The Working Lunch

The midterm elections are right around the corner and some key races are very tight in Virginia, Kentucky and Louisiana. We’ll take a look at how those races are playing out and what it means for operators. And on the heels of redefining their "purpose of a corporation" mission statement, the Business Roundtable has a new Chairman - and it’s Walmart’s CEO Doug McMillion. We’ll discuss the importance of having a major entry-level employer as the leader of America’s CEOs. And we visited with a large group of industry CFOs this week and will discuss what’s on the minds - and agendas - of these important senior leaders. We’ll talk about those stories and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

California passed landmark legislation, the long-anticipated AB 5, re-classifying Uber and Lyft and other drivers as employees. But the fallout is just beginning - and the franchise business model may be on shaky ground. We’ll discuss what this means for employers and what’s ahead in California. And new data came out this week that shows minorities are now the majority of new working-age hires in America. Since demographics are destiny, we’ll discuss what all this means for traditional employers. And we’ll take a look at a new documentary that vividly shows the confluence of traditional workers trying to compete in the global economy. We’ll talk about those stories and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

The Working Families party is increasingly giving traditional Democrats a run for their money in cities across the country - and their agenda is focused solely on issues directly impacting the industry. We’ll take a look at what’s going on there. And business and politics collided once again this week when Walmart made a major announcement on guns. We’ll discuss the potential implications for them and all employers. And Universal Basic Income is back in the news, with sleeper candidate Andrew Yang putting it squarely in the middle of the Democratic primary process. We’ll talk about those stories and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

The California legislation that would codify the Dynamex and classify millions of independent contractors as employees is lurching toward the finish line and it may run over the franchise business model in the process. Jeff Hanscom, Vice President of State Government Relations & Public Policy at the International Franchise Association drops by the podcast to get us up to speed. And the unions had another big week. A new Gallup poll suggests public support for unions is at a 50-year high and the labor community opened up a new front in their war of QSRs - now they’re targeting businesses operating at highway rest areas. We’ll kick that around and discuss the impact to the industry. And a national publication does a cover story on the state of the industry - but it feels like more of a drive by hatchet job. We’ll talk about those stories and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

The unions have laid down the gauntlet and have audaciously threatened to withhold their endorsements to any candidate that doesn’t tow the line - namely insisting that as president, they will force McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s to the bargaining table. We’ll kick that around and discuss the impact to the industry. And the Business Roundtable rocked the political and business world this week by revising their Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation prioritizing investing and workers and communities over shareholder value. We’ll discuss what if any political ramifications that has down the road. And Amazon is getting back to basics and committing to good old fashioned grassroots politics to try to change the tone and tenor of the conversation around their brand and business model. We’ll take a look at what they are doing. We’ll talk about those stories and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

More corporate leaders are dragging their companies into the political and culture wars - and this week was no different. A media founder even went to a new level, potentially violating federal labor law by threatening to fire workers who even consider unionization. We’ll take a look at that. And San Francisco is at it again, this time considering a recycling ordinance that would make most current restaurant packaging obsolete. We’ll kick that around and see what restaurants need to be prepared for. And privacy legislation on Capitol Hill is likely stalled again, despite all sides seeming to want it. Only in DC! We’ll talk about those stories and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

Unfortunately, divisive national politics have come to the front door of the restaurant and retail industry again this week with the tragedies in Dayton, El Paso and Mississippi. How those companies respond will be under tremendous scrutiny and draw severe criticism no matter what they do or say or don’t do or say. We’ll take a look at the terrible choices companies face when events like these unfold in their business. And companies are increasingly competing for the best employees by bolstering benefit packages with many embracing tuition assistance and even some outright picking up the entire tab for a four-year education. We’ll take a look at what that’s doing to the employee marketplace and what political implications it could have. And the industry finds itself in another minimum wage conversation in New York, this time over conflicting data on the impacts of the city’s high minimum wage. We’ll try to sort out what all that means. We’ll talk about those stories and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

The labor platforms of the Democratic candidates are beginning to take shape. But to what end? Are they really trying to taut policies that could actually become law down the road or are they merely trying to curry favor - and support - from the powerful labor community in the short term. We’ll take a look at that. And Walmart won a huge victory last week at the NLRB that validated their decision to fire workers who were participating in unofficial Intermittent strikes. We’ll talk about what that means for other companies - especially QSRs, who are in labor’s sights. And the Pew Research Center released a major study this week regarding voter attitudes toward a $15/hr minimum wage. Despite a major partisan split on the issue, the results may make certain lawmakers feel some additional heat on the issue. We will kick that around as well. We’ll talk about those stories and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

The little big burger that could. And the union that couldn’t. Little Big Burger won their high-profile union election this week, giving a big loss to the international Workers of the World local that was trying to organize the chain. We’ll discuss what this means to the broader labor movement and what other brands can learn from the tactics employed by the company to repel the union. And Coke and Pepsi have set a new course in the packaging conversation and parted ways with one of their key trade association allies. We’ll take a look at why they went down this path, what impact it has on the issue, and what that means politically for restaurant and retail brands going forward. And the labor community is beginning to coalesce around a new bogeyman - private equity - and the effect it has on business models, workers protections and other issues. While focused now in the retail space, could restaurants be far behind? We’ll talk about those stories and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

The entry-level business model is under another high-profile attack this week as longtime progressive activist Abigail Disney has jumped into the fray calling into question the business practices of the company that bears her name. We’ll discuss the company’s response and what impact it may have on the broader issue. And Subway is in the news this week and it’s not good. It’s not their business model under attack but their way of doing business - especially when it comes to the treatment of their franchisees. We’ll take a look at how all that fits into the broader narrative of the franchise business model. And the looming ICE raids that the President has been chortling about for weeks seems to have underwhelmed. Even major national brands are pushing back on it. We’ll visit that issue and see how brands are reacting. We’ll talk about those stories and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.