After battling all through last year over the issue, democrat NJ Governor Phil Murphy agreed with the democratic-controlled legislature on a bill that will lead to a state minimum wage of $15 per hour as soon as 2024. Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, who has not always seen eye to eye with Murphy, finally brokered the…
Read More »It was a major upset and a total shock to the political establishment when back in June, New York bartender Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez handily beat 20-year Congressional incumbent Joseph Crowley for the democratic nomination for New York’s 14th Congressional District. Crowley was Chairman of the Democratic Caucus, essentially the 3rd most powerful democrat in the US…
Read More »The appeal by Miami Beach of lower court rulings that blocked implementation of a separate local minimum wage has been accepted for review by the Florida Supreme Judicial Court. You may recall that Miami Beach passed an ordinance back in 2016 increasing the minimum wage within the city to $13.31 by 2021. The ordinance passed…
Read More »Union supporter and candidate in the democratic primary for Congress from the 27th District in Florida, David Richardson hopes to replace retiring republican Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and has pointed to his strong support for unionization as one tenet of his campaign. In fact, Richardson promises that if elected, he will “oppose efforts that are anti-union…
Read More »An increase in the Louisiana minimum wage suffered the same fate as pay equity legislation when the senate voted down a bill that would have increased the state minimum wage to $8 in 2019 and $8.50 in 2020. Louisiana is one of only 5 states that do not have a state minimum and hence, defer…
Read More »The Senate Committee on Regulated Industries in the Florida legislature passed the Small Business Parity Act out of committee by a vote of 5-4 earlier this week. The bill (SB 1076) is similar but more limited than the 2017 Florida Small Business Protection Act, which also was passed by the Senate Regulated Industries Committee but…
Read More »Last week, the Florida House of Representatives passed a bill that would decertify public service unions whose dues-paying membership falls below 50%. Exempting unions that represent police officers, prison guards and firefighter, the bill (HB25) would cover all other public employee unions. The bill is considered a long shot to become law, especially in the…
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When people come into Pat Barnett’s Dunkin’ Donuts shops, they are likely to see something they don’t see in other coffee shops or quick service restaurants. Barnett hires people some might consider unemployable, people with disabilities that may overshadow their abilities. “I hire them so they can feel good about themselves,” she says. “I want…
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First Harvey, and then Irma. When these two hurricanes made landfall in the continental U.S. this fall, it marked the first time in recorded history two Category 4 storms landed in the same season. This has been one of the most active seasons on record. (Hurricane season officially ends Nov 30.) Harvey ravaged Houston and…
Read More »In the wake of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Irma in many parts of the state of Florida, we noted the Florida Governor Rick Scott last week launched an interest-free bridge loan program for Florida businesses in the 67 counties affected by the massive storm. The program, which will be run by the Florida Department…
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