Working Life

I gagged on this during the infamous Tim Russert interview with Barack Obama but shrugged my shoulders in despair. But, I shouldn’t have. When Barack Obama repeated the Republican/Wall Street line about the crisis in Social Security, he was dead wrong. And he and other Democrats have got to stop mouthing this frame.    Here […]

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    This was interesting. Yesterday, the AFL-CIO and UFCW issued a joint press release about a victory in a long battle: the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will finally require–drumroll, please-employers to pay for safety-related materials like goggles, fire-resistant clothing, face shields, hard hats and other safety equipment. Only in America–or other societies where workers […]

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   So, since I’ve been updating folks on the Writers Guild of America strike against Big Media, a number of people have written me or commented: what can we do to help if we are not WGA members and/or don’t live in Los Angeles or New York City? Other than console you for having to […]

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    At first blush, when I saw today’s front-page headline in The New York Times entitled "A Health Plan For Wal-Mart: Less Stinginess",  thought…hmmm…what’s up here? The upshot of the story: The company, according to data available for the first time, is offering better coverage to a greater number of workers. Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest […]

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At least in New York City, there will not be any Writers Guild of America official picketing today (some of us will go over to Broadway and support the striking stagehands). But, there is some stuff to report.   Yesterday, Michael Winship, president of the the Writers Guild of America (east) sent out an e-mail […]

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It wasn’t a surprise but it is still disappointing that the so-called "free trade" deal with Peru passed the House yesterday–and, unfortunately, with too many Democrats voting for the deal. We missed a teachable moment–a moment to reframe the debate on trade relations with other countries. Here’s what the Democratic Party should be saying.   […]

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    Reuters reported just a few hours ago that the House will now take up the so-called "free trade" deal with Peru on Thursday: Leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives have decided to delay a vote on a free-trade agreement with Peru until Thursday, House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer said. Hoyer made the announcement […]

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{attachment id=56 size=small} It was sunny and brisk today on the Writers Guild of America picket line in New York City on the third day of the strike. The pickets have been moving around the city since the strike started on Monday–Day One we rallied outside the NBC (General Electric) studios in Rockefeller Center (just […]

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    Sorry for the late post (I know, you can’t start the day without reading here…) but I’ve been on the Writers Guild of America’s picket line all morning (out at Silvercup Studios in Queens…a little rain, a little wind). Things are still strong on the line and I’ll update this more as the strike […]

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    Members of the Writers Guild of America have walked out, as of midnight. So, it’s to the picket lines, my friends–where I am headed in about one hour. If you are in New York City, here’s what the Guild sent out yesterday: The Writers Guild will go on strike Monday, November 5th at 12:01 […]

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