LERA

Top of mind for LERA after the Mar. 14 presidential action is how important of the FMCS is to business owners and workers alike. It is low investment, high return for the economy. See our statement at LERAweb.org/fmcs-support

Long Island LERA presents: 2026 Annual Conference on May 8th from 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. in Mineola, NY. monkeylink.co/5bf116 #LERA #LERANews #ChapterEvents

From LERA Dialog listserv & Dan Mitchell (UCLA). "Is schoolwork optional now? Education is on the verge of becoming fully automated." “Educators are worried about a fully automated loop in which AI-generated assignments are completed/graded by AI agents.” monkeylink.co/b9e5af

Former LERA president Eileen Hoffman (FMCS) passed away at age 78 on April 19th in Washington, D.C. Current President John Budd (University of Minnesota) wrote: "She had a way of drawing others in, encouraging participation, and helping the next generation find their place."

New Jersey LERA presents: National Labor Relations Board-NJ PERC on May 4th from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. in Woodbridge, NJ. monkeylink.co/31fd36 #LERA #LERANews #ChapterEvents

DC LERA presents: Supportive Supervision on May 8th from 12 noon - 1:30 p.m. via Zoom. monkeylink.co/cdb88a #LERA #LERANews #ChapterEvents

Register now for the LERA 78th Annual Meeting, May 28-31, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minn. where labor and employment relations professionals from across industries and perspectives will come together to tackle today’s most pressing workplace challenges. monkeylink.co/645c0e

Making Care Work, a new book by Nancy Folbre (UMass-Amherst). “Our economy is much bigger than the dollar value of things we buy and sell...We need to acknowledge and reward the value of caring for ourselves and others." monkeylink.co/a426ea

"AI-washing layoffs + Why LLMs can’t write well.” “Companies are using AI as an excuse for layoffs...” “We start by talking about the new wave of tech layoffs at Atlassian and Block, as well as reports that Meta plans to cut up to 20%.” monkeylink.co/a3d6b2

“Trump’s retirement plan backs RSAA to help 69 million workers” by Teresa Ghilarducci. She cites research by David Madland (Center for American Progress) and Christian Weller (UMass-Boston). monkeylink.co/54d973

“From NBA teams to Fortune 500 companies, the culture mistake almost every leader makes” “What is much harder to see is how leaders manage 2 key paradoxes that always emerge within a culture: the chorus paradox and the harvest paradox." monkeylink.co/de2ae6

“Illinois farmers ease critical labor shortages through this agricultural visa program.” Bob Bruno (Illinois) is quoted. “The DOL set a new rule surrounding the Adverse Effect Wage Rate, the minimum wage for agricultural workers in the H-2A visa program." monkeylink.co/1f4732

Michael LeRoy (Illinois) was quoted by CBS News in “What is birthright citizenship, and can Trump overturn the constitutional right in the U.S.?” monkeylink.co/f9c163

New York mayor “Zohran Mamdani announces free child care program for city workers.” “[It] is another step on the road to a free, universal program citywide. “The plan is to make 2-K and 3-K universal and free by the end of Mamdani’s first term." monkeylink.co/0bd00d

Register now for the LERA 78th Annual Meeting, May 28-31, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minn. where labor and employment relations professionals from across industries and perspectives will come together to tackle today’s most pressing workplace challenges. monkeylink.co/645c0e

Connecticut Valley LERA presents: Generative AI Is No Longer a Novelty on May 1st from 12 noon - 1 p.m. in Hartford, CT. monkeylink.co/06eaae #LERA #LERANews #ChapterEvents

“A 30-year debate about raising the minimum wage is still not settled.” In The WSJ. "A paper blew up the consensus that minimum-wage increases kill jobs. Economists have been at each other’s throats ever since." monkeylink.co/39bf7b

From the Cornell Chronical with numerous LERA members quoted: “Labor Action Tracker reports jump in health care strikes.” The health care industry accounted for 40.3% of striking workers, ahead of public administration, which accounted for 29.6%. monkeylink.co/099c90

“A tough market for new grads” on the Brian Lehrer on WYNC podcast. “Lindsay Ellis, Wall Street Journal reporter, talks about the tough job market for new college graduates and how much AI is responsible for it.” monkeylink.co/a36648

“AI danger gets real.” In The Economist. “The administration’s treatment of Anthropic shows how much it prizes AI as a tool of national power. This can only encourage a race to the bottom. Action is unlikely to come until it’s too late.” monkeylink.co/9e74dc

“Climate and Equitable Jobs Act workforce hubs deliver hope, but will they deliver jobs?” Linda Larsen (Illinois) was quoted. “Roughly 15% of students who have graduated from Climate and Equitable Jobs Act workforce hubs have found employment." monkeylink.co/e7bc1d