Belabored Podcast #152: SCOTUS’s Epic Fail, with Celine McNicholas

Economist Celine McNicholas breaks down what last week’s Supreme Court ruling means for workers—and why more individual arbitration is bad news.

Donald Trump announces Judge Gorsuch as his nominee to the Supreme Court in January 2017 (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)

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While the labor movement awaits the Supreme Court’s decision in Janus v. AFSCME, the Court has been busy making mincemeat of workers’ rights in other ways. The decision in the Epic Systems case, which makes it easier for workers to be pushed into individual arbitration with their bosses, is already being felt in workplaces around the country. Celine McNicholas of the Economic Policy Institute joins us to explain what happened.

In the news we hear from the Trade Union Campaign to Repeal the 8th, part of Ireland’s successful fight for legal abortion, and from United Airlines catering workers’ organizing drive. We check in on a potential major strike in Las Vegas, and look once again at Walmart’s global supply chain abuses. And for Argh, we take apart the “skills gap” and the revolt of the white-collar worker.

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News

Abortion as a Workplace Issue: Trade Union Campaign to Repeal the 8th (Trade Union Campaign to Repeal the 8th Amendment)

Sarah: Ireland votes to legalize abortion. What comes next? (Rewire)

Walmart: Gender based violence in clothing supply chains (Global Labor Justice)

United Airlines CEO gets earful from catering workers wanting to unionize (Chicago Business Journal)

Strike would cost top Las Vegas casinos over $10 million per day (USA Today)

Conversation

Epic Systems Corp. v. Lewis (SCOTUSblog)

Celine McNicholas: In Epic Systems Corp. decision, the Supreme Court deals a significant blow to workers’ fundamental rights (EPI)

Supreme Court Decision Greatly Reduces Worker Protections (The Century Foundation)

An Epic Supreme Court Decision on Employment (The Atlantic)

Argh, I Wish I’d Written That!