Working Life

   I meant to highlight the beginning of this story when it first came up a day or two ago. Here is an update: Indiana House Democrats met behind closed doors on Wednesday, delaying the start of the 2012 legislative session and blocking action on controversial anti-union legislation backed by Republicans. House Democratic Leader Pat […]

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    Those of you with long memories may recall when Caterpillar declared war on the UAW, provoking a long, bitter strike in the 1990s (is there any strike that isn’t bitter?). Well, here it comes again, this time seeking the hides of Canadians: Caterpillar late Sunday locked out about 420 union workers at a train-locomotive […]

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   I took a longer break from blogging than I thought–to think, observe a bit, rest the brain, cycle New Zealand’s spectacular South Island. But, what stirred me to break this hiatus, at the very moment that people are switching off their computers to turn to libations and debauchery, was, well, the modest observation that […]

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    I could blame Joe Lieberman for deciding to take a week off starting Monday but it would be unfair. I’m doing that for other reasons–my computer will be, intentionally, in a different place for that week.    But, reading this crap reminds me why it will be good riddance when Lieberman rides off into […]

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   In one sense, okay, this is fine: Boeing Co. and leaders of its main union reached a tentative settlement that could end one of the biggest U.S. labor disputes in recent times but leave unresolved key questions about the government’s right to determine where companies locate their plants. Boeing’s labor troubles took on political […]

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   The question one has to ask here is: will the CEO or the top executives of American Airlines lose any money from THEIR retirements because of the bankruptcy? Or will a bankruptcy also include the provision that all top management and the entire board resign? Of course, the answer to both question is no […]

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   I’ve written a lot about the complete immoral insanity of the obsession over the phony debt and deficit "crisis"and the rush to impose austerity on the people when we really need much more public spending to employ the masses of people who are falling, falling, falling further behind. Well, truth is austerity is not […]

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   I recall walking the picket lines in the sleet and rain in 2007-2008 during the Writer Guild strike. And now it seems like we might be in for another round: Bitter disputes over health and pension payments to union members have created plenty of drama in states and cities this year. But do not […]

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   How many times a day do you shake your head at the farces that jump out of the business world every day? Raise your hand if it’s at least twice day. Here you go for your list: Lawmakers on the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, who are conducting the hearing, also plan to home in […]

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   Oh, I get it–so, when democracy threatens to advance in a very tiny way the rights of workers, the Republican member of the National Labor Relations Board takes a page from his ideological co-horts in the Senate and threatens to freeze any votes by going home: The National Labor Relations Board’s sole Republican member […]

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