How Do We Win Strikes Again?
April's Labor Notes Conference featured a panel of union activists grappling with the question: How do we make the strike a winning tool again? Building on this conversation, Longshore and Warehouse Union organizing director, Peter Olney, discusses his view with Labor Notes after winning a 15-week lockout by their employer, Rio Tinto.
Some Organizers Protest Their Union’s Tactics
...Current and former Unite Here organizers are speaking out against what they say is a longstanding practice in which Unite Here officials pressured subordinates to disclose sensitive personal information — for example, that their mother was an alcoholic or that they were fighting with their spouse.
Retail Giant Flouts Recommendations of Centers for Disease Control: Wal-Mart`s Sick Leave Policy Risks Spreading Swine Flu
In interviews with Wal-Mart “associates” at stores across New York State, employees confirmed that they had no choice but to work sick. One Wal-Mart employee from a supercenter explained: “Plenty of girls are coughing their brains out. But they cannot go home because of points. Everyone comes in sick. You cant stay home and God forbid if you leave early.”
What a “Jobless” Recovery Means for Young Workers
I’m glad to hear on the news that the economy is doing better. But, frankly, my own household doesn’t feel it. My under-30 partner and I don’t own any stocks, so we’re not benefiting from Wall Street’s recovery. We’re both still jobless and searching for full-time work—in my case for four months now and, in his case, for much longer.
Torn Apart by Deportation
This summer, ColorLines went on the road to New York and Jamaica to investigate the collateral effects of deportation on immigrant communities. It turns out that harsh immigration policy, compounded by systemic inequities built into the criminal justice system, might not be thwarting terrorists or making our country a whole lot safer. But the laws are doing a great job of breaking up another entity: families of color.
Is the Economic Recession Good for Your Health?
"During the Great Depression, some of the hardest times our country has faced, the average life expectancy in the United States actually rose. This surprising bump in the population’s health is also seen in other economic downturns — likely even the current one."
The journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, recently published University of Michigan researchers' counter-intuitive findings.
New Census Data Show Poverty on Rise and Income Gap Widening
The US Census' American Community Survey released new data on income, poverty and health insurance in September. The data is from 2008, so it only captures the beginning of the current economic recession. However, it still shows poverty was on the rise and the gap between the rich and poor widening, a trend which has undoubtedly gotten worse in 2009.
