Working Life

Two years ago, Rana Plaza collapsed in Bangladesh, killing 1,138 garment workers and injuring 2,400 others; many of the injured live today with physical problems that make it hard for them to work, not to mention the grief many of them live with because of loved ones killed in the disaster.

This was murder, plain and simple. The deaths of the 1,138 must be remembered because they were victims of greed, the greed that is the linchpin of the economic system around the world, including the U.S., that places profits before the lives of people.

Read the full story

Only in the United States of America could there be any possibility, on contemplation, to let two huge companies combine their horrendous, price-gouging service. But, alas for them, it ain’t happening.

Read the full story

Good for Elizabeth Warren. In a respectful but “I’m not backing down manner,” she’s firing back at the president’s nonsense about TPP. And in her own words on her blog. Take this truth: The Administration says I’m wrong – that there’s nothing to worry about. They say the deal is nearly done, and they are […]

Read the full story

Just a moment to pause and update everyone: going back to 1968, workers have lost more than $357 billion because of the robbery due to the stagnant minimum wage. Here’s the clock.

Read the full story

Oh, this is left over from Tax Day–not that 15 companies would even know what Tax Day means. Cuz, even if they rake it in, they don’t pay taxes. How special.

Read the full story

This Friday will mark the second anniversary of the Rana Plaza mass murder of 1,138 garment workers. I use the word “murder” because the collapse of the eight-story building that housed sweatshop garment factories wasn’t some astonishing surprise. It happened because international garment companies–like Benetton, Primark, Matalan, and Mango –exploited people for huge profits, not caring a whit about their conditions in slave-like conditions half way around the globe; those companies happily pocketed billions of dollars in profits and signed deals year after year with sleazy contractors who operated unsafe, dangerous factories.

After a huge outcry following the collapse, an accord was signed between labor rights advocates, international union representatives and NGOs, on the one hand, and garment companies, on the other hand, calling for payments by the companies to upgrade safety and set up a monitoring scheme to try to prevent future Rana Plaza-like mass murders.

But, even just paying a pittance apparently seems beyond the moral compass of these companies who are stiffing the accord’s budget.

Read the full story

It is not enough to simply say the deal on “fast track” is a bad one. We need to understand, in the details, why what is being sold as a new “improved” fast track is just utter nonsense.

Read the full story

There are a ton of bad ideas out there in the world of economic policy–mostly, those are dumb ideas having to do with the complete comfort with class warfare, from “trickle down” to “CEOs are job creators” to so-called “Free trade.” It is one of the great astonishing things that, despite the fact that all […]

Read the full story

The Trans Pacific Partnership is no laughing matter. It’s a fast track to lower wages, environmental disasters and the undermining of democracy. But, hell, I think maybe the president has a sense of humor on all this. Or, on a serious note, he’s unintentionally showing how weak support is for TPP and the odious “fast […]

Read the full story

Pearls of wisdom. Not the economics–because it is absurd, the reality not of “free market” competition but the reality of cronyism, corruption and greed. But, Dan Price saw the immorality of paying people shit and did something about it: he cut his pay and is raising everyone’s wages.

Read the full story