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Ron Kim Targets a Progressive Heavyweight in Allegations of Wage Theft

Kim accuses the Chinese-American Planning Council of rampant wage theft—and, in coordination with 1199SEIU, of blocking workers’ access to the courts.

Daniel Moritz-Rabson   ·   January 4, 2022
After Initial Setback, Amazon Workers on Staten Island Refile for Union Election

This time, workers are trying to unionize just one warehouse, where they say they’ve gotten a majority of workers to sign union authorization cards.

Amir Khafagy   ·   December 22, 2021
Columbia Student Worker Strike Could Become Testing Ground for Biden-Era NLRB

An NLRB ruling on a grievance made by striking Columbia student workers could suggest the board’s approach to a major question about the legal status of student workers.

Maxwell Parrott   ·   December 20, 2021
Judge Orders City to Delay Retiree Health Care Switch Until April 1

Retired city employees will be able to opt out of their newly-privatized health insurance until June 30, the judge ruled

Sam Mellins   ·   December 14, 2021
New York City Mailed Misinformation on New Health Insurance to Retired City Employees — and Won’t Send Out a Correction

Guides sent to a quarter million retired city employees contained false information on the availability of dozens of treatments under the new plan.

Sam Mellins   ·   December 9, 2021
Westchester Hospital Network To Shift Thousands of Retirees to Private Health Insurance

Three days before the deadline to opt out of a new health insurance plan, Westchester retirees still don’t know what’s in it.

Sam Mellins   ·   December 3, 2021
A Homeless Amazon Worker Tried to Organize a Union. Then Amazon Fired Him.

Daequan Smith loved working at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island. After he started organizing with the Amazon Labor Union, he found himself out of a job.

Amir Khafagy   ·   November 23, 2021
Retired City Workers Voice Opposition to New City Health Plan in Chaotic Public Hearing

More than 50 retirees said they opposed the plan. Zero said they supported it.

Sam Mellins   ·   November 11, 2021
Buffalo Nurses’ Successful Strike Highlights Union Divide and Doubts over New Staffing Law

The union’s focus on direct action reflects skepticism that an incoming staffing law will significantly increase staffing ratios.

Maxwell Parrott   ·   November 9, 2021
Court Blocks Controversial Medicare Switch for Retired NYC Workers

A judge’s decision delays the Oct. 31 deadline for former city employees to decide whether they want to move to private Medicare Advantage or pay for alternatives.

Sam Mellins   ·   October 22, 2021
Retirees Flee City Medicare Program as Deadline Looms for Move to Private Health Plan

Uncertainty about coverage and costs under Medicare Advantage has a quarter million former city workers on edge. Two lawsuits seeking to block the move are slated to be heard in court Wednesday.

Sam Mellins   ·   October 20, 2021
New York’s Excluded Workers Fund is Running Out of Cash

Tens of thousands of undocumented workers could be left out. Advocates are pushing to add more funds.

Sam Mellins   ·   October 6, 2021
Cab Drivers Are Drowning in Debt. The City’s Plan Won’t Help.

The city’s taxi agency has ignored drivers’ demands and proposed a plan that the comptroller warns ‘would spend more money to forgive less debt.’

Wen Zhuang   ·   September 23, 2021
Will ‘Blue Collar Mayor’ Adams Give City Unions What They Want?

With deep ties to both organized labor and the city’s business elite, Mayor Eric Adams will face tough tradeoffs on union contracts.

Doug Turetsky   ·   September 21, 2021
Rikers Staffing Crisis Limits Access to Medical Care

With thousands of officers not coming into work, incarcerated people aren’t getting escorted to their medical appointments, a New York Focus investigation finds.

Rachel Sherman   ·   August 26, 2021
Retired City Workers Brace for Shift to Privatized Health Care

City leaders have awarded a contract to provide city retirees private Medicare-like insurance to a corporate coalition termed “The Alliance.” Former public workers worry their coverage may change.

Sam Mellins and Rachel M. Cohen   ·   August 19, 2021
Schumer Announces New York’s Latest Semiconductor Deal, to Subsidy Watchdogs’ Chagrin

New York is showering microchip manufacturers with billions in subsidies—on top of massive federal incentives.

Julia Rock   ·   July 26, 2021
Abolish the EDC

The Economic Development Corporation manages city land in the service of private profit. We need a new approach.

Avi Garelick and Andrew Schustek   ·   June 28, 2021
Wage Theft Got Worse During Covid. A Stalled Bill Could Give Workers Leverage To Fight Back

Cuomo pledged to deal with rampant wage theft this year, then failed to deliver. Now, a bill to recover stolen wages is unlikely to pass the legislature.

Amir Khafagy   ·   June 10, 2021
Why Is New York Still Taxing Unemployment Benefits?

Unemployed New Yorkers are receiving surprise tax bills. Republican legislators joined with progressive Democrats to move to waive taxes on benefits, following the lead of most other states and the federal government.

Daniel Moritz-Rabson   ·   April 29, 2021
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