Labour relations

In the midst of a budget struggle, the mayor of Scranton, Pa., can’t get an agreement with the City Council. So, recently, he decided to cut the wages of the town’s employees to the federal minimum wage, $7.25 an hour, despite the fact they have contracts stating otherwise. This includes firefighters and other public employees.

Indiana is set to become the 23rd state to pass a right to work law. The bill prohibits unions from entering into employment contracts that prevent workers from opting out of joining and paying dues to the union.

Public sector employees in the United Kingdom left their jobs and took to the streets on Wednesday to protest what they say is unfair negotiating and an unfair plan to cut their pensions. The government says it needs the cuts to balance the budget.

In states like Wisconsin and Ohio, Republicans are leading the charge against unions, arguing that union benefits are unsustainable.

A look at the underemployed — part-time workers, temps, freelancers, contractors — and how they fit into a labor market squeezed by a deepening recession.