Posts tagged unemployment benefits
Connecticut governor vetoes bill that could lead to $3 million in assistance to striking workers
June 14, 2024 // Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont on Tuesday vetoed a vaguely written bill to create a $3 million fund that could have financially helped striking workers in Connecticut. Calling it commendable to provide assistance to low-wage workers, as the bill was described on the final night of the 2024 legislative session, Lamont said he was concerned about how the legislation lacked clarity, financial accountability and oversight.
PA legislation to give striking workers unemployment benefits passes first hurdle
November 1, 2023 // Representative Mandy Steele, a co-sponsor of the Pennsylvania bill, said in a statement, “In light of the ongoing strike for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette union members and the high concentration of unions in western Pennsylvania, we must protect employees by making them eligible for unemployment compensation,” Steele said. “With this bill, we may ensure employees can continue to provide for themselves and their families.” The legislation passed out of committee by a party line vote of 14-11 and moves to the House for a vote.
Anderson Economic Group, LLC Reports Strike-Induced Auto Industry Losses Exceed $9.3 Billion
October 26, 2023 // Anderson Economic Group, LLC, a boutique economic consultancy based in Michigan, has calculated that the 2023 UAW strike against Detroit’s three top automakers has surpassed $9.3 billion in economic losses for the auto industry. These calculations encompass losses through the fifth full strike week, which ended at midnight on October 19. These figures do not include plant closures, additional strike targets, or layoffs that took effect on or after Friday, October 19. These will be included in our loss calculations in the sixth and any successive weeks. OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer, in this case referring to Ford, GM, and Stellantis.
AUTOS Ford lays off 700 who were building electric version of F-150
October 17, 2023 // The company said it will temporarily cut one of the three shifts at its Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan, near the company's main headquarters. It will rotate the layoffs between the three shifts. Ford had temporarily closed the plant this summer to upgrade its production capability, and the company said this latest layoff is related to "multiple constraints, including the supply chain and working through processing and delivering vehicles held for quality checks after restarting production in August."
Union-backed bills pose biggest challenges to cities
October 16, 2023 // The reasons: a tight labor market with unemployment under 4% and pro-union policies by the Biden administration. But one reason not cited is the difficulty of fighting union power in one-party, Democratic states such as California, New York and Illinois. Indeed, the SEIU’s clout was shown this month when Newsom appointed Laphonza Butler to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the late Dianne Feinstein. Most recently the head of Emily’s List, Butler was before that president of SEIU California, representing 700,000 California workers. Through its contributions, the SEIU has a stranglehold on hundreds of local officials in the state. When Republican clout is moribund – and the party seemingly can’t get its act together, as most glaringly in California – there’s no countervailing power to union demands. Urban residents are most dependent on public services and the tourism and entertainment industries represented by these newly energized unions. Strikes always are disruptive and can paralyze an economy, damaging city finances and driving away businesses. The rusted-out remnant of Detroit, until the 1960s dubbed the Paris of the West, is a cautionary example. But one California economic sector will benefit for sure: moving companies. Better pack up before they’re unionized, too.
Gov. Newsom rejects bill to give unemployment checks to striking workers
October 2, 2023 // The fund the state uses to pay unemployment benefits is already more than $18 billion in debt. That's because the fund ran out of money and had to borrow from the federal government during the pandemic, when Newsom ordered most businesses to close and caused a massive spike in unemployment. The fund was also beset by massive amounts of fraud that cost the state billions of dollars.
Opinion: Few Californians Belong, But Unions Scored Big in Legislature this Year
September 26, 2023 // The state’s Unemployment Insurance Fund, or UIF, which is supported by payroll taxes on employers, has about a $15 billion deficit because the state borrowed heavily from the federal government to keep benefit checks flowing during the downturn sparked by Newsom’s orders shutting down much of the state’s economy to battle COVID-19. If the state doesn’t repay the loans, which is likely, the federal government imposes higher payroll taxes on employers to settle the debt. Employers want a veto. Citing the UIF’s crushing debt, Newsom indicated that he’s skeptical.
‘I want to work’: UAW members face financial turmoil amid strike, share frustrations
September 22, 2023 // "This doesn't just affect me," Mitchell said. "This plant runs the city. This is affecting other people because now our suppliers are out of work. And the way they said it works in Ohio is, if you are laid off because of a strike you can't get unemployment." Desia Clement, a spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, confirmed that workers involved in a labor dispute such as a strike may not be eligible for unemployment benefits, but noted that every claim is unique and decided on a case-by-case basis.
Newsom in the hot seat after California passes bill to give striking workers unemployment benefits
September 15, 2023 // At an event hosted by Politico on Tuesday, the governor expressed concerns about the unemployment insurance fund's debt but didn't say whether he would veto the bill. California's unemployment fund is more than $18 billion in debt after it borrowed money from the federal government to pay for unemployment benefits. "I think one has to be cautious about that before you enter the conversation about expanding its utilization," Newsom said. Democrats, on the other hand, have been voicing their support for the unions.
California proposes paying unemployment benefits to striking workers
August 24, 2023 // One of the main sponsors of the bill, state Sen. Anthony Portantino, said, “I think there’s more of a recognition that hardworking men and women need to have a seat at the table to discuss economic expansion.” He added, “It is embarrassing for California that we don’t have unemployment insurance for striking workers.” The deadline for California lawmakers to introduce new bills was in February, but state legislators can still rework unrelated bills, in a move called “gut-and-amend,” to circumvent the missed deadline and include the new language. The last-minute legislative push is backed by the California Labor Federation, which is led by former state Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez. When Gonzalez tried to pass a similar bill in 2019, it eventually passed both chambers but was vetoed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.