Professor John Logan Quoted in News Articles on California's Minimum Wage Law and Nippon Steel's Acquisition of U.S. Steel
John Logan, Chair and Professor of Labor and Employment Studies, discussed the outcomes of California's $20 minimum wage law and its impact on the fast-food job market in a KTLA news report.
Since California mandated a higher minimum wage, quick-service restaurants have consistently added new jobs. However, Rebecca Paxton, Director of Research at the Employment Policies Institute, an organization founded by advertising and public relations executive Richard Berman, notes that seasonally adjusted data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates a decline of 3,000 jobs openings in the fast-food industry since January.
Regardless of this discrepancy, Professor Logan mentioned that, despite the prevailing belief that such wage increase would be a “job killer,” the figures indicate that there have been 11,000 jobs created since the law took effect. Logan highlighted that the $20 minimum wage law is an improvement, saying “It is a big raise for a lot of workers, but it’s still quite low.”
Professor Logan also commented on President Biden’s recent decision to block Nippon Steel’s acquisition of U.S. Steel in an AXIOS news article.
President Joe Biden halted the deal between Nippon Steel, a major Japanese steel company, and U.S. Steel, an American steel manufacturer, based on national security grounds. However, U.S. Steel warned that without this deal, the manufacturer will move its headquarters out of state, putting "thousands of good-paying jobs at risk.” This news led to a bizarre "rally" of the U.S. Steel workers in Pittsburgh, influenced by the company outside its headquarters to show support for the controversial deal. Professor Logan mentioned that this is not the first time a company is using its workers for political purposes, stating “It's not so unusual for a company to use workers to political ends at rallies or other events.”
Read the full news stories by visiting the links below: