517,000 jobs were added in the U.S. in January and the unemployment rate fell slightly to 3.4 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. It’s a surprisingly strong report despite widespread layoffs in the tech industry recently and…
Tag: Labor
Demand for remote work remains high, despite companies rolling back virtual work arrangements
More job seekers are applying for remote positions, despite more companies choosing to bring their workers back into the office and roll back virtual work arrangements. According to a report by The Washington Post, fifty percent of job applications submitted on LinkedIn…
Musk’s Twitter a ‘case study on how not to treat employees’
As Twitter faces an employee exodus, professor of human resource studies Rebecca Kehoe is available for interviews on how the recent chaos is an example for other companies on how not to treat workers. Kehoe says: “With predictions of a looming recession,…
Wages trump safety standards for global apparel workers
Factory workers in apparel supply chains are more likely to quit due to wage and benefit violations, relative to violations of other code provisions, such as environment protection and safety standards, according to new Cornell University ILR School research.
Twitter layoffs ‘callous’, possibly in violation of federal, state law
A lawsuit was filed against Twitter for allegedly violating California’s WARN Act by failing to give enough notice about ongoing mass layoffs. Cathy Creighton is the director of the Buffalo Co-Lab at Cornell’s ILR School and a labor law expert. She can speak to the…
NYC pay transparency law could help – and hinder – employees
Starting November 1, New York City employers will be required to disclose minimum and maximum salaries for job openings. Tae-Youn Park, associate professor of human resource studies in the Cornell ILR School, examines how employment policies and practices, such as…
GW Expert Available to Discuss September Jobs Report & Labor Market Trends
263,000 U.S. jobs were added in the month of September and the unemployment rate edged down to 3.5 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. One business professor at the George Washington University says today’s report shows that…
September jobs report: Expect growth, early signs of economic stall
On Friday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics will release unemployment figures for the month of September. Russell Weaver, an economic geographer with Cornell University’s ILR School Buffalo Co-Lab, says while Friday’s BLS data is expected to show job growth,…
Testimony to Congress outlines employer anti-union efforts
Most employers continue to engage in coercive and retaliatory practices to limit union activity, a Cornell University labor relations expert told the U.S. House of Representatives Labor Committee in testimony Sept. 14.
Failure to prevent rail strike could be ‘catastrophic’ for US business
The looming possibility of a national railroad strike has businesses nationwide concerned. Arthur Wheaton, expert on transportation industries – including trains, plans and automobiles – and director of labor studies at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, says a…
Labor and hospitality experts consider implications of historic CA fast food law
A coalition of restaurant owners have filed a referendum request to temporarily block California’s new law that gives more power to fast food workers. Patricia Campos-Medina, executive director of the Worker Institute at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor…
August job report: ‘Economic tea leaves difficult to read’
On Friday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics will release unemployment figures for the month of August. Erica Groshen, senior economics advisor at Cornell, is a labor statistics expert. She was also the former commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of…
Return-to-work deadlines spark faceoffs for flexible work
Apple employees are pushing back on the company’s forthcoming policy requiring workers to be in the office three days a week, launching a petition to demand more flexible working arrangements. Apple is just one of many companies calling for a…
Assessing state of worker power, economic opportunity in the US
A new landscape report conducted by Jake Rosenfeld, a professor of sociology at Washington University in St. Louis, and Ioana Marinescu examines the decline in worker power over the last several decades and outlines policy recommendations to rebalance the economic playing field.
Apprentices hone their writing, speaking skills through ISU-John Deere partnership
Through a partnership with John Deere, faculty in ISU’s English Department are helping high school apprentices sharpen their writing and speaking skills through a four-week communications training in Davenport, Waterloo and East Moline, Illinois.
Dodger Stadium strike vote a powerful opportunity for union
Concession workers at Dodger Stadium have threatened a strike ahead of next week’s All-Star Game festivities. Ariel Avgar, professor of labor relations, law and history, says timing in labor relations is essential. The Dodger Stadium workers bargaining for a new…
Phillip A. Hough, Ph.D., Selected for Fulbright Global Scholar Award
Phillip A. Hough, Ph.D., was selected for a Fulbright Global Scholar Award, based on his important sociological research in rural Colombia. The award will provide him with the opportunity to study the plight of coffee-producing farmers living across the “global coffee belt” regions of Latin America, Africa and East Asia.
Women resent compliments about communality at work
Women feel more frustrated than men by the gendered expectations placed on them at work, even when those expectations appear to signal women’s virtues and are seen as important for workplace advancement, according to new Cornell University research.
Exploitation, Corporate Responsibility, or State Regulation? A New Study on Public Perceptions of Global Supply Chains
The pandemic has contributed to an increased awareness of global supply chains, and people are increasingly concerned about labor exploitation and environmental degradation in the making of consumer products.
Pandemic worsened inequality for migrant fishers
The pandemic has exacerbated inequalities in the international fishing industry, according to a new report from Cornell University researchers and the International Labour Organization (ILO), who presented their findings at a virtual webinar April 27.
Unionized Nursing Homes Experienced Lower COVID-19 Resident Mortality and Worker Infection Rates
Residents and workers at unionized nursing homes experienced lower mortality and infection rates during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study published in the journal Health Affairs.
Migration treaty violations, trade central to U.S.-Mexico-Canada summit
President Joe Biden will meet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador at the White House this week to discuss the continued flow of migrants over the U.S.-Mexico border, trade, labor and other issues. Gustavo…
Starbucks has ‘reason to be worried’ ahead of union vote
Starting Wednesday, workers at three Starbucks coffee shops in and around Buffalo, New York will have four weeks to vote on whether to unionize. If they vote to organize, they will form the first-ever Starbucks union in the United States.…
Fed tapering could spur investment, increase labor demand
On Nov. 3, the Federal Reserve announced it would begin reducing the pace of its monthly bond purchases, a step toward more normal monetary policy. Erica Groshen is senior economics advisor at the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations,…
Cornell labor experts on strikes surging across the US
Thousands of U.S. workers across numerous industries have participated in strikes and other labor actions this fall. As the economy is recovering from the pandemic and a nationwide labor shortage, workers have more bargaining power and are using it to…
John Deere management ‘overestimated power’ in union negotiations
Workers at Deere & Company have rejected a contract proposal negotiated by their union for the second time, further extending their strike. Harry Katz, professor of collective bargaining at Cornell University’s School of Industrial & Labor Relations, says workers have…
Unions have ‘role to play’ in enforcement of Biden’s vaccine mandate
The Biden administration’s mandate that federal contract workers and workers at private-sector businesses be vaccinated against Covid-19 has stirred protests across the country. Patricia Campos-Medina, executive director of the Worker Institute at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations…
Staten Island Amazon union filing shows ‘lack of experience’
Amazon workers at four warehouses on Staten Island have filed a petition to form a union. Following the announcement, the company said they were “skeptical” enough legitimate signatures were gathered. Kate Bronfenbrenner, director of labor education research and a senior…
Structured management protocols help firms thrive
New Cornell University research from finds that companies with a culture of highly structured management practices were able to attract and keep top workers, and companies with structured operations practices attracted top-flight managers.
Amazon starting pay increase good for workers, comes with ‘big challenges’
Amazon recently announced an increase in the average starting wage for their workers to $18 per hour. The following Cornell University experts weigh in on what this change will mean for workers, managers and the broader industry. Diane Burton, human…
NYC food delivery workers face a ‘harrowing world’
New York City’s app-based delivery workers regularly face nonpayment or underpayment, unsanitary or unsafe working conditions and the risk of violence, according to a new Cornell University ILR School report.
Infrastructure plan needs training, long-term assurance of jobs
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, workplace and industry education specialist at Cornell’s School of Industrial…
Uber, UK union deal may have global ramifications for labor rights
Uber is formally recognizing British trade union GMB, which will mean it can represent drivers — a milestone for labor activists pushing for fairer working conditions. Maria Figueroa, director of labor and policy research at Cornell University’s Worker Institute, says…

Summer travel forecast: Mostly sunny
Travel experts predict a strong summer tourism season fueled by pent-up demand and eased COVID-19 restrictions. But increased bookings and revenue for restaurants will depend on continued success with controlling the pandemic and the ability of businesses to find labor.

Biden’s offshore wind goals ‘exactly what US needs’
Yesterday, the Biden administration announced a plan to designate a priority offshore wind zone between Long Island and New Jersey as part of a larger effort to overhaul U.S. energy production and fight climate change. Lara Skinner is the director of…
Union-friendly states enjoy higher economic growth, individual earnings
New research from Mildred Warner, professor of city and regional planning at Cornell University, shows that state laws designed to hinder union activity and indulge corporate entities do not enhance economic productivity.
SCOTUS case could render farmworker rights ‘meaningless’
The Supreme Court will hear arguments Monday in a case challenging the constitutionality of a California regulation that allows union organizers access to agricultural property to speak to farmworkers. Two property owners allege that the regulation violates the Fifth Amendment…
Farmworker legislation a major step toward stabilizing ag labor
This week the House of Representatives is expected to vote on the Farm Workforce Modernization Act as part of a broader immigration overhaul effort by President Biden. Richard Stup is an agricultural workforce specialist at Cornell University, who serves as liaison…
Tired at the Office? Take a Quick Break. Your Work Will Benefit.
Recent research shows that people are more likely to take “microbreaks” at work on days when they’re tired – but that’s not a bad thing. The researchers found microbreaks help tired employees engage with their work better over the course of the day.
Granting TPS not a silver bullet for Venezuelans in the U.S.
This week, the Biden administration authorized Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for eligible Venezuelans living in the United States. The 18-month reprieve from deportation also makes it possible for beneficiaries to apply for work authorization. Shannon Gleeson, professor of labor relations,…
Failing to vaccinate farmworkers exploits, endangers labor force
Despite CDC recommendations that farmworkers should be one of the first groups selected for COVID-19 vaccinations, some of the top farming states have not prioritized agricultural workers. The following Cornell University experts are available to discuss the importance of vaccinating…
On the one-year anniversary of the pandemic in the U.S., experts @JohnsHopkins can speak about the implications of WFH and SchoolFH on the future of work and education.
The United States is approaching the one-year anniversary of the pandemic forcing the closure of offices and schools across the country, launching millions of Americans into remote work and schooling. Johns Hopkins University experts who have been studying the short…

Scarce labor, higher wages in store for NYS farms in 2021
Richard Stup, agricultural workforce specialist, analyzes key issues facing New York state farmers this year.
Building a New Tool for Assessing Fair Labor
Researchers are creating a tool that incorporates the many existing fair labor programs and offers a single index that consumers, and companies, can look at and understand.
Cathy Creighton to direct Cornell ILR’s Buffalo Co-Lab
Cathy Creighton, who has served multiple roles with the Cornell University ILR School’s Buffalo Co-Lab for more than a decade, will become its director on Jan. 1, 2021, succeeding Lou Jean Fleron.
Cornell initiative bridging gap between legal system, employment
The Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations’ Criminal Justice and Employment Initiative (CJEI) recently held the first two of four scheduled live online educational trainings for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s Office of Second Chance Employment.
How the pandemic revealed cracks in global supply chains
At the start of the pandemic, Americans were shocked by empty store shelves as global supply chains sputtered to keep up with demand. But the end of the pandemic is unlikely to solve many of the issues with global supply chains.
What’s at Stake Today for Workers, Unions? Rutgers Labor Experts Available for Interview
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (November 3, 2020) – Stronger workplace health and safety protections, national paid family leave, a higher federal minimum wage, organizing rights, and other policies critical to workers and their families hinge on the outcome of today’s presidential election.…
‘Too close to call’ Prop 22 to test strength of Uber, Lyft advocacy
Californians will decide the fate of companies including Uber, Lyft, and Instacart in their state this week as they consider the ballot measure Proposition 22. Proposition 22 will determine whether workers at app-based transportation companies are classified as independent contractors…
Scientists to improve food plant worker safety, product supply
A Cornell University-led project will use computer modeling and outreach to find optimal strategies to minimize COVID-19 cases and transmission among workers in food processing facilities, while maintaining the best possible production.