Google reportedly let go of more than 200 contractors who were training a new AI system called Gemini. Workers say they faced poor conditions and low wages, driving unionization efforts that they claim led to retaliatory dismissals. The case casts a spotlight on the human cost of AI innovation and the questions it raises about fairness in the tech industry.

Northwestern University’s postdoctoral researchers have voted to unionize, indicating a notable development on campus. Announced in an afternoon briefing by the Chicago Tribune, the decision underscores shifting labor dynamics in higher education.

Employees of the Maine Trust for Local News have petitioned the National Labor Relations Board to add nearly 50 colleagues to the News Guild of Maine. The filing asks the parent company of the Portland Press Herald and other papers to recognize the enlarged bargaining unit, marking the latest push for union strength in regional journalism.