US Agricultural Workforce on High Alert Amid Immigration Crackdown

The US agricultural workforce is on edge due to fears of potential raids by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following a renewed focus on immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. According to data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Economic Research Service (ERS), 42% of crop farmworkers lacked legal work authorization in the U.S. between 2020 and 2022. With the agricultural sector heavily reliant on immigrant labor, the possibility of stricter enforcement has sparked widespread concern across the industry.

Farmworkers' concerns have made national headlines, including...

US Department of Labor Announces Settlement with Amazon 

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Amazon have entered into a corporate-wide settlement to help better protect employees from hazardous working conditions leading to serious lower back and other musculoskeletal disorders at Amazon facilities. The settlement agreement resolves the department’s multiple ergonomics cases against Amazon.com Services LLC, in the first major multi-site investigation brought by OSHA in over a decade.

The parties had been scheduled to begin trials in 10 cases before the Occupational Safety and...

Costco Refuses to Accept 98 Percent of Teamsters Proposals

Yesterday, Costco rejected or refused to accept nearly all Teamsters' proposals, including critical language on seniority, inclement weather, paid family leave, bereavement policies, sick time, and safeguards against surveillance. By dismissing approximately 98 percent of the proposed provisions, the wholesale giant has signaled a troubling unwillingness to bargain in good faith and is taking an aggressive anti-union stance.

"The clock is ticking, and instead of engaging seriously at the bargaining table, Costco continues to waste time with surface bargaining," said...

NFI, Massive Industry Coalition Urge Resumption of Port Labor Talks

The National Fisheries Institute (NFI), along with a catalog of organizations from farming, agribusiness, restaurant, and other sectors, sent a letter to the leaders of the International Longshoremen’s Alliance (ILA) and the United State Maritime Alliance (USMX) calling on both sides to resume port labor talks.

Only weeks remain until a contract extension between port employers and union longshore workers expires, paving the way for another port strike at major U.S. ports along the East and Gulf coasts.

“It is imperative for the parties to resume negotiations...

U.S. Pork Industry Fuels American Jobs and Economic Growth: New Report Unveiled

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) released a new economic contribution report detailing the significant impact America’s pig farmers have on the United States’ agricultural and overall economy. The report highlights the pork industry’s value chain contributions and trends in production and industry structure.

“America’s pork industry is a vital pillar of our nation’s agricultural economy, contributing over $62 billion annually and supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country,” said NPPC President Lori Stevermer, a pork producer from Easton, Minn. “Producers are committed to delivering...