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When Connor Hovey began talking to his co-workers at Trader Joes in Louisville about forming a union, he knew it wouldnt be easy. What he didnt expect was that the campaign would transform from a marathon into a race without a finish line. Two years after Hovey and his co-workers won a union election in Louisville, their fight for union representation remains in limbo. The grocery chain with a progressive reputation filed six objections with the National Labor Relations Board after workers voted 48 to 36 to join Trader Joes United, an independent union. Every objection was tossed twicefirst by an NLRB hearing officer and later by a regional director. But last month, the workers path to certification stalled again when President Donald Trump abruptly fired Gwynne Wilcox, a Biden appointee, leaving the board unable to rule on the companys final appeal. The boards paralysis has prevented thousands of workers like Hovey from seeking redress from an agency whose very mission is to enforce worker rights, while providing employers with new opportunities to stall disputes. At the same time, the lack of a functioning arbiter of labor relations has left workers and their advocates wondering if the time has come to employ more confrontational tactics in labor disputes. It became clear the NLRB was already underfunded, understaffed, and overworked, said Hovey. Now [with the freeze] we may not have a decision on our election for several more years. Catherine Creighton is a former National Labor Relations Board attorney now at Cornell Universitys School of Industrial and Labor Relations. Without a functioning board, she said, You can organize, but if the employer doesnt agree to recognize the union or bargain, theres nothing you can do about it. For workers, theres nowhere you can go. Trumps firing of Wilcox, whose term was not due to expire until 2028, represented an extraordinary assertion of executive power over an independent agency; on the same day, Trump fired two commissioners on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, leaving that agency, too, without a working quorum. (Wilcox has since filed a lawsuit contesting her firing, arguing that it violated some of the very labor laws she previously enforced.) The freeze at the National Labor Relations Board comes while attorneys for Elon Musks SpaceX and Jeff Bezos Amazon, which are both facing labor complaints, argue in federal court that the NLRB is unconstitutional, in part because it impedes executive power. Attorneys for Trader Joes have also asserted, in NLRB proceedings, the unconstitutionality of the NLRB. Spokespersons for the National Labor Relations Board did not respond to queries about the number of cases currently frozen at the board, though last year the board issued 372 decisions. Amazon has at least eight cases pending at the board, including an appeal of a judges decision ordering a new election at a 6,100-employee warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, due to numerous labor law violations the company committed during a 2022 campaign. In January, the NLRB reported that the board was hearing 62 separate cases in which administrative law judges had determined Starbucks had broken labor laws. Along with contesting the Louisville election, Trader Joes is appealing a judges finding that the company threatened workers and froze wages at two unionized stores. The lack of a functioning board will exacerbate the backlog of cases at the NLRB, said Caren Sencer, a labor lawyer with Weinberg, Roger & Rosenfeld who represents multiple unions whose cases are now stalled at the National Labor Relations Board. It already felt indefinite, she said about the slow pace of NLRB proceedings. Now it actually is. The current NLRB paralysis affects cases that have reached the board, not those at lower levels. But it does provide new motivation for employers to appeal lower-level cases, since they know that without a quorum the case will eventually stall out. The lack of a quorum can also open up new avenues for objections. This happened recently in Philadelphia, where, for the first time, Whole Foods workers voted to unionize on Jan. 27, the same day Trump fired Wilcox. Attorneys for Whole Foods, which is owned by Amazon, filed objections to the results, asserting among their complaints that the election wasnt viable without a quorum at the board. For Creighton, of Cornell University, the lack of a quorum renews an age-old debate among labor: Is it worth trying to organize within the slow-moving NLRB? Why go into enemy territory? she asked. It was the only game in town, but now its nothing. She said that workers and unions, faced with a nonfunctioning or hostile board, may increasingly choose tactics like strikes to get what they want. In her departing statement, former National Labor Relations Board General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo, a staunchly pro-labor figure, hinted as much, writing that if the agency doesnt protect workers rights, she expects workers will take matters into their own hands. Hovey, the Trader Joes worker in Louisville, has come to a similar conclusion after several years of union organizing. Its important to recognize that direct action is the only way to receive the benefits youre looking for. You cant depend on a government agency. Gabriel Thompson, Capital and Main This piece was originally published by Capital & Main, which reports from California on economic, political, and social issues.
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E-Commerce
Ben Sweeny, the salesman-turned-comedian behind that online persona Corporate Sween, says that bosses should waterboard their employees. Some companies drown their employees with boring surveys and useless questionnaires, he proclaims in a satirical video posted to LinkedIn a few months ago. I drown my employees with two to three gallons of water, an incline table, and a hand towel. Though the clip may seem racy for LinkedIn, a social network thats earned a reputation as a reliable if buttoned-up venue for job networking, it has to date earned over 5,000 views and has reached over 7,000 unique members. And for Sweeny, its success is no surprise: Why shouldn’t job hunters appreciate a little slice of comedy? Theres no reason for comedians not to post on LinkedIn, Sweeny tells Fast Company. Comedians want to perform on every stage they can, and LinkedIn is another stage. Sweeny is not alone in that sentiment: Online and stand-up comics have begun to flock to LinkedIn to expand their reach. (In fact, Sweeny says hes noticed his LinkedIn usage growing substantially among his comedy peers and says it may reach a point where it becomes inundating.) While LinkedIn doesnt have data on comedy specifically, the platform has seen a general surge in video: The job networking site says video creation is up 36% this year, growing twice as fast as any other post format. Humor is part of how we connect at work and helps us develop bonds, says LinkedIn editor-in-chief Dan Roth. For leaders, humor helps you show that you also make mistakes and dont take yourself too seriously. So, we think humor has to be a part of LinkedIn. However, Roth adds that LinkedIn pushes for the humor to focus on developing workplace bonds, rather than just corporate memes or viral videos. For many of the online comics, LinkedIn is more than just a new platform; it can also be a powerful networking tool for creators navigating their career. A number of comics tell Fast Company theyve had brands reach out to them on the platform for collaborations and sponsorshipsa large source of income for any full-time content creator. One newcomer in LinkedIns expanding comedy scene, Boston-based stand-up comic Joe Fenti, says LinkedIn isnt just the best platform for workplace based jokes; its also inherently the funniest platform because of its super serious, buttoned-up default. LinkedIn is very devoid of fun, Fenti says. Everyone puts on this very professional face, and they forget that you can laugh and have fun. People take the platform too seriously when it’s just a bunch of showboating, gloating, and bragging. After finding success on other social platforms like TikTok and Instagram, Fenti started posting his content onto LinkedIn a little over a month ago. His material often riffs on familiar corporate situations, like a boss hemming and hawing over the color background of a PowerPoint slide deck. He says half his LinkedIn posts pop off and the other half dont really get noticed. Fenti enjoys adding humor to the platform where sometimes all he sees is someone saying theyre humble and grateful for a new job or position. Why cant we just talk like human beings? he asks. Both Fenti and Sweeny have long focused on workplace humor, even before joining the work-based social media platform. Thats because their career background is corporate, rather than strictly comedic. Sweeny may have performed improv and stand-up in college, but he worked in sales before turning to comedy full time. Fenti similarly began his postgrad career as a consultant before pivoting to professional humor. These comedians dont always create material specifically for LinkedIn; rather, the platform fits the humor they already produce. The Venn diagram between videos that Fenti posts on TikTok and LinkedIn is almost a circle, he says. The LinkedIn comic Your Average Finance Bro (and who declined to share his real name) says he sometimes turns his preexisting jokes into text-based posts on LinkedIn. Oftentimes, those posts perform better than his videos. Different comedians take different approaches to LinkedIn, says Your Average Finance Bro. Some people post content that traditionally would not be accepted on LinkedIn. My approach is more creating something you could send your coworker as a joke, and you could message each other and be like: thats funny. Sweeny, for his part, likes to play the villain on social media by spoofing corporate bosses. Those characters can evoke big (sometimes shocked) reactions from online audiences. Sweeny says the best audience is those who dont get the joke. In response to those cartoonishly evil boss videos, Sweeny says that every once in a while a commenter will get really offended. People on LinkedIn can get really passionate about work, Sweeny says. So from my perspective, it’s obvious that I’m kidding. But I have people that comment all upset and tell me I shouldnt be treating employees that way. And thats the funniest thing I could ask for.
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E-Commerce
One of the most effective factors in containing the spread of HIV has been the widespread availability of preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP). A PrEP regimenwhich has grown to include daily pills or injections every few monthscan decrease the chances of HIV infection by up to 99%. To build on those gains, in 2021, the federal government, under the Affordable Care Act, mandated that health insurers fully cover PrEP, as well as clinical visits and the labs required every three months. But an upcoming hearing before the Supreme Court could upend that mandate. The casebrought by six individuals and two companiesis focused on whether mandating coverage of PrEP violates the religious freedom of certain business owners. Braidwood Management, one of the companies, is arguing PrEP coverage facilitates and encourages homosexual behavior, intravenous drug use, and sexual activity outside of marriage between one man and one woman,” according to the organization’s petition to the Supreme Court. HIV doesnt just impact the LGBTQ community, says Kate Steinle, chief clinical cfficer at Folx Health, a healthcare provider focused on the queer community. Removing this coverage [would] affect so many people. There are currently 1.2 million people in the United States with HIV. While HIV infection rates have decreased over 75% since the mid-1980s, in 2022 there were at over 31,000 new cases of HIV infection in the US. About 20% of the new cases are women, 83% of whom were infected during sex with men. Without insurance coverage, generic PrEP could cost up to $60 a month, not including lab-work and clinical visits. At Folx Health, cash prices for an initial visit to get PrEP costs $159, follow-up visits cost $79 each, and labs run $97 a year. If you have good insurance, the out-of-pocket costs might not prevent you from getting PrEP, says Edwin Corbin-Gutierrez, a senior program advisor at NASTAD, a nonprofit that represents public health officials focused on HIV and hepatitis. However, it can be a big burden for some people and the biggest impact will be on lower income people and the most marginalized. A 2024 study found that a small price increase from $0 to $10 a month for PrEP would double the rate of people who dont use PrEP. The study also found that the rate of new HIV infections among people who dont have a PrEP prescription was double or triple the rate of new HIV infections for people who use PrEP. Companies who sell PrEP are now scrambling to come up with a plan that protects public health should coverage fall through. Were in wait and see mode, says Daphne Chen, cofounder of TBD Health, a telehealth company that offers PrEP and sexual health services. Were hopeful that the government doesnt want an HIV epidemic on its hands. Both TBD Health and Nurx, another telehealth company that prescribes PrEP and treats other health conditions, have said that theyll work to keep costs as low as possible and to partner with nonprofits to help fund people who won’t be able to pay for PrEP without insurance. Nurx says approximately 15% to 20% of its patients are not using insurance to pay for PrEP. This comes at a really unfortunate time when were making great strides in the fight against HIV, says Neil Parikh, chief medical officer at Thirty Madison, Nurxs parent company. Well do whatever we can to make this affordable and connect patients to assistance programs. However, its not always as simple as wanting to make healthcare accessible. Blue Cross Blue Shield filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court in which it argued that if some insurers drop PrEP and other preventative service coverage, other insurers will feel pressured to follow suit in the interest of keeping costs down and remaining competitive. Preventative care isnt just a health policy issue, its a business issue, says Elizabeth Kaplan, director of health care access at the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation at Harvard Law School. According to a 2021 study, the cost of treating HIV can range from $400,000 to $1 million per person over the course of their life. Kaplan also points out theres a new treatment for PrEP on the horizon: an injection that can last for six months (some existing injections last for three months at a time). This could further reduce HIV transmission rates for had to reach people facing housing insecurity or addiction issues who may struggle with PrEP in the form of a daily pill, or with the three-month testing requirement. Kaplan adds that a ruling that ends required coverage of PrEP doesn’t have to spell the end of it. “Companies can still choose to cover PrEP without copays, she says. We urge them to do so. Its the right thing to do.
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E-Commerce
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