The National Labor Relations Board recently issued a rule change that may have wide-ranging impacts for workers and businesses. The update to the joint employer rule would require parent companies to negotiate collective bargaining agreements with employees even when using a staffing agency or subcontractor. It also means franchisors and franchisees can both be held liable for unfair labor practices. .
States such as Minnesota have seen a tidal wave of union organizing amid public support to improve pay and workplace conditions. However, labor leaders acknowledge the slow growth of membership, prompting questions about the movement s future. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says nationwide, the number of union jobs last year increased by nearly 2%, but the actual membership rate declined to 10.1%. .
Pennsylvania needs more economic opportunities and a new report from the Keystone Research Center showed federal investments in climate and infrastructure projects would help grow a skilled construction workforce. Diana Polson, senior policy analyst at the center, said the report revealed federal money would create thousands of trade jobs through expanding union construction apprenticeships leading to quality careers, as electricians, operating engineers, carpenters, and laborers. "In Pennsylvania, for example, these apprenticeships train workers for jobs that pay more than most college-educated workers earn, and 61% more than the average worker in Pennsylvania," Polson pointed out. " .