John Budd
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johnwbudd.bsky.social
John Budd
@johnwbudd.bsky.social

Work & Organizations professor at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Mgmt. Researching labor relations & work; learning about race, power & justice in business. LERA President.

Economics 29%
Political science 23%
Pinned
Really enjoyed last week's LERA 77th annual meeting (OK, as program chair maybe I'm biased). Inspiring keynotes by ‪@lizshuler.bsky.social‬ @darrickhamilton.bsky.social‬ & others. Great young scholar research + professionalXacademic interactions. Honored to be LERA president until next conf in Mpls.

To learn more about Professor Marshall’s fascinating life, listen to episode 18 of Orley Ashenfelter’s podcast The Work Goes On. irs100.princeton.edu/podcasts/ray...
irs100.princeton.edu

We gathered yesterday to honor Prof Marshall. But it’s really us who should feel honored because we’ve had the benefit of his scholarship, real-world advocacy for workers, and institution building. We also presented Marshall with a LERA 50-year membership pin, but it’s actually much closer to 75!

and other parties; extensive public service to bring that scholarship into practice and foster shared prosperity; and tripartite approaches that value all stakeholders. This includes, as just one example, serving four years as Secretary of Labor under President Carter.

Reposted by Aaron Sojourner

As LERA President, it was a tremendous privilege to honor F. Ray Marshall as a LERA Fellow at a ceremony hosted by the Ray Marshall Center at UT-Austin. Prof Marshall has lived LERA's values for 75 years and counting: rigorous scholarship on relevant issues affecting workers, employers, unions,

Submit a proposal and mark your calendars for the LERA 78th Annual Meeting, May 28-31, 2026, in Minneapolis, MN.Proposals due November 15, 2025. monkeylink.co/0861ee

Reposted by Aaron Sojourner

Like many others, the Labor and Employment Relations Association (LERA) is troubled by the firing of BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer.

Reposted by John W. Budd

Major news within organized labor: SEIU is rejoining the AFL-CIO after splitting off 20 years ago. Big Purp is back in the federation. www.huffpost.com/entry/seiu-r...
A 20-Year-Old Rift In Organized Labor Just Got Mended
The reunion between the Service Employees International Union and the leading labor federation comes at a critical moment for the U.S. labor movement.
www.huffpost.com

Reposted by John W. Budd

Texas legislators considering a bill that would put all public university course curricula and faculty hiring in the hands of ruling party political appointees and politicians, effectively ending academic freedom.
Texas bill would increase oversight of universities’ hiring, curriculum and compliance
Senate Bill 37 would create a state office to investigate complaints against universities and require governing boards to ensure courses don’t endorse certain ideologies.
www.texastribune.org

Congrats Dave. Looks like a great book, and also the foundation of a great LERA session in Mpls next May? For example, an author presentation + 3 commentaries. Proposal deadline Nov 15.

And speaking of #LERA2026 in Minneapolis, it's never too early to start thinking about session proposals. Diverse proposals welcome: new research, research meets practice, professional development workshops, policy forums, new formats.
www.leraweb.org/call-2026-minn
Call for Proposals - LERA 78th Annual Meeting
www.leraweb.org
Americans favor labor unions over big business now more than ever, analysis of new data @epi.org from me & Adam Reich of Columbia Labor Lab.

In data back 60 years, Americans' sentiments are both warmer toward unions & cooler towards big business than ever before.
www.epi.org/blog/america...

Reposted by John W. Budd

Glad to be part of this conversation. Thanks @equitablegrowth.bsky.social for pulling us together.
"The crisis of poor job quality has encouraged right-wing populist leaders to pitch divisive rhetoric to struggling workers and their families..."

@elkelly.bsky.social on drivers of poor job quality and concrete policy responses to address them 👇

#EssaySeries

equitablegrowth.org/americas-job...
America’s job-quality crisis and how to revive workers’ pay, dignity, job advancement, and economic well-being
This essay focuses on the drivers of the job-quality crisis and concrete policy responses to address those drivers.
equitablegrowth.org

Reposted by John W. Budd

What even is a university for, and will leadership at the University of Minnesota fight for it? My latest from @startribune.com. (Gift)
Opinion: If Trump comes for the University of Minnesota, will its leaders fight or fold?
I don’t know what happens next, but there’s plenty to do.
www.startribune.com

Reposted by John W. Budd

DOGE terminated nearly all staff and services at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service today

"It is shocking as the agency does not regulate and has always been non-controversial" said a FMCS employee on the cuts

www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Doge shutters federal workplace mediator agency after Trump order
Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, independent labor peacemaker, makes up just 0.0014% of US budget
www.theguardian.com
Eliminating the FMCS is yet another statement of contempt for worker voice and the law of the land. The Labor and Employment Relations Association (LERA) has it right:

"SB 37 would also let governing boards vet and veto universities’ courses and curricula...to ensure courses...'do not endorse specific public policies, ideologies or legislation.'"

Maybe they'll start with microeconomics?
Texas legislators considering a bill that would put all public university course curricula and faculty hiring in the hands of ruling party political appointees and politicians, effectively ending academic freedom.
Texas bill would increase oversight of universities’ hiring, curriculum and compliance
Senate Bill 37 would create a state office to investigate complaints against universities and require governing boards to ensure courses don’t endorse certain ideologies.
www.texastribune.org

Excited that article w. @ryanlamare.bsky.social honoring David Marsden online at @bjireditor.bsky.social. We find supportive evidence of workers' differential extrinsic-intrinsic trade-offs across org governance types.
Animated overview: tinyurl.com/5n7e5k8d
Open access: doi.org/10.1111/bjir.12860
Organizational Governance and Trade-Offs Between Pay and Subjective Employee Well-Being
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
tinyurl.com

Last year when revising my labor relations textbook for the soon-to-be-released 2025 edition, I significantly reduced the coverage of Change to Win. Correlation or causation?

Reposted by John W. Budd

Minnesota now has a local chapter of the Labor & Employment Relations Association!

First event is Jan 30: "Emerging Issues As Seen By Neutrals"

Really grateful for the folks leading in the establishment of this new chapter. Lots more events to come.
#1u #EconSky
lerachapter.org/northstar/ev...

Submit a proposal - The LERA 77th Annual Meeting Call for Proposals is open now through November 15; start thinking about the session you would like to propose now! Deadline November 15th 2024. View the complete call and submission forms here:
lera.memberclicks.net/index.php?op...
Call for Proposals - LERA 77th Annual Meeting
lera.memberclicks.net

No sympathy for Uber & Lyft complaints about being left out. The governor's commission gave them a big voice. Companies Instead shut down meaningful pay discussions.

"Uber...said the company still sees room for negotiation but wants to be part of the discussions."
m.startribune.com/legislators-...
Legislators say they have a deal on Uber and Lyft driver pay, but companies object
Pay rates in the compromise are below the Minneapolis council ordinance and below what drivers' advocacy groups wanted, but driver group calls it a show of good faith.
m.startribune.com

We can mark down today as the birthdate of the North Star LERA chapter. Local programming to follow in the fall.

A nice summary of what the MN task force on ride share drivers achieved and moreso failed to achieve. The first three months rhetoric of "we're here to find solutions" disappeared in the last two weeks.
minnesotareformer.com/2023/12/19/m...