democratic staff on the bipartisan Joint Economic Committee, says that a […]
U.S. Senate committee postpones vote on Denver airport chief’s nomination to lead FAA
The U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee postponed a scheduled vote Wednesday on Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington’s nomination to lead the Federal Aviation Administration. The panel’s chairwoman, Washington Democrat Maria Cantwell, said the vote would be held at an unspecified future date and offered few details about why it was pushed. The […]
Michiganders who endured power outages demand justice during public meetings
Michiganders used words and phrases like “frightening,” “service is garbage,” and “horrible,” when describing their challenges without power for hours — and in many cases, days — during a set of public hearings. The Michigan Public Service Commission (MSPC) on Tuesday concluded the third of three public meetings designed to hear from those impacted by […]
Priorities for rail safety bill debated in U.S. Senate hearing with Norfolk Southern CEO
Members of a U.S. Senate committee on Wednesday previewed what they would push for in bipartisan rail safety legislation likely to progress through Congress in the aftermath of the East Palestine, Ohio, derailment. Democrats and Republicans on the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hinted they wanted to strengthen requirements about reporting hazardous cargo, […]
Right to Work, prevailing wage bills clear final passage in Democratic-led Legislature
Both chambers of the Michigan Legislature advanced more pro-labor legislation on Tuesday, with two bills being ordered for enrollment and two more now heading to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for her expected signature. House Bill 4004 and Senate Bill 34 will repeal the state’s Right to Work laws for both public and private sector employees, respectively. […]
Virginia senator defends rollback of U.S. banking rules, blames managers for bank failures
WASHINGTON — The recent bank failures that shocked the markets and caused a speedy government bailout were “basic prudential regulation failure” by management, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia said Monday. The Democratic senator, who sits on the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, told reporters he stands by his position that 2018 banking regulation […]