News from the South - Tennessee News Feed

Tennessee ranks 6th in labor policy report | Tennessee

Published

2 months ago

June 10, 2025

www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-06-10 13:47:00

(The Center Square) – Tennessee took sixth place in an analysis of the state’s labor policies.

The “States That Work” report released Tuesday by the American Legislative Exchange Council ranks states based on their free market labor-friendly policies.

Tennessee was singled out as a trendsetter that inspired Georgia and Alabama to pass business-friendly laws.

The bills passed by the states banned economic development incentives from companies that conducted unionization votes with secret ballots. The companies also cannot share personal employee information with unions without obtaining consent.

“Not following these guidelines can have consequences,” the report says. “Businesses that receive state subsidies and then take unionization votes using a method other than secret ballots can be required to reimburse all “money, grants, funds, or other incentives disbursed”by the state.”

The state ranked 17th for the percentage of its workforce that participates in unions with 3.79% participating in private unions and 18.85% participating in public unions.

The government sector employs 13.3% of the state’s workforce, placing the state at ninth, according to the report. The average 10-year growth is 20.63%, which ranks the state at 12th.

“Tennessee is a Southern powerhouse for worker freedom,” said Alan Jernigan, manager of the ALEC Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force. “With universal license recognition and open pathways to opportunity, Tennessee has become a place where people come not just to live, but to thrive. More than 400,000 new residents in the past decade have voted with their feet. Tennessee is what labor reform done right looks like.”

Arizona, Georgia, Utah, Arkansas and Florida took the top five spots in the report. The states ranked last are Connecticut, New York, Oregon, Massachusetts and Alaska.

“States That Work demonstrates how states that respect worker freedom are winning the race for talent and economic growth,” said Lisa B. Nelson, CEO of ALEC. “While some are embracing reforms that empower workers and attract businesses, others are doubling down on outdated mandates that drive prosperity away. This is more than a ranking, it’s a wake-up call for lawmakers who want their state to thrive in today’s economy.”

ALEC bills itself as “America’s largest nonpartisan, voluntary membership organization of state legislators dedicated to the principles of limited government, free markets and federalism. Comprised of nearly one-quarter of the country’s state legislators and stakeholders from across the policy spectrum, ALEC members represent more than 60 million Americans and provide jobs to more than 30 million people in the United States.”

The post Tennessee ranks 6th in labor policy report | Tennessee appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Right-Leaning

The article primarily reports on the findings of a labor policy report published by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a group known for promoting free-market, limited-government policies often associated with conservative and right-leaning politics. While the article presents data and rankings on state labor policies without overt editorializing, the language and framing emphasize positive outcomes of “business-friendly” labor laws and “worker freedom,” which align with a right-leaning ideological stance. Additionally, the selection of quotes highlights praise for deregulation and market-driven growth, reflecting a favorable view of conservative labor policies rather than a neutral, balanced overview that might include critiques or alternative viewpoints from labor unions or more left-leaning perspectives. Thus, although it reports on ideological positions, the article’s tone and sources suggest a right-leaning bias.

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News from the South - Tennessee News Feed

New Fully Licensed Childcare Facility Opens in North Nashville to Tackle Citywide Childcare Crisis – The Tennessee Tribune

Published

15 hours ago

July 28, 2025

Staff Editor

tntribune.com – admin – 2025-07-28 23:24:00

SUMMARY: A new fully licensed childcare center, operated by the nonprofit Royal Table Inc., has opened in North Nashville’s 37208 zip code to address the city’s childcare crisis. Serving children from 6 weeks to 5 years and offering before- and after-school care up to age 17, the center emphasizes Literacy and STEAM education. It provides affordable care with sliding scale tuition, nutritious meals, and extended hours. Located near TSU, Fisk University, and Meharry Medical College, the center also offers community programs like parenting workshops and literacy nights, aiming to empower families and support lifelong success in a safe, nurturing environment. Enrollment is open.

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The post New Fully Licensed Childcare Facility Opens in North Nashville to Tackle Citywide Childcare Crisis – The Tennessee Tribune appeared first on tntribune.com

News from the South - Tennessee News Feed

Tennessee program aims to expand affordable housing access

Published

20 hours ago

July 28, 2025

Staff Editor

www.wkrn.com – Tori Gessner – 2025-07-28 17:31:00

SUMMARY: The Tennessee Housing Development Agency is launching a project-based voucher program to improve access to affordable housing for Tennesseans holding housing vouchers but struggling to find landlords who accept them. About 6,200 Tennesseans receive vouchers, yet 600 face landlord refusal. This new program assigns vouchers directly to affordable housing units, easing the search for voucher holders. Initially, 5% of vouchers will be dedicated to this program, with plans to increase to 20%. Despite enthusiasm, lawmakers expressed concerns over potential federal funding cuts impacting the program’s future. The Government Operations Committee gave the initiative a positive recommendation.

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The post Tennessee program aims to expand affordable housing access appeared first on www.wkrn.com

News from the South - Tennessee News Feed

Tunnel could link downtown Nashville to airport in 8 minutes | Tennessee

Published

21 hours ago

July 28, 2025

Staff Editor

www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-07-28 17:14:00

(The Center Square) – Motorists may no longer have to dodge construction and heavy traffic driving from the Nashville airport to downtown if a plan by a private company comes to fruition.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy joined Gov. Bill Lee on Monday in announcing an underground tunnel project he said will come at no cost to taxpayers. The 10-mile loop will transport passengers by automobile from the airport to downtown in about eight minutes, Lee said.

The Boring Company, founded by Elon Musk, will begin construction on the project dubbed the “Music City Loop,” as soon as approvals are received, the company said. It could be completed as soon as the fall of 2026, according to information from Lee.

“By leveraging the innovation of private sector companies like The Boring Company, we’re exploring possibilities we couldn’t achieve on our own as a state,” Lee said. “This partnership represents the kind of forward-thinking, fiscally responsible approach that will define the future of transportation in Tennessee.”

The tunnels could have stations in between, Steve Davis, president of The Boring Company, said at a news conference. The company is moving fast on hiring employees and will have a hiring event this week, he said.

Duffy said the Music City Loop is the kind of innovative project the Trump administration wants.

“I think this is a great way to cut through the red tape, to partner with private sector individuals and companies and move projects really fast,” Duffy said. “I think this project will go to great lengths to take more cars off the road, move people faster, create more business activity in your state and in your city, but also reduce the congestion of your great state.”

Lee said conversations with Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell, who was not in attendance at the news conference, have been “incredibly productive to get us where we are today.”

The Boring Company operates a similar project in Las Vegas. But projects in other cities, including Chicago and Washington, D.C., did not come to fruition, according to a report from Axios.

Not everyone is excited about the Music City Loop.

State Rep. Aftyn Behn, D-Nashville, has started an online petition opposing the tunnel.

“This is not about solving Nashville’s traffic problems,” Behn said in the petition. “This is about Elon Musk buying influence in our city and using public resources to pad his private empire. I don’t know about y’all, but this project will happen over my dead body.”

The petition had 1,532 signatures as of Monday afternoon.

Behn is running for the congressional seat vacated by the resignation of former Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Green.

The post Tunnel could link downtown Nashville to airport in 8 minutes | Tennessee appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

The article primarily reports on the proposed tunnel project in Nashville and the different viewpoints surrounding it. It presents quotes and actions from key figures on both sides, including Gov. Bill Lee and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy promoting the project, as well as State Rep. Aftyn Behn opposing it with a petition. The language remains factual and neutral, simply describing the project, its backing, and opposition without editorializing or promoting any particular viewpoint. This balanced presentation indicates the content adheres to neutral, factual reporting rather than advancing a clear ideological stance.