Belabored: Reproductive Justice Is Labor Justice

Belabored: Reproductive Justice Is Labor Justice

What the fall of Roe means for workers.

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After the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court, the connection between abortion rights and labor rights is acutely clear—both are under attack by right-wing activists, who see abortions and unions as threats to the patriarchy. In response to the ruling, a number of states have rushed to pass legislation to shore up access to abortion care. But should we be having a more comprehensive discussion about the economic effects of abortion bans? We spoke with Asha Banerjee of the Economic Policy Institute about what the fall of Roe means for workers.

In other news, we look at abuses against independent contractors in New York with Lina Moe of the Center for New York City Affairs at the New School, a parallel struggle to organize delivery workers in China with organizer Eric Chen, the state of labor rights and freedom of association around the world, and brewing labor unrest this summer across the UK. With recommended reading on the plight of delivery app workers in Britain and the struggle to unionize Planned Parenthood in Texas.

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James Parrott and L.K. Moe, For one in 10 New York Workers: ‘Independent Contractor’ Means Underpaid and Unprotected, Center for New York City Affairs

Emily Feng, He Tried To Organize Workers In China’s Gig Economy. Now He Faces 5 Years In Jail, NPR

2021 ITUC Global Rights Index: COVID-19 pandemic puts spotlight on workers’ rights, International Trade Union Confederation

Archie Bland, What are the UK rail strikes about and how long will they go on?, The Guardian

Peter Walker, UK summer of unrest? Strikes in the air from barristers to NHS, The Guardian

Mark Sweney, BT staff vote for first national strike in 35 years, The Guardian

Asha Banerjee, Abortion rights are economic rights: Overturning Roe v. Wade would be an economic catastrophe for millions of women, Economic Policy Institute

Sheelah Kolhatkar, The Devastating Economic Impacts of an Abortion Ban, The New Yorker

Sarah: Eve Livingston, Food delivery drivers fired after ‘cut-price’ GPS app sent them on ‘impossible’ routes, The Observer

Michelle: Amy Littlefield, The Struggle to Unionize Planned Parenthood in Texas, Lux