Working Life

    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 […]

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    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 […]

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    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 […]

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    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 […]

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    A colleague sent me this note from AFL-CIO staff director Bob Welch: President Sweeney informed the AFL-CIO Executive Council yesterday that Linda Chavez-Thompson had notified him that she intended to step down as Executive Vice President of the Federation effective next Friday, September 21st —  for personal and family reasons. President Sweeney also advised […]

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    Tense times in auto worker land. Something will happen in the coming weeks that will reshape the lives of autoworkers and the UAW. But, it’s the longer term future that is perilous.     Right now, the negotiations between the UAW and the auto companies are focused mainly on health care costs. As we’ve discussed […]

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    Wow. Time flies when trade talks are crumbling…I looked back in my archives here and it’s been almost two years since I mused about the crumbling world trade talks known in the parlance as the Doha Round. Today’s Wall Street Journal article tells us that the world leaders who attended the APEC summit were […]

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   While they are quivering and wavering on the Iraq War, let me suggest that there is another issue Democrats cannot capitulate on: economic fairness. It’s been said, repeatedly, that the Democrats took control of Congress in 2006 because of the anger over the Iraq War. I don’t disagree that the war was, and should […]

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    Today is the second day of the strike by taxi drivers in New York City. If you didn’t read the details elsewhere, there is some reporting in The New York Times today. I’ll get to the issues in a sec. But, first, here’s a little from the leader of the Alliance, Bhairavi Desai, from […]

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    A few days ago, I got a copy of a report by the International Labor Organization (ILO) that looks at some global employment trends. The report has got some good data–but, memo to the folks at the ILO, it is really written way too boringly (spice it up!!!). Do you want people to read […]

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