Posts tagged low-income
Commentary: Two huge California unions clash over money, political clout this election season
June 12, 2026 // This year’s race for governor is one arena for that rivalry. Service Employees International Union, the parent of SEIU-UHW, is backing former Attorney General Xavier Becerra, the leading Democrat. The CTA has supported billionaire Tom Steyer, who has repeatedly pledged to pursue one of the teachers’ holy grails, removing Prop. 13’s property tax limits on commercial property, which would generate more money for schools. The two unions also are at odds over details in the state budget, such as financing preschool programs. The state Senate’s version of the budget would shift preschool support into the Prop. 98 segment of the budget, thus freeing up money that could go to health care. CTA sees that as a raid on school funds.
Lawmakers Consider Hiking Fees for Filling Prescriptions
June 8, 2026 // In response to that opposition, the bill’s sponsors amended the bill to exempt the “collectively bargained” health plans covering union members. It also does not apply to Medicare or the “self-insured” health plans offered by most large employers, which are exempt from state regulation by federal law. As a result, the bill primarily targets the health plans purchased from insurance companies by small and medium-sized employers – where it will add to premium costs that are already among the highest in the U.S.
“This Sucks”: WGA West’s Internal Battle Continues As Writers Join Staff Union’s Picket Line
February 26, 2026 // In public messaging, the WGA has tried to assure its own members that this strike would have no effect on the writers union’s upcoming negotiations with the AMPTP. With an industry still reeling from a major global production contraction, all eyes are on the above-the-line unions who are set to make new deals with the major studios in the coming months after a contentious round of 2023 bargaining that led to historically long, dual writers and actors strikes. Membership on the picket lines Tuesday seemed dissuaded by the attempts from leadership to cast aside the staff’s contributions to the bargaining cycle.
Union Activists Launch Full Scale Attack on Students, Families in AZ
February 8, 2026 // But now, the same sorts of union activists who called for shuttering schools during the pandemic and who unleashed unprecedented learning loss upon our public school students are now trying to smother the state’s flourishing ESA program. Despite the effort to paint this campaign as “protecting education,” it is nothing more than direct attack on students and families.
Commentary: ‘The Safety of Our Children’
September 11, 2025 // Here’s an interesting perspective from within the estimated 8,300 public comments that the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development uploaded last week, with regard to its proposed independent-contractor rule. Denise Lanza, co-chair of the New Jersey Recreation and Park Association Public Affairs Committee, filed a comment that explains how the rule-making would make it a challenge for the statewide parks and recreation community to hire people like youth league umpires and coaches, or yoga instructors for senior citizens at community centers.
Republican senators unveil “portable benefits” bill for gig workers
July 7, 2025 // Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-L.A.) unveiled a bill on Monday that would make it easier for companies to offer benefits to gig workers without making them full-fledged employees. Why it matters: As more Americans turn to gig work and self-employment, there's a growing push to get them access to things like paid sick leave, health insurance and retirement benefits. Zoom in: Called the Unlocking Benefits for Independent Workers Act, the bill is part of legislative package from Cassidy, along with Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). Both also plan on unveiling related bills Monday.
Oakland children’s hospital workers end strike after judge denies injunction
June 30, 2025 // Employees at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in Oakland will be back at work on Monday after deciding to end their strike. According to the National Union of Healthcare Workers, a federal judge denied their request to stop UCSF Health from proceeding to cancel union contracts.
Chicago school board OKs $139M to fund new teacher contract, launches equity initiatives
April 27, 2025 // “We’re doing everything we can to shield as much as we can, as we plan for the upcoming budget season,” said Ben Felton, the district’s chief talent officer, in a presentation touting the CPS teacher recruitment process to board members. “But maintaining staffing levels will require additional revenue, and there’s no disillusionment around that.” To address disparities that persist between Black students and other student groups in terms of discipline, academic achievement and access to rigorous academic courses and extracurricular activities, the school board passed a resolution codifying its Black Student Achievement Committee, chaired by board member Jitu Brown, of District 6, on the city’s West Side.
Restaurant Minimum Wage Hurting Businesses and the Workers Proponents Seek to Help
January 10, 2025 // For fast food operators, it’s not just this latest minimum wage increase. Since 2013, their minimum wages have increased from $8 to $20, which is 2.5 times. It’s unsurprising that they’re slashing jobs, cutting hours and raising prices. This also coincides with a major turn towards automation. Of course, automation is driven by many factors, not just increased labor costs – but they certainly don’t help.
Commentary: Connecticut General Assembly Goes Full Authoritarian
May 14, 2024 // It wasn’t until CT Mirror reported on Saturday (May 4) that the bill was actually being used to pay workers choosing to strike and that the language was changed as “an attempt to resolve a standoff by the Connecticut AFL-CIO and Gov. Ned Lamont.” During the late night Senate debate, Sen. Eric Berthel (R-Watertown) asked the bill’s proponent and chair of the Labor and Public Employees Committee, Sen. Julie Kushner (D-Danbury) about the account’s purpose. However, Sen. Kushner responded by simply reciting the language in the bill, providing no substantive answers.