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Agriculture New York farmworker, worker centers sue for organizing rights: ‘This would be a huge victory’

October 21, 2016 Kim Krisberg 2Comment

In September 2015, New York farmworker Crispin Hernandez was fired after his employers saw him talking with local workers’ rights advocates. But instead of backing down, Hernandez filed suit against the state. And if he prevails, it could help transform the often dangerous and unjust workplace conditions that farmworkers face to put food on all of our tables.

Child Labor Occupational Health News Roundup

October 11, 2016 Kim Krisberg

Denver Post reporters investigate the lives and deaths of Colorado’s oil and gas workers; employees from Donald Trump’s California golf club say he only wanted to hire “pretty” women; cobalt mining in Congo comes with dangerous risks for adult and child workers; and Harvard’s dining staff goes on strike for living wages.

Agriculture Occupational Health News Roundup

September 27, 2016 Kim Krisberg

New Jersey’s growing temp industry is rife with labor violations, worker mistreatment; advocates in North Carolina demand safer conditions for poultry plant workers; former Wells Fargo workers sue over aggressive sales quotas that led to fraud; and an investigation into northern California’s marijuana industry finds rampant sexual abuse and assault.

Government Report: New York City’s paid sick leave law had virtually no negative impact

September 23, 2016 Kim Krisberg

Despite all the concern about shuttered businesses, fired employees and lost profits, a new report has found that New York City’s paid sick leave law was pretty much a “non-event” for most employers.

Labor Rights Global supply chains still full of sweatshops

September 21, 2016 Garrett Brown 1Comment

Global supply chains continue to be riddled with sweatshop factories where workers’ rights and their safety are put at risk daily. There are multiple sources of information that report on these conditions, but an easy way to keep on top the latest reports and company responses is the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre’s weekly updates.

Child Labor Worker survey finds chemicals, poor air quality among top health concerns on the job

July 15, 2016 Kim Krisberg

In a new national survey, about one in every four U.S. workers rates their workplace as just “fair” or “poor” in providing a healthy working environment. And employees in low-paying jobs typically report worse working conditions than those in higher-paying jobs — in fact, nearly half of workers in low-paying jobs say they face “potentially dangerous” conditions on the job.

Government Are low wages an occupational health hazard? Two public health researchers say ‘yes’

June 30, 2016 Kim Krisberg 3Comment

Low wages certainly impact a person’s health, from where people live to what they eat to how often they can visit a doctor. And low and stagnant wages certainly contribute to poverty, which is a known risk factor for poor health and premature mortality. But should low wages be considered an occupational health hazard?

California Occupational Health News Roundup

May 24, 2016 Kim Krisberg

A ‘hidden’ workforce of foreign workers at a Tesla plant in California; Illinois legislators pass a domestic workers bill of rights; Congress uses a spending bill to weaken safety rules for truckers; and lawsuits over workplace leave policies spike way up.

Child Labor In the fight for a rest break, Dallas construction workers find their voice: ‘This is not the end, but a stepping stone to something bigger’

May 23, 2016 Kim Krisberg 1Comment

Last summer, 25-year-old Roendy Granillo died of heat stroke while he installed flooring in a house in Melissa, Texas, just north of Dallas. His tragic and entirely preventable death marked a turning point in advocacy efforts to pass a rest break ordinance for local construction workers.

California Occupational Health News Roundup

April 12, 2016 Kim Krisberg

Reveal investigates fraud in California’s workers’ comp system; workers face unnecessary hazards in the recycling industry; anger over union exemptions in Los Angeles’ new minimum wage law; and two miners win their retaliation case against Murray Energy.