Working Life

    For a long time, I’ve been saying that the dollar has to come down. A lower dollar would be an easier solution to, for example, the trade issues with China, compared to trying to get the Chinese to change its currency policies. So, the fact that the dollar is sharply down–even now equal to […]

Read the full story

    I’ll tell ya, I wouldn’t want to be the negotiator for those negotiations between the UAW and GM. According to the mainstream media reports coming out today, the idea of a volunteer employee benefits association (VEBA) is now off the table. The Wall Street Journal reports: UAW President Ron Gettelfinger has for now ended […]

Read the full story

   The Service Employees International Union will not endorse any candidate in the Democratic primaries–at least until next week. This announcement came just a few minutes ago via  a conference call with SEIU president Andy Stern and Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger.   How did SEIU get to this place? After hearing on Monday from candidates who […]

Read the full story

    Being a sports fan, I’ve been meaning to write a bit about the controversy involving retired football players. As some of you know, there was a hearing yesterday on the disability program for the folks who played in the National Football League. The players who really have been left to struggle in their post-playing […]

Read the full story

    I hear things are quite tense in the negotiations between the UAW and GM. A Wall Street Journal article gives some info today: General Motors Corp. and the United Auto Workers resumed talks toward a new collective-bargaining agreement but remained well short of a deal and were probably headed toward a few more days […]

Read the full story

    This is a good day to check in on the lay of the land regarding where unions are going in the Democratic presidential primaries. Today, two important unions are hearing from the Democratic presidential candidates: The Service Employees International Union and the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA).     For SEIU, here’s the […]

Read the full story

    There is an interesting piece in The Los Angeles Times today (where yours truly finds himself, surfboard at the ready). The United Farm Workers union is pushing for a state law that would allow card check for union representation elections in California for farm workers. If you wonder why they can do so–the farm […]

Read the full story

    I was going to write about the UAW picking GM as a target but, then, I gagged on my morning newspaper. If you pick up The New York Times this morning (I’ve got the national edition as I’m on the road) there is a picture of a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery where three […]

Read the full story

    I have to get on a plane here soon so just a quick post. The only thing left of the attempt to change immigration policy is the government’s expanded efforts to raid workplace. So, the United Food and Commercial Workers is trying to put some brakes on the practice (from the Associated Press): A […]

Read the full story

    Today brings a perfect example that, really, none of these economic forecasters, pundits or people can tell you what will happen with certain parts of the economy and whether we will have an official "recession." I emphasize OFFICIAL recession because by the standards of whether people are doing better, it’s clear that millions of […]

Read the full story