Working Life

   I know this would be a tough one for most everyone because, let’s face it, half a million dollars a year is not what it once was. Pity those poor executives who may have their pay capped if they come to taxpayers for a bailout: “That is pretty draconian — $500,000 is not a […]

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  Perhaps only the prospect of hanging at dawn focuses the mind more than money. And now that we have the attention of all those banks and other folks who salivate at getting OUR (taxpayer) money through the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), why not get something real out of them: write into new legislation […]

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   Yours truly will be headed today early down to D.C.–I hear something is happening there, what it is isn’t exactly clear, there’s a man…well, you get the pic…    But, yesterday, there was this to ponder: Congress approved the $700 billion rescue plan with the idea that banks would help struggling borrowers and increase […]

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   Even though I’ve suggested that auto workers should not pay for the mistakes made by the industry’s executives, the drumbeat has been pretty persistent that the workers will take another hit. And it picks up in today’s New York Times: While the union has not agreed to reopen contracts at General Motors, Ford and […]

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Memo to the traditional media: you want to see the auto industry go down? Fine. But, at least try to give the facts about what workers have undergone in the industry–an assignment that most of the traditional media could not live up in its coverage of yesterday’s hearings on the proposed bailout.   The facts […]

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   The momentum to merge General Motors and Chrysler is being given a strong push by the government (oh, no, socialism…industrial policy). I’m not saying I think the merger is a great idea but since both companies are leaking billions of dollars and may run out of cash in a year or less, it is […]

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   When you are wrong, you are wrong. I thought this ugly bailout for bankers was a done deal. Kudos to the people who stood up against this awful deal.    Everyone probably feels strongly about how their own individual Congresscritters voted. So, being from New York City, it’s an outrage that, with the exception […]

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   I was tempted to write about the sad collapse of the Mets yesterday (two years in a row) but I figured there were more tragic things to focus on (serious Mets fans may disagree) like the newest version of the bailout deal that is going to pass–though it should not. I would be shocked […]

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   It was an overcast afternoon but people still turned out for a very spirited rally organized in a very short time by the New York City Central Labor Council. People came from a whole range of unions–Teamsters, Teachers, UAW, RWDSU, Laborers, AFSCME…John Sweeney was there. Gary Labarbera, the head of the CLC, lead off […]

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   The turmoil continues today, with investors continuing to flee to short-term Treasury bills (which promise virtually no profit so you can see how the panic continues) and continuing division on the Paulson bailout for bankers (Nancy Pelosi says bravely, "We are not taking ownership of this," meaning Republicans will have to vote for the […]

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