skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Special Counsel report: Trump would have been convicted in election case; Dangerous winds return to Los Angeles area, threatening to fan deadly flames; Georgia church creates solar-powered emergency hub with federal climate funds; Environmental groups call for vinyl chloride ban; Tipped wages to be phased out in MI next month, but not without a fight.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans want to attach 'strings' to California fire aid, a judge clears the release of findings about Trump election interference, and North Carolina Republicans seek to invalidate tens of thousands of votes in the state's Supreme Court race.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

"Drill, baby, drill" is a tough sell for oil and gas companies in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, rising sea levels create struggles for Washington's coastal communities, and more folks than ever are taking advantage of America's great outdoors.

Workers Rally for Anti-Wage Theft Bill

play audio
Play

Tuesday, March 3, 2020   

NEW YORK -- We need the SWEAT Bill now. That's the message workers delivered to Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday.

The SWEAT bill would expand the existing mechanics' lien law that helps contractors secure payment from building owners to allow hourly workers to collect when employers refuse to pay. Sarah Ahn, an organizer with the Flushing Workers Center, noted New York's current labor laws are full of loopholes that let employers who cheat their workers evade responsibility.

"They transfer their assets, they close down and reopen their shops, they come to court and they say, 'Oh, we have no money,'" Ahn said. "Meanwhile, they're still often times operating business."

The bill passed both houses of the state Legislature last year before stalling in the governor's office until he vetoed it on January 1, citing due-process concerns.

But Ahn pointed out that legislators chose to expand mechanics' lien legislation as a basis for the SWEAT bill because it has been used successfully for years.

"In fact, Wisconsin did the exact same thing where they expanded the mechanics' lien to be accessible to all workers because they saw this precise problem that New York state has," she said.

With the governor's veto, the Legislature would have to pass the bill again and hope a new version will become law.

Ahn said the workers at rallies in New York City, Binghamton and Buffalo are urging legislators to include the SWEAT bill with this year's budget bills that must be passed by April 1.

"We want this bill as soon as possible," she said. "We fought for it for many, many years, and each year that we couldn't get it done, the problem of wage theft has been getting worse in the state."

The workers have vowed to stage rallies every month until the SWEAT bill becomes law.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
In December, the Oregon Investment council found the state's Public Employee Retirement System returned 2.7%, which lagged other states and its benchmark, in part because of fewer public investments. (Ded Pixto/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

A new bill aims to further reduce investments in fossil fuels by Oregon's Public Employee Retirement System. The Pause Act would impose a five-year …


play sound

As the popular role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons turns 50, one Colorado State University instructor suggests today's political leaders could …

Social Issues

play sound

Florida has been a key battleground in the national immigration debate, with past legislation banning sanctuary cities and requiring companies to use …


Tom Homan, President-elect Donald Trump's border czar, said he will begin mass deportations in Chicago when Trump takes office. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

A proposed amendment to strip Chicago of its sanctuary protections is scheduled to be voted on this week. The change to the Welcome City Ordinance …

Social Issues

play sound

A California nonprofit dedicated to helping transgender and gender-nonconforming people find good jobs is looking to expand its mission in 2025…

The Inflation Reduction Act's "direct pay" provisions allow tax-exempt and government entities to receive full-value payments for clean energy tax credits, enabling projects such as Atlanta's resiliency hub. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

By Yessenia Funes for Next City and Yale Climate Connections. Broadcast version by Shanteya Hudson for Georgia News Connection reporting for the …

Social Issues

play sound

Members of the Texas Legislature are back in Austin for its 89th legislative session. After newly elected lawmakers are sworn in, members will vote …

Health and Wellness

play sound

A coalition of Montana groups will rally at the Capitol Wednesday to advocate for the protection of Medicaid expansion, which legislators will debate …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021