Delivered every Monday by 10 a.m., Weekly Shift examines the latest news in employment, labor and immigration politics and policy.
| | | | |  | | By Nick Niedzwiadek and Lawrence Ukenye | | | — OSHA’s proposed heat rule is now open for public comment. — Harris makes her pitch to organized labor in Pennsylvania alongside Biden. — A California bill to ban algorithmic hiring tools falls through. GOOD MORNING. It’s Wednesday, Sept. 4. Welcome back to Morning Shift, your go-to tipsheet on labor and employment-related immigration. As with every generation, the office olds don’t understand today’s youth. Send feedback, tips and exclusives to nniedzwiadek@politico.com and lukenye@politico.com. Follow us on X at @NickNiedz and @Lawrence_Ukenye. Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You’ll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day’s biggest stories.
| | NOW UP: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s proposed heat safety standard is now up for public comment, the Labor Department said Tuesday. The proposal was unveiled back in July, and it is not expected to be completed until well after the election — opening it up to being scuttled by a second Trump administration. Submissions are due toward the end of the year, according to the proposed rule in the Federal Register. What’s in the rule: The regulations would require employers to routinely monitor workplace conditions and implement measures to keep workers safe from extreme heat, including providing rest breaks and water. OSHA expects that the protections would cover 36 million workers. More agency news: “Federal workers around nation’s capital worry over Trump’s plans to send some of them elsewhere,” from The Associated Press. Even more: “Felicia Sonmez’s Dismissal by the Washington Post Will Go Before the NLRB,” from the Washingtonian.
| | | MAKING THE CASE: Vice President Kamala Harris tried to walk a tightrope in Pennsylvania by tying herself to President Joe Biden’s labor record, while seeking distance herself from her boss, whom many blame for high prices, our Holly Otterbein and Eli Stokols report. Harris and Biden spoke to members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Pittsburgh on Monday, an appearance that signals how the campaign will strategically deploy the president in Rust Belt states where he’ll be able assist Harris in courting organized labor. Why it matters: While most major unions have backed Harris, former President Donald Trump has made inroads with rank-and-file members that could undermine the strength of the endorsements she’s received. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which agreed last month to meet with Harris, has yet to back a presidential candidate. Playing to the crowd: Harris also told workers that it is “vital” for U.S. Steel to remain domestically-owned amid a push by Japanese firm Nippon Steel to acquire the company. United Steelworkers President David McCall said the vice president “once again made it clear that she will always stand up for steelworkers.” More election news: "Harris Finds Top Labor Allies Despite Questions on Her Plans," from Bloomberg. Even more: "Harris to release new economic policy plans before debate,” from The Washington Post.
| | | SOMETHING IN THE WATER: More EPA buildings have tested positive for Legionella, a bacteria known for causing severe lung infections, our Miranda Willson and Kevin Bogardus report for POLITICO’s E&E News. The bacteria was found at EPA buildings in D.C., Houston and Chicago. Representatives from the EPA and General Services Administration, the agency that manages government buildings, said they take worker safety seriously and have responded to the outbreak. The American Federation of Government Employees Council 238, which represents employees at the EPA, expects that workers will be provided flexibility until the issue is addressed. More workplace news: "Biden formally announces 2% average pay raise for feds in 2025,” from Government Executive. Even more: “Bosses Are Finding Ways to Pay Workers Less,” from The Wall Street Journal.
| | | CA HIRING BILL FAILS: A proposed ban in California on the use of algorithmic hiring tools failed to get a vote by the end of the legislative session, our Jeremy B. White reports. The eleventh-hour collapse of CA AB2930 (23R), pulled by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, was a blow to lawmakers efforts’ to prevent artificial intelligence tools that even inadvertently make discriminatory recommendations. The bill was scaled back in the face of opposition from a formidable coalition of business groups and technology industry players, who argued it imposed an untenable workload. More state news: “Judge dismisses lawsuit that sought to stop smoking in casinos,” from our Daniel Han.
| | | CUTTING IN LINE: Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon sought to help Trump’s media company get an advantage in securing a foreign-worker visa to bring a company executive to the U.S., ProPublica reported. Trump Media’s search for foreign labor is a stark contrast from the tough immigration message the former president has delivered on the campaign trail, which prioritizes supporting domestic workers. A Bacon spokesperson told ProPublica that Trump Media wasn’t given special treatment, while the company did not answer the publication’s detailed questions.
| | | | — “Rail worker’s death in Ohio railyard highlights union questions about remote control trains,” from The Associated Press. — “The Thin Purple Line,” from Harper’s Magazine. — “GSA has a backlog of 36,000 open fire, safety and health risk conditions in federal buildings,” from Government Executive. — "Histadrut, the Labor Union Behind Israel’s Strike, Has Long History of Influence," from The New York Times. — "Meet one of America’s newest union leaders: Brooke Shields," from The Washington Post. THAT’S YOUR SHIFT! | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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