LABOR AND ECONOMY
The New York Times
By David Leonhardt
May 20, 2021
The idea that the United States suffers from a labor shortage is fast becoming conventional wisdom. But before you accept the idea, it’s worth taking a few minutes to think it through. Once you do, you may realize that the labor shortage is more myth than reality. Let’s start with some basic economics. The U.S. is a capitalist country, and one of the beauties of capitalism is its mechanism for dealing with shortages. In a communist system, people must wait in long lines when there is more demand than supply for an item. That’s an actual shortage. In a capitalist economy, however, there is a ready solution.
IN THE STATES
Rhode Island just passed a law raising the minimum wage to $15 by 2025
Business Insider
By Juliana Kaplan and Madison Hoff
May 20, 2021
While a $15 federal minimum wage didn't make it into law earlier this year, the state of Rhode Island is taking matters into its own hands. On Tuesday, a bill raising the state's minimum wage passed the General Assembly, the Rhode Island legislature that comprises both the House and Senate. Gov. Dan McKee signed it into law in a ceremony Thursday morning. In a tweet, the Rhode Island branch of the AFL-CIO said the hike would benefit over 112,000 workers.
Union workers lobby lawmakers to pass ‘right-to-return’ legislation
Nevada Current
By Michael Lyle
May 19, 2021
A year after the pandemic decimated industries across Southern Nevada and led to record unemployment rates, Southern Nevada is starting to return to normal with casinos reopening and tourism rebounding. Clark County announced Tuesday it is removing all pandemic restrictions June 1 and returning to “pre-pandemic guidelines.” Speaking in front of the Nevada Legislative building Tuesday, Jim Sullivan, the political director for the Culinary Union, worries thousands of workers are being left behind. Instead of hiring back the long-time employees let go due to the pandemic, casinos are hosting jobs fairs to hire new workers. “We can’t let companies use the pandemic and the economic crisis to get rid of older workers and discriminate against workers they may not like,” he said. “We always talk about how the hospitality industry makes our city run and our state run. Now our hospitality workers need the state to stand behind them. They need their jobs back.”
Gov. Greg Abbott ends federal unemployment benefits for Texans
The Texas Signal
By Kennedy Sessions
May 20, 2021
On Monday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced that Texas will be opting out of President Joe Biden’s federal unemployment benefits package. This means that Texans who filled for unemployment will no longer receive a $300 weekly check from the federal pandemic relief program effective June 26. In an interview with the Signal, President of Texas AFL-CIO Rick Levy said workers and organizers were “pissed” when they heard Abbott’s announcement. “It’s a really important safety net for workers,” Levy said. “It’s not welfare, it’s insurance.” Levy also said that Abbott’s decision to opt out of the federal benefits will not only harm workers, but businesses as well. “If you’re given $300 to unemployed workers there are not a lot of workers that are taking that money and setting up offshore tax havens in the Cayman islands,” Levy said. “That money is being spent on kids shoes, kids clothes, meals, medicine, rent and flowing into the community.” .
Letter: Workforce shortage predates pandemic
The Bismarck Tribune
By Landis Larson
May 21, 2021
We keep hearing that this extra $300 in unemployment is the cause of our workforce shortages in North Dakota, and that unemployed workers have are refusing to go back to work because they are making more than what they would at work. That's exactly the reason stated by the governor. Let's talk about that claim. First off, that's not how unemployment works. You can't refuse to go back to work. You have to apply for jobs. You generally can't refuse to take one of those jobs if it's offered to you. Every week. Those are the rules. If you don't follow the rules you don't get unemployment.
POLITICS
Joe Biden Signs Anti-Asian Hate Crimes Bill Into Law
HuffPost
By Sarah Ruiz-Grossman
May 20, 2021
President Joe Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law on Thursday, a response to the sharp rise in anti-Asian violence over the past year during the coronavirus pandemic. “There are simple core values that should bring us together as Americans — one of them is standing together against hate, against racism, the ugly poison that has long haunted and plagued our nation,” Biden said at the White House ahead of the signing, telling legislators in the room that today, “you’ve taken a first step.”