Plus, anti-vax Ottawa truckers force a state of emergency.
The White House makes a big push for unions; anti-vax truckers' protests lead Ottawa to declare a state of emergency. Tonight's Sentences was written by Jariel Arvin. The Biden administration makes a big push for unions Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images - The Biden administration announced plans on Monday to take steps that could boost union membership and collective bargaining rights for federal, public, and private sector employees. [NYT / Noam Scheiber]
- The announcement followed the release of a report the administration commissioned from labor experts in April 2020. That report includes 70 recommendations for making federal and private sector work fairer that range from encouraging more federal employees to unionize to advantaging companies with strict labor standards when giving out federal grants. [Guardian / Steven Greenhouse]
- The report recommends encouraging unions, as it found union membership has several benefits ("union households earn up to 20% more than non-union households") but also that many who want to be union workers aren't. [White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment]
- Just over 10 percent of salary and wage workers are union members, while surveys have found 48 percent of non-union workers want to join one. [Washington Post / Eli Rosenberg]
- To help boost unionization in the US, the report recommends increasing organizing among federal employees by ensuring workers know their rights and learn how to unionize, and by making sure federal dollars aren't spent on anti-union efforts. [NBC / Teaganne Finn]
- Pro-business groups are already accusing the Biden administration of union propaganda, claiming worker strikes could further imperil the supply chain. The administration, however, said Monday that "Unions benefit all of us." [AP / Josh Boak]
Ottawa truckers force a state of emergency - The Canadian capital Ottawa is under a state of emergency as a week of trucker protests against vaccine mandates have escalated, blocking roads and posing significant risks to residents' safety. [BBC]
- What began as a protest against requiring truckers entering Canada to be fully vaccinated or face testing and quarantines has ballooned into a broader protest against all Covid-19 restrictions — and even calls for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to be stripped of his power. Over the past two weekends, trucker convoys have swarmed the downtown area, blaring horns and harassing residents for wearing masks or displaying signs that support vaccines. [NYT / Ian Austen]
- Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson declared the state of emergency to allow authorities more "flexibility" in responding to the demonstrations, saying Sunday that police officers were "losing this battle." So far, Ottawa police have launched 60 criminal investigations, including hate crimes and theft; seized vehicles and fuel; and issued hundreds of tickets. [Washington Post / Jennifer Hassan and Amanda Coletta]
- The truckers' protests have encouraged the far-right movement worldwide against vaccine mandates in other countries; right-wing groups in the US, Europe, and Australia have been tied to donations for a GoFundMe for the trucker convoy, and similar protests are being planned in US states, including Alabama and Wyoming. [Politico / Mark Scott]
- While global support for the truckers is flowing in, polling found only a third of Canadians supported the demonstrations, a share that seems to be falling as the protests continue. Police are unlikely to use force to clear the truckers, and outside financial support could help the disruptions continue. [Guardian / Justin Ling]
- On Monday, first lady Jill Biden announced that free community college won't be a part of the Democrats' spending plan. [NYT / Katie Rogers]
- Jury selection in the federal hate crimes case for the men convicted of killing Ahmaud Arbery began on Monday, marking the first time race will be a focus in the case. [CNN / Eliott C. McLaughlin]
- Australia is opening its borders for the first time in two years for fully vaccinated tourists. [BBC]
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