The April jobs report was strong, with 428,000 new jobs and unemployment holding steady at 3.6%. Black unemployment ticked down to 5.9%, which, while it’s far above white unemployment the Economic Policy Institute’s Elise Gould notes is the first time it’s been under 6% in the pandemic recovery.
That’s the good news. There are key areas of weakness:
Overall, though, the jobs recovery from the pandemic continues to beat all expectations, thanks to legislation like the American Rescue Plan and the CARES Act.
● A Starbucks shift supervisor sexually assaulted a barista. Starbucks transferred the shift supervisor to another store, Lauren Kaori Gurley reports, but continued employing him for weeks after he pleaded guilty—while firing the woman he sexually assaulted for irregular attendance following the assault. So: Things Starbucks fires people for include organizing a union and needing some time after a sexual assault. Things Starbucks takes its time before firing people for include sexual assault of workers they supervise.
● An important survey of nurses in Massachusetts from the Massachusetts Nurses Association shows more nurses saying that understaffing and inadequate pay and benefits are major challenges in their jobs than cited those problems prior to the pandemic.
● Trader Joe's agrees to pay $44,500 for alleged violations of Seattle's secure scheduling ordinance. That law requires employers to post workers’ schedules with 14 days' notice.
● Nice:
● Smalls was busy in his time in Washington:
● Tuesday:
● Pelosi announces a $45,000 minimum salary for House staffers.
● This is spectacular. One White House meeting with workers and Starbucks is all butt-hurt about its lack of access.