The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee (FOMC) that determines U.S. monetary policy met in July.  Its job is to weigh the state of the American economy, both the labor market and inflationary pressures to set policy.  In an interesting note, its discussion of the labor market explicitly noted the condition of the African American and Hispanic unemployment rates.  More than just an aside, reflecting on the status of June’s labor market the minutes of the meeting show the following note:

“The unemployment rates for African Americans and for Hispanics stayed above the rate for whites, al­though the differentials in jobless rates across the different groups were similar to those before the most recent recession.”

Every week, we bring you a roundup of the top news and commentary about issues and events important to working families. Here’s this week’s Working People Weekly List.

Devastating floods in Louisiana have damaged an estimated 40,000 homes across 20 parishes. As of Thursday, 4,000 people were still being housed in area shelters. As always, union members were the first responders on the ground and will be heavily involved in recovery efforts.

The Department of Justice announced today that it would stop the use of private contractors, such as Corrections Corporation of America, to run prisons under their jurisdiction. The announcement comes on the heels of damaging reports about the safety, security and oversight of private prisons released by DOJ and Mother Jones in recent months.

In an appearance on Southern California Public Radio, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka spoke about Donald Trump, working-class voters, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, labor's role in the 2016 election and a wide range of other issues.

In The New York Times, culinary worker Brittany Bronson talks not only about the benefits of joining her union, but also about the opportunities being part of a unionized workforce offer women, particularly women who have long careers in the workforce.

Donald Trump brags that he has “tremendous support within unions.” He claims, “The workers of this country are going to vote for me, [because] I’m going to create jobs.”

This week, the AFL-CIO launched a round of petitions targeting Senate candidates who have endorsed Donald Trump, or have not denounced his incendiary remarks on issues from working families to social justice. The petitions will reach voters in states with contested Senate races, including Florida, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

On Monday night's episode of “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” members of the United Steelworkers who work for Carrier appeared to discuss Donald Trump’s history with working people. They react with laughter and derision to Trump’s assertion that he’s a champion for them. Also interviewed for the segment is Carmen Llarull of the Culinary Workers, who helped organize at the Trump Las Vegas casino. Her words for Trump are even more direct.

It's time once again to take a look at the battles for the rights of working families in the states. Here is what the unions in the states are talking about this week. Click on any of the links to follow the state federations and labor councils on Twitter.

Overtime rules can be a powerful way to prevent working people from getting overworked without getting paid more for their additional effort. Such rules protect both working people and their families, but the federal rules on overtime are out of date and don't protect nearly enough Americans. The Barack Obama administration recently proposed updates to these rules that would help millions of Americans.

Movies have never really been escapist entertainment, and in this election year summer of electoral discontent, no less an authority than New York Times chief critic A.O. Scott recently identified the "grand, overarching themes" of this year’s blockbuster movies: "the problems of management and morale in the modern office."

Each week, we take a look at the biggest friends and foes of labor. We celebrate the workers winning big and small battles, and we shame the companies or people trying to deny working people their rights.

This week, the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) at United Airlines voted to ratify a new contract, which provides immediate economic gains, sets a new industry standard and ensures flight attendants can achieve the benefits of a fully integrated airline. The five-year agreement includes double-digit pay increases, enhances job security provisions, maintains and improves health care, protects retirement and increases flexibility.

Every week, we bring you a roundup of the top news and commentary about issues and events important to working families. Here’s this week’s Working People Weekly List.

At 4 a.m., the bridge from Washington to Oregon is gray and quiet. The seasons pass quickly after 41 years, but every morning the drive is just a little different. You’ve got to pay attention to the details. Otherwise, life just passes you by.

Mike Pence is in Pennsylvania stumping for the Donald Trump presidential campaign and, well, it’s not going so great. Here are just some of the newspapers that are speaking out against Trump’s divisive campaign and policies that would devastate working families.

Okay, so you don’t quite know what to expect with that headline. I’m not talking about Betty White (age 94) or Tony Bennett (age 90). And this isn’t an AARP The Magazine cover story about Harry Potter’s Professor McGonagall...I mean Maggie Smith (yes, she is 81). 

Don’t have my number yet? Odds are you have your own number, though.

Election Day is looming on the horizon, and it’s closer than you may think. This year, we’ll have the chance to beat back attacks on working families. But that won’t happen if you and your family and friends aren’t registered to vote.

What did AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka want to be when he grew up? Why should you join a union?

Find out the answers to these questions in the new Bloomberg Businessweek out this week.