Mass resignations at labor department threaten workers in US and overseas, warn staff – as more cuts loom
A “catastrophic” exodus of thousands of employees from the US Department of Labor threatens “all of the core aspects of working life”, insiders have warned, amid fears that the Trump administration will further slash the agency’s operations.
The federal agency has already lost about 20% of its workforce, according to employees, as nearly 2,700 staff took retirement, early retirement, deferred resignation buyouts or “fork in the road” departures earlier this year.
Appeals court rules Trump can fire board members of independent labor agencies
An appeals court ruled Friday that President Donald Trump can fire two board members of independent agencies handling labor issues from their respective posts in the federal government.
A divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit agreed to lift orders blocking the Trump administration from removing Merit Systems Protection Board member Cathy Harris and National Labor Relations Board member Gwynne Wilcox.
Florida Senate committee approves bill relaxing child labor laws
Florida’s Senate Committee on Commerce and Tourism approved a bill that relaxes child labor laws. The bill removes restrictions on 16- and 17-year-olds to work up to eight hours a day before 6:30 a.m. or after 11 p.m., even on school nights.
It also removes mandated breaks for those working four continuous hours and eases restrictions for 14 and 15-year-olds with certain qualifications.
Bill sponsor Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa, argues it supports parental rights and aligns with federal laws, while critics warn it could lead to exploitation.
Vance: The American Economy Is Quitting the ‘Drug’ of Cheap Labor
“Cheap labor,” according to Vice President JD Vance, “inhibits innovation” and is “a drug that too many American firms got addicted to” over previous decades of globalization.
“Whether we were offshoring factories to cheap labor economies or importing cheap labor through our immigration system,” Vance continued, “cheap labor became the drug of Western economies.”
Google Eliminates Minority Hiring Goals, Will Review DEI Programs
Google is eliminating its minority hiring goals that were created following the death of George Floyd in 2020 and will review its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, the tech company announced on Wednesday, to comply with President Donald Trump’s crackdown on DEI in the public and private sectors.
Trump's return-to-office push will likely lead to talent exodus
The federal government will have a tougher time attracting and retaining talented employees now that President Trump has ordered workers back to the office full time, experts tell Axios.
Why it matters: That's likely the point. Trump's return-to-office executive order is part of a broader DOGE effort to cut the size of the bureaucracy.
Finding new people to work for the federal government is clearly not a priority.
House Oversight report says telework is 'wasting billions' in taxpayer cash ahead of 1st hearing
The House Oversight Committee found that prolonged pandemic-era telework has been "detrimental" to government agencies and new employee training, and it laid out in a new report proposed recommendations for the Trump administration to bring federal workers back to unused and vacant federal office buildings.
President Biden to block sale of US Steel to Nippon Steel
President Biden is blocking the proposed $14 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel by Nippon Steel.
"A strong domestically owned and operated steel industry represents an essential national security priority and is critical for resilient supply chains. That is because steel powers our country: our infrastructure, our auto industry, and our defense industrial base. Without domestic steel production and domestic steel workers, our nation is less strong and less secure", Biden stated on Friday.
Biden blocks U.S. Steel takeover by Japan’s Nippon Steel, citing national security
President Joe Biden on Friday officially blocked the takeover of U.S. Steel by Japan’s Nippon Steel, making good on his promise to keep an industrial name that is more than a century old under domestic ownership.
Biden said the proposed $14.9 billion acquisition by Nippon would place one of the largest steel producers in the U.S. under foreign control, creating a risk for the nation’s critical supply chains.
Biden blocks Japan’s Nippon from taking over US Steel
President Joe Biden said Friday he is blocking a $14.3 billion acquisition of US Steel by Japan’s Nippon Steel, marking a significant use of executive authority in the closing days of his administration.
“As I have said many times, steel production – and the steel workers who produce it – are the backbone of our nation,” he said in a statement. “A strong domestically owned and operated steel industry represents an essential national security priority and is critical for resilient supply chains.”