Tesla has backtracked on a plan to have some workers to return to work before San Francisco Bay area stay-at-home orders are scheduled to expire. The company, expected to report quarterly earnings on Wednesday, said production at its Fremont, California plant will not resume this week. Arthur Wheaton says management is trying to save the company from bankruptcy, but opting for an early opening would be risky and possibly illegal.

Economics and Business

Industrial and Labor Relations

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Teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) went on strike this week after the teacher’s union and district leadership failed to reach agreement about class sizes, pay and school resources. Lee Adler, an expert on education and collective bargaining at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, says the strength of the union enables LAUSD teachers to voice their demands, and may even counter a charter school movement in Los Angeles.

Law and Policy

Economics and Business

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Health care facilities have been at the forefront of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The challenges that hospitals are facing include a scarcity of supplies, exponential increase in patients, and broader need to keep health care workers safe by ensuring that they are working in sterile environments. Adam Seth Litwin, associate professor of industrial labor relations at Cornell University’s ILR School, says that for years hospitals have been increasingly relying on contractors to clean facilities, thereby delegating crucial disinfection responsibilities to workers with protections or ties to the institution. 

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Labor advocates in New York state are pushing to secure benefits and protection for gig-economy workers by setting a new standard for what qualifies as an ‘independent contractor.’ The proposed law uses an approach called the ‘ABC test’ to determine if a worker is an employee. At an unrelated press conference earlier this week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signaled interest in redefining workers’ status. Maria Figueroa, director of Labor and Policy Research at the Cornell University ILR School’s Worker Institute, says that beyond protecting workers’ rights, the coalition’s approach is also potentially beneficial to state’s tax revenue base.

New York State

Industrial and Labor Relations

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Cornell University’s Shannon Gleeson, a professor of labor relations, law and history at the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, comments on Trump's highly anticipated budget proposal will include $23 billion devoted to building a border wall along Mexico’s border and increased investment in immigration enforcement.

Law, Government & Public Policy

Industrial and Labor Relations

Business, Economics & Entrepreneurship

Cornell in DC

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On Thursday, teachers in Chicago went on a strike after their union (CTU) rejected a deal from the Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Lee Adler, an expert on education and collective bargaining at Cornell University’s ILR School, says that to the union’s decision not to take the city’s offer stems from a desire to fix more than just teachers’ salaries.   

Industrial and Labor Relations

Labor Relations & Human Resources

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This week, sources at Ford Motor Company told reporters that the automaker plans to cut 10 percent of its salaried jobs in North America and Asia, amidst a larger effort to reduce costs. Arthur Wheaton, an automotive expert and senior extension associate with Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, says the decision to trim salaried positions allows Ford to implement cuts faster as its stock price slides and profits dwindle.

Industrial and Labor Relations

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The coronavirus pandemic is putting significant pressure on some retailers to expand their workforce and adapt to growing demands for essential goods, such as pharmacy products, food, and take out dining. Companies like Walmart, CVS and Amazon, have all announced plans to hire tens, sometimes hundreds of thousands of new employees. Patricia Campos-Medina, is co-director of the New York State/AFL-CIO Union Leadership Institute at Cornell University’s ILR School. She says that at this critical time, we need to demand more than just an increase in jobs.

Industrial and Labor Relations

Economics and Business

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Airport workers in New York City’s main airports are mobilizing to support a bill that will increase employees’ pay to nearly $18 an hour. New York lawmakers are expected to vote on the legislation before the end of the current legislative session.

Industrial and Labor Relations

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Cornell University experts are available to weigh in on Congress taking up either Biden's immigration wide-ranging bill or smaller pieces of legislation, offering historical, legal and labor perspectives.

Law and Policy

Industrial and Labor Relations

Arts and Sciences

Law School

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