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Recently on our Topic Pages
- Sarah Crean on Exclusive: Proposed policy would allow industries to self-audit pollution-generating activities
- David Howard King on Bronx senator's health quest
- Cristian Salazar and Carla Murphy on Stops lawsuit given class status
- Cristian Salazar on NYC Council passes banking bill
- David Howard King on Senate Dems Look to Nat'l Issues
Links in the News ...
- State Reviewing Pay For Fast-Food Workers (NY Times)
- NYC Set To Pass Sick Days Plan (Associated Press)
- Thousands March in Manhattan For May Day Protest (DNAinfo)
- City's Contract Offer Infuriates Unions (Crain's)
- Raising The Salary Bar For Some State Workers (Albany Times Union)
- Hope, Skepticism For Fire Department's Blacks Amid Diversity Push (City Limits)
Researching Work and Labor ...
Transport Workers Contract Shouldn't Harm Riders
The public interest will be served by an agreement between the MTA and the transport workers union that maintains a good standard of living for workers, is within the MTA’s ability to pay, and does not force further harm upon riders by increasing fares or reducing service, according to this report by the Citizens Budget Commission. (February 2, 2012)
Tracking Development Deals
The Independent Budget Office has examined annual reports submitted by the Economic Development Corp. on its discretionary deals and has issued a brief summarizing the information on 1,098 projects undertaken between 1994 and this year. In terms of number, it found more projects were in manufacturing than any other sector. However, when one looks at the size of the projects, information and financial services comes out on top. This area accounted for the largest value of new projects during the Koch, Dinkins and Giuliani administrations, but under Bloomberg, stadiums have been the number one beneficiaries. Despite the data provided by the development agency, the Independent Budget Offices says it remains difficult to determine what effects its efforts have had on job creations and retention. (November 9, 2011)
Living Wage: The Administration View
With the living wage almost certain to be a major issue in City Council this fall, the Bloomberg administration has released the final copy of a study it commissioned on the impact of giving higher pay to people who work for businesses that receive a city subsidy. It concluded that the base wage of $10 an hour could cost New York 6,000 to 13,000 low-skilled jobs. The report was quickly condemned by City Comptroller John Liu and others who say a living wage could help reduce poverty in the city. (October 11, 2011)
Unions in New York
Organized labor in New York is stronger than in other cities and states, according to a new report. The State of the Unions 2011 by the City University found 23 percent of the city's workforce belongs to a union, a higher rate than in any other major U.S. city. and that with 24 percent of its workers in unions, New York state also ranks first. The report paints a statistical profile of union members here, finding women, African-Americans and Puerto Ricans have higher unionization rates than the general population, largely because they hold a disproportionate share of public sector jobs, which are more likely to be unionized. (September 7, 2011)
Disclosure from Development Agencies
While improvements have been made in tracking the performance of the state's Industrial Development Agencies, more needs to be done, according to a report by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. In particular, the report concluded, more efforts need to be made to verify how effective these public benefits corporations are in retaining and creating jobs. Some 115 of the development agencies, along with 279 local economic development corporations, operate in the state, proving tax exemptions to businesses. (July 13, 2011)
The public interest will be served by an agreement between the MTA and the transport workers union that maintains a good standard of living for workers, is within the MTA’s ability to pay, and does not force further harm upon riders by increasing fares or reducing service, according to this report by the Citizens Budget Commission. (February 2, 2012)
Tracking Development Deals
The Independent Budget Office has examined annual reports submitted by the Economic Development Corp. on its discretionary deals and has issued a brief summarizing the information on 1,098 projects undertaken between 1994 and this year. In terms of number, it found more projects were in manufacturing than any other sector. However, when one looks at the size of the projects, information and financial services comes out on top. This area accounted for the largest value of new projects during the Koch, Dinkins and Giuliani administrations, but under Bloomberg, stadiums have been the number one beneficiaries. Despite the data provided by the development agency, the Independent Budget Offices says it remains difficult to determine what effects its efforts have had on job creations and retention. (November 9, 2011)
Living Wage: The Administration View
With the living wage almost certain to be a major issue in City Council this fall, the Bloomberg administration has released the final copy of a study it commissioned on the impact of giving higher pay to people who work for businesses that receive a city subsidy. It concluded that the base wage of $10 an hour could cost New York 6,000 to 13,000 low-skilled jobs. The report was quickly condemned by City Comptroller John Liu and others who say a living wage could help reduce poverty in the city. (October 11, 2011)
Unions in New York
Organized labor in New York is stronger than in other cities and states, according to a new report. The State of the Unions 2011 by the City University found 23 percent of the city's workforce belongs to a union, a higher rate than in any other major U.S. city. and that with 24 percent of its workers in unions, New York state also ranks first. The report paints a statistical profile of union members here, finding women, African-Americans and Puerto Ricans have higher unionization rates than the general population, largely because they hold a disproportionate share of public sector jobs, which are more likely to be unionized. (September 7, 2011)
Disclosure from Development Agencies
While improvements have been made in tracking the performance of the state's Industrial Development Agencies, more needs to be done, according to a report by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. In particular, the report concluded, more efforts need to be made to verify how effective these public benefits corporations are in retaining and creating jobs. Some 115 of the development agencies, along with 279 local economic development corporations, operate in the state, proving tax exemptions to businesses. (July 13, 2011)
