Working Life

Took some time off here because of a project that had to be done. But came back to realize that we are just days away from the biggest shift in jobs in the shortest amount of time in history: 30 million jobs. On January 1, 2005, after 40 years, worldwide quotas will end on apparel. […]

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I’m just re-listening to Steve Earle’s “The Revolution Starts Now.” Struck me again how this has to be one of the top most political albums in some time. With lines like, “Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man’s war” (“Rich Man’s War”), the entire album is a sharp, passionate political cry. My […]

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Hard to believe that Wal-Mart has agreed to accept unions in China, no? And, yes, hold the applause. It’s still not clear what this means because the All China Federation of Trade Unions is really an official government-run union. On the other hand, my sources says that, with such a vast union apparatus, you can […]

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Business Week’s cover story this week is about America’s top philanthropists. Since I figured I’m personally a cause they could consider giving to, I figured I’d read it. Interesting two facts: of the 50 most generous philanthropists, the Wal-Mart family ranks tenth *but* what they have given accounts for just 1 percent of their net […]

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There is a drip, drip of stories and evidence that shows how the entire traditional pension system is close to collapse. Back in August, I wrote about Retirement in Peril as evidenced by the struggle facing workers at United Airlines and the deep shit that the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation is in. Now, comes a […]

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Tonight, PBS’ Frontline is going to take a close look at Wal-Mart and how it is shaping our economy. The broadcast, entitled “Is Wal-Mart Good For America?,” includes this scene: “It’s 6 a.m. at a basketball arena in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and the faithful are gathering. Inside, Thomas Schoewe, Wal-Mart’s chief financial officer, works the crowd. […]

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Since the first report I posted, I’ve learned a bit more about Jose Gilberto Soto. Also, the National Labor Committee has posted additional information about his murder (http://www.nlcnet.org/campaigns/soto/) This info comes from an official biography released by the Teamsters: Jose Gilberto Soto was born on November 6, 1954 in Usulutan, El Salvador. Gilberto leaves his […]

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Was a U.S. company involved in the murder of a union organizer? No one yet knows the full details that lead to the murder of Jose Gilberto Soto–but it sure smells like a contract murder. Soto was visiting his mother’s home in El Salvador when he received a call on his cell phone. He stepped […]

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Today, the AFL-CIO Executive Council convenes for a special one-day meeting to talk about the election results and the future of the Democratic party. But, what is about to burst into the open is a much more important debate: will organized labor die? And the answer is a firm yes—unless organized labor takes drastic steps […]

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Beginning today, I’ll devote a lot of time, space and energy to help spur the debate over how the labor movement survives. We’re in deep trouble–and it’s not just about a Bush second term. You can start by reading “The Edifice Complex,” which, though a decade old, still raises issues that we need to grapple […]

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