Amazon recently announced an increase in the average starting wage for their workers to $18 per hour. Diane Burton and Tae Youn Park weigh in on what this change will mean for workers, managers and the broader industry.

Labor Relations & Human Resources

Industrial and Labor Relations

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New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today that public schools will not fully reopen for the upcoming school year. New York City students will return to school on a limited basis with only one to three days a week of in-person education and remote learning the remainder of the days. Noliwe Rooks, expert in cultural and racial implications for education says Mayor de Blasio needs to immediately outline plans for supporting low-income Black and Latinx children, and their families, who will be greatly impacted by this plan.

New York City

Arts and Sciences

Industrial and Labor Relations

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Workers voted to form unions at all three of Ithaca’s Starbucks, making it the first city to have all its locations unionized. 

Industrial and Labor Relations

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As President Biden continues to promote his infrastructure bill, concerns are rising as the U.S. faces a shortage of skilled workers to fill the positions needed in construction, transportation and energy. Art Wheaton says as long as there are long-term assurances of jobs, training and apprenticeship programs will aid in filling those positions.

Industrial and Labor Relations

Law, Government & Public Policy

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Olúfémi Táíwò, professor of Africana studies, and Noliwe Rooks, director of American studies and professor of Africana studies, comment on the city of Evanston approving a reparations program.

Law and Policy

Arts and Sciences

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Shannon Gleeson, professor of labor relations, law and history at Cornell University, says the Biden administrations granting of Temporary Protected Status to Venezuelans in the U.S., while providing much needed work authorization, will present challenges in its implementation.

Labor Relations & Human Resources

Industrial and Labor Relations

Law and Policy

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Rick Geddes comments on the recent oil spill in California and how it may represent problems with America's aging infrastructure. 

Law and Policy

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Starting Wednesday, workers at three Starbucks coffee shops in and around Buffalo, New York will have four weeks to vote on whether to unionize. Kate Bronfenbrenner says Starbucks has reason to be worried with Workers United leading the unionizing efforts. Cathy Creighton is also available for interviews.

Industrial and Labor Relations

Economics and Business

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A bill to amend federal labor laws and expand guarantees for unionized workers is headed to the House next week. Kate Bronfenbrenner, director of labor education research and a senior lecturer at Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations, says that the bill must be paired with union efforts to build grassroot support.

Economics and Business

Industrial and Labor Relations

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Contract negotiations between Starbucks and union workers have already stalled. The latest issue, Starbucks refusing to resume bargaining if the union allows workers to join meetings remotely. Kate Bronfenbrenner, Cathy Creighton and Angela Cornell are available for interviews.

Labor Relations & Human Resources

Industrial and Labor Relations

Law and Policy

Law School

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