The hottest Labor Rights Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top U.S. Politics Topics

Getting serious about wage theft

Popular Information • 6918 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Policy Legislation Labor Rights
  1. Over $203 million in wages were stolen from workers in New York between 2017 and 2021, with the most theft happening in industries like restaurants, health care, and construction.
  2. New York lawmakers are introducing bills to combat wage theft by suspending licenses, certificates, and issuing stop-work orders for businesses that violate wage laws.
  3. States like California and Colorado are also taking action against wage theft by holding accountable large companies and subcontractors who exploit workers by stealing wages.

The fleecing of America's hourly workers

Popular Information • 10947 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Labor Rights Enforcement
  1. More than 200,000 hourly workers in the US are owed $163.3 million in back pay due to wage theft violations.
  2. Industries with high instances of wage theft include food services, health care, and construction.
  3. Many workers cannot recover their lost wages due to binding arbitration agreements that prevent them from filing claims or participating in class action lawsuits.

Put your Kid to Work Day

New Means • 2771 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Labor Rights Legislation Capitalism Inequality
  1. Child labor violations have increased by 50% in 2023, resulting in tragic accidents and deaths of young workers.
  2. Multiple state legislatures are working to weaken child labor laws, allowing kids to work longer hours in dangerous jobs.
  3. The push for child labor is tied to capitalist interests seeking to further exploit and profit off of vulnerable populations, including children.
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Why I'm on strike

Read Max • 2150 implied HN points • 03 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Labor Rights Entertainment industry Artificial Intelligence Media industry
  1. The author is on strike from their writing work due to concerns about changing compensation structures and exploitation in the entertainment industry.
  2. The strike aims to protect writers from exploitation by studios and streaming platforms, ensuring fair compensation and job stability.
  3. The Writers Guild of America is specifically addressing the potential impact of artificial intelligence on the writing profession during the negotiations.

The Market Economy Fight

Vietnam Weekly • 98 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Economy Labor Rights
  1. Vietnam is in a debate over its market economy label by the US Commerce Department.
  2. Vietnamese labor exports are growing significantly, impacting both the economy and international relations.
  3. Tết time in Vietnam is colorful and vibrant with flower vendors all around.

New Exhibition: The People's Cathedral

Labor Intensive Art • 216 implied HN points • 08 Sep 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Exhibition Craft Labor Rights Museum
  1. Tabitha Arnold's first solo exhibition titled 'The People's Cathedral' is opening at the Workers Art and Heritage Centre in Hamilton, Ontario.
  2. The exhibition focuses on labor history as portrayed in art and craft objects, aligning with Arnold's textile practice that gained popularity during the 2020 lockdown.
  3. Arnold will be engaging with diverse worker's rights movements in Hamilton, including leading workshops and discussions with various groups.

“Superstore” Is A Pro-Labor Classic

JoeWrote • 22 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture TV shows Labor Rights Social Commentary
  1. Superstore is a show that portrays the struggles and realities of America's minimum wage workers, highlighting issues like low pay and being treated as expendable by corporate bosses.
  2. The character Jonah in Superstore represents the guilty white liberal, contrasting with majority-POC working-class characters who are more accustomed to exploitation. The show tackles themes like union busting and the use of undocumented workers to suppress labor rights.
  3. Superstore goes beyond the typical narrative of workplace sitcoms by delving into serious topics like exploitation, deportation threats, and the harsh realities of capitalism, making it a pro-labor classic.

Let's Talk About Union Busting Through Media Narratives

The 21st Century Proletarian • 59 implied HN points • 26 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Labor Rights Media influence Unionization
  1. Media often portrays workers fighting for their rights as villains, amplifying employer interests to create negative narratives against unions.
  2. Employers use divisive tactics to pit union members against non-union workers, fostering a false belief that their interests conflict.
  3. Growing union membership among workers is crucial to shifting the narrative, building solidarity, and empowering workers to advocate for fair treatment.

Strikepost #1: The Kirkby Rent Strikes (1972)

The 21st Century Proletarian • 19 implied HN points • 28 Aug 22
🎭️ Culture History Social movements Labor Rights Activism Community Building
  1. A self-organised women's group initiated a 14-month-long strike in the Kirkby Rent Strikes of 1972, highlighting the importance of worker-tenant collaboration.
  2. The Kirkby Rent Strikes failed due to a lack of national response and support from worker unions, showing the necessity for tenant and worker organizations to work together for impactful class struggle.
  3. Lessons from the Kirkby Rent Strikes emphasize the power of solidarity between tenants and workers, showcasing the need for strong unions to engage in timely initiatives for successful collective action.

Internecine internet drama

Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends • 0 implied HN points • 04 Feb 22
🎭️ Culture Internet Social media Labor Rights Music Literature
  1. The aftermath of r/antiwork on Reddit showcased a shift in sentiments towards work, leading to a restructuring of the subreddit with new factions emerging.
  2. Various new subreddits like r/WorkReform and r/WorkersStrikeBack have gained significant traction advocating for workers' rights and strikes.
  3. There is a rise in niche micro-aesthetics across music, design, and fashion, with subcultures like 'bellhopcore' and 'avant apocalypse' shaping trends.

The Great Rebellion in The Kingdom of Long Hours

Once Upon A News • 0 implied HN points • 21 Mar 23
🌍 World Politics Protest Youth Labor Rights
  1. The rulers proposed a 69-hour work week in the Kingdom of Long Hours, causing unrest among the hardworking citizens.
  2. The young generations, including millennials and Gen Z, united to protest against the decree for more work hours.
  3. The rulers, faced with the uprising, vowed to listen to the voices of the younger generations and reconsider their proposal to protect the rights of their workers.