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Biden's Labor Day prediction that the union would not strike against Detroit's automakers ahead of a Sept. 14 contract deadline was soundly rejected by UAW President Shawn Fain. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden's comments about the UAW over Labor Day was him being "an optimistic person." The White House has tried to play a role in several recent large-scale union contract negotiations involving rail workers and West Coast port workers. Trump won Michigan in 2016, helping propel him to the White House; Biden beat him by 154,000 votes in Michigan in 2020. Around half a million more threatened strikes in the first half of 2023, estimates from national labor unions show.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Biden, Biden's, Shawn Fain, Fain, Karine Jean, Pierre, Kate Bronfenbrenner, Donald Trump, Trump, Joe Biden, Joshua Roberts, Harley Shaiken, Shaiken, Nandita Bose, David Shepardson, Joseph White, Heather Timmons, Deepa Babington Organizations: UAW, Biden's Labor, Detroit's, House Press, Labor, General Motors, Ford, carmakers, Anderson Economic, Cornell University's School of Industry & Labor Relations, White House, Wednesday, Workers, Republican, Michigan, State Labor, Metal Workers, Local, REUTERS, University of California, Bureau of Labor Statistics, EV, White, Energy Department, Teamsters, UPS, House, Thomson Locations: Detroit, America, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Coast, Philadelphia , Pennsylvania, U.S, Berkeley, Michigan , Ohio , Indiana , Illinois, Belvidere , Illinois, Washington

☆ Biden's labor secretary pick may not have the votes. She also may not need them.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Liz Brown-Kaiser | Sahil Kapur | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

The Senate is stalled on President Joe Biden's pick for secretary of labor, Julie Su, and Democrats face a conundrum on how to proceed. But Su, who currently serves as the acting labor secretary, could just keep running the department anyway. Federal law places no limits on how long Su can serve as acting labor secretary without being confirmed. He said he wants a voice for "both labor and industry" in the labor secretary role. Any Senator who voted to confirm Secretary [Marty] Walsh should vote to confirm Acting Secretary Su, too.

Persons: Julie Su, Joe Biden's, Su, Biden, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Kyrsten Sinema, Jon Tester, Joe Manchin, pushback, there's, Mazie Hirono, haven't, She's, she'll, she's, Mark Kelly, John Hickenlooper, I'm, Su aren't, Tester, you've, Manchin, Bill Cassidy of, Sinema, Tammy Duckworth, Marty, Walsh, We're, Sherrod Brown, Elizabeth Warren of, Chuck Schumer Organizations: Health, Education, Labor, Capitol, Labor Department —, Pensions, Su's, Democrats, HELP, Su's Democratic, White, Department, Democratic Locations: Washington, American, Sens, Hawaii, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts

The Democrat-led Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee voted 11-10 to approve Su, a civil rights lawyer and former California labor commissioner who has served as a deputy labor secretary since 2021. If Su is confirmed, she will replace Marty Walsh, who stepped down as labor secretary last month to become executive director of the National Hockey League players' union. Using contractors can be up to 30% cheaper for companies than employees. Industry groups representing companies in the ride-hailing, delivery and other sectors using contractors have launched an aggressive campaign to oppose Su's nomination. “The next Labor Secretary must embrace the flexible earning opportunities that app-based platforms have unleashed for millions of Americans," Sharp said.

☆ US Senate Republicans go after Biden's labor nominee for stance on Uber, Lyft, others
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Julie Su speaks at a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on her nomination to be Labor Secretary, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., April 20, 2023. She needs at least 50 votes in a Senate where Democrats have a slim 51-49 majority. Industry groups that represent companies employing gig labor have launched an aggressive campaign to oppose her nomination. Cassidy also accused her of eliminating independent contracting during her tenure as Biden's deputy secretary of labor. It is not a given that all Senate Democrats will support Su.

☆ U.S. Senate panel to hold hearing on Biden's Labor nominee Su next week
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, April 13 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Labor committee will hold an April 20 confirmation hearing on U.S. Labor Secretary nominee Julie Su, panel chairman Senator Bernie Sanders said in a statement. President Joe Biden had nominated Su for the Cabinet post in February but her nomination has raised some pushback from industry circles. Reporting by Jasper Ward and Moira Warburton; writing by Susan HeaveyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Uber, Lyft trade group asks Biden's labor nominee to explain position on gig workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, March 20 (Reuters) - A trade group representing rideshare and delivery companies such as Uber (UBER.N) and Lyft (LYFT.O) is asking President Joe Biden's nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Labor, Julie Su, to explain her position on worker-classification rules. The group earlier this month said Su's record is "troubling" and called for a "meticulous review" of her record in the Senate confirmation process. The Department of Labor in October proposed a rule that would make it more difficult for companies to treat workers as independent contractors, which would shake up ride-hailing, delivery and other industries that rely on gig workers. The Department of Labor and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington; Editing by Mark PorterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Uber, Lyft trade group questions Biden's labor nominee's gig workers stance
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, March 20 (Reuters) - Rideshare and delivery companies want the Biden administration's nominee for the Department of Labor to clarify her position on an incoming worker-classification rule that could expand workers' rights, a trade group representing the companies said on Monday. The Department of Labor in October proposed a rule that would make it more difficult for companies to treat workers as independent contractors, which would shake up ride-hailing, delivery and other industries that rely on gig workers. Before joining the U.S. Department of Labor, Su was the secretary for the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, and before then was California labor commissioner from 2011-2018. A report on her tenure released in May 2013 found that her work resulted in a spike in enforcement activity. Reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington; Editing by Mark Porter and Josie KaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Biden is set to use his first veto to save what Republicans call a "woke" rule that lets retirement fund managers consider companies' social and environmental records
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Jason Lalljee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Senate voted to overturn a Labor Department measure allowing investment managers to make socially and environmentally conscious investing decisions. "Republicans' hypocritical resolution to nullify @USDOL's ESG rule ties investors' hands & would force their extremist views on investors," she wrote on Twitter following the vote. It's the latest back-and-forth in an ESG debate triggered by former President Donald Trump, who prohibited financial managers from making such considerations when he was in office. However, the White House has said that Biden will use his first veto as president to protect ESG considerations. As CNBC's Brian Schwartz reported this week, Trump allies and wealthy donors have funded Republicans' fight against ESG investing.

Walsh will then start his new private-sector job as executive director of the NHL labor union, the hockey news website reported. The NHL Players' Association did not respond to a request for comment. Deputy Labor Secretary Julie Su, a former California labor secretary, is expected to take over as acting secretary. As Labor secretary, Walsh had vowed to boost union membership, a key issue for Biden. The NHL players' union represents 750 athletes, according to the organization.

☆ Biden's labor secretary says he's watching tech layoffs closely, but for now it's still a good time to find a job
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Labor Secretary Marty Walsh told Insider he's watching tech layoffs closely. The country added over half a million jobs in January, well above economists' expectations, and the unemployment rate fell to its lowest since 1969. "We're watching that closely to see what that means for the tech sector," Walsh told Insider. While the economy probably won't add over half a million jobs every month, he said, gains have been consistently strong over the last 12 months. Other sectors Walsh sees opportunity in: Construction, especially with the bipartisan infrastructure bill doling out billions; healthcare, especially in eldercare and assisted living facilities; nursing; and cybersecurity.

☆ Biden's Labor Secretary says workers still have options in this tight labor market — and that's a 'beautiful thing'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

"I think workers still have options, and I think that that's a beautiful thing," Labor Secretary Marty Walsh told Insider. Taken together — alongside structural labor shortages that have kept employers raising wages and vying for workers — the labor market is still looking strong for Americans. "We're seeing more people get back into the job market," Walsh said, noting that workers without college degrees are seeing more opportunity. "We are starting to see some retirees dip back into the labor market." The Black unemployment rate is still elevated, and, while more Black women joined the labor force in December, their unemployment rate went up.

Gig company stocks were hammered on the news, with Uber (UBER.N), Lyft (LYFT.O) and DoorDash (DASH.N) all falling at least 10%. Employees can cost companies up to 30% more than independent contractors, studies suggest. U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh in a statement said businesses often misclassify vulnerable workers as independent contractors. Those groups have said that any broad rule would hurt workers who want to remain independent and have flexibility. Worker advocacy groups have said that companies are increasingly misclassifying employees as independent contractors, depriving workers of fair pay and benefits to pad their profits.

☆ Uber, Doordash plunge after Labor Department proposes change to gig worker classification
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Biden Labor Department released a proposal Tuesday that could pave the way for regulators and courts to reclassify gig workers as employees rather than independent contractors. The proposed rule, if adopted, could raise costs for companies like Lyft , Uber , Instacart and DoorDash that rely on contract workers to pick up shifts on their own schedules. Shares of Uber and Lyft fell more than 11% Tuesday morning, while DoorDash dropped about 9%. The new proposed rule will still need to make its way through the formal regulatory process, including allowing time for the public to submit comments, before it is adopted. It added that the rule "Does not reclassify Lyft drivers as employees," and also doesn't force it to change its business model.

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