Posts tagged Job Losses
LA hotels hit by largest job losses in a decade as ‘Olympic wage’ mandates bite, data shows
June 11, 2026 // "This is the largest year-over-year drop in the hotel industry in a decade (barring losses related to COVID)," the EPI noted in its report. "While countywide the minimum wage reached $17.81 an hour last year (higher than the state’s $16.50 hourly mandate), the City of Los Angeles also increased its hotel-specific minimum wage mandate up to $22.50 an hour."
JD Vance Courts Sean O’Brien and the Teamsters
June 1, 2026 // Mr. O’Brien is desperate for a win in Washington to sell to his 1.3 million members as he runs for re-election. Some Republicans in Congress seem eager to give him one—maybe two—as they seek to burnish their bona fides as defenders of the working class. These Republicans are doing more to help Democrats—the primary beneficiaries of Teamster campaign donations—than workers. The Teamsters’ membership has shrunk by nearly half since the 1970s amid a broader decline in organized labor. Technology has improved productivity. At the same time, jobs have migrated to states with right-to-work laws, which prohibit unions and employers from making union membership a condition of employment. The Teamsters have also lost rank-and-file support. Between 2016 and 2025, members filed 373 petitions to decertify the Teamsters, according to Reason magazine. Some 60% of the decertification elections succeeded. You can’t blame union members for wearying of paying dues that bankroll Democratic candidates and lavish lifestyles of union leaders. In the 2023-24 election cycle, 92% of Teamsters PAC donations to federal candidates went to Democrats, as did 91% of the union’s contributions to party committees.
After AI layoffs, Newsom orders state government to find ways to ease the pain
May 23, 2026 // In February, AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler, members of the California Labor Federation and labor leaders in Democratic primary states pledged to pull support for a Newsom 2028 presidential campaign if he didn’t take steps to protect workers from artificial intelligence. Newsom’s veto of the predecessor of the No Robo Bosses Act was named as a reason for that pledge. In a statement shared with CalMatters, California Labor Federation president Lorena Gonzalez said the executive order is welcome but not enough
Alcohol giant lays off 1,750 workers after abruptly quitting business in California
July 6, 2025 // Republic National has not suggested that politics have played a role in its decision, but it is re-investing in Texas with 100 new jobs. President and CEO Bob Hendrickson said: 'This decision is driven by rising operational costs, industry headwinds, and supplier changes that made the market unsustainable.'
California lost 11,600 net jobs in March, nearly half of new jobs from welfare
May 7, 2025 // California lost a net 11,600 jobs in March as private sector job losses exceeded taxpayer-funded job gains, the plurality of which came from a single welfare program in which Californians are paid minimum wage to care for family members. The California Center for Jobs and the Economy’s analysis for state and employment for March 2025 found the state lost a net 26,800 private sector jobs, while government and taxpayer-funded employment grew by 15,200 jobs.
SEIU Researchers Admit $20 Wage Law Caused Fast Food Job Losses
February 27, 2025 // As EPI notes, the evidence is from an unexpected source: “…the same labor union that pushed for the $20 policy.” “EPI has been a leading voice on the consequences of this law, releasing multiple reports based on government data that show the state’s $20 minimum wage is costing jobs. In an attempt to cover up these consequences, unions have supported biased researchers who are supportive of $20.”
California’s $20 Fast-Food Minimum Wage: Job Losses, Higher Food Prices, Increased Automation
February 19, 2025 // The BRG study found, “California’s fast-food restaurants lost 10,700 jobs between June 2023 and June 2024, making it the worst performing year outside of a recession, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, food prices at local restaurants have increased by 14.5% since the legislation was signed, nearly double the national average. AB 1228 was signed into law in October 2023 by Governor Gavin Newsom, creating the new $20 minimum wage for fast food employees – a massive 25% increase from the $16 minimum wage.
Commentary: In New Record Low, Unionization Rate Falls to Single Digits in 2024
February 3, 2025 // By focusing on individual workers’ desires and on helping workers achieve long-term wage gains through increased productivity (which require allowing technology and automation that enhance productivity), unions could begin to reverse their decline. And policymakers can help prioritize workers’ rights and voices by allowing voluntary labor organizations and reducing government-imposed barriers to work.
Record UAW Contracts = Record UAW Layoffs
June 10, 2024 // Mapped out, the numbers are staggering. Thousands of employees missed paychecks or were forced to find new jobs across five states as automakers cut shifts and pared back production. A 25 percent pay raise sounds good in theory, but if Ford cuts a third of its 150 Lighting shifts at the Rouge to cover that expense, then the auto workers affected may be worse off than they were before the new contract. Although no automaker has escaped unscathed, the blow has fallen hardest on UAW members at Stellantis. Since the UAW and Stellantis came to the new contract agreement, over 1,300 UAW members at the company have permanently lost their jobs, alongside thousands more temporarily laid off as the company tries to control rising labor costs.
Fast food chains find a way around $20 minimum wage: Get rid of the workers
April 26, 2024 // The layoffs present a stark reality for employees and their unions, who have long advocated for wage increments. Workers at well-known chains such as Pizza Hut and Round Table pizza restaurants have also felt the impact, with job losses reported following statements from management about the unsustainable nature of the new wage costs. Meanwhile, major fast food players including McDonald’s, Chipotle, and Starbucks have signaled intentions to offset the increased expenses by raising prices.