Working Life

   This is simply an open thread if someone has anything to comment on about the discussion I will have taken part in on CNBC at 8 p.m. Eastern. It’s pegged to this ugly report: The government’s report of vast job losses in November, the largest monthly decline in a generation, puts more pressure on […]

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   How about this to send you off to your weekend, from The Wall Street Journal this morning: Companies are shedding workers at an accelerating rate, some in response to declining sales and others in anticipation of tougher times ahead. Job losses are spreading far beyond the housing and finance sectors at the center of […]

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   How about this to send you off to your weekend, from The Wall Street Journal this morning: Companies are shedding workers at an accelerating rate, some in response to declining sales and others in anticipation of tougher times ahead. Job losses are spreading far beyond the housing and finance sectors at the center of […]

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   With the backdrop of the collapse of the global trade talks (a good thing), here’s something to consider: the great, wonderful benefits of so-called "free trade" or "liberalization" have cost 2.3 million U.S. workers their jobs between 2001 and 2007, according to a very, detailed fact-based (as opposed to rhetorical promises from pro so-called […]

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Intuitively, a lot of people understand that war and a fragile economy are related. But, nothing brought home the connection better than the death of Andrew Seabrooks. His life, and death, speak more about what we face than any politician’s rhetoric.   You see, Andrew died because he had no option but to go to […]

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   It’s nice and hot here in Bali where 13,000 people have gathered for the U.N. climate change meeting (The UN has graciously informed people that they can dispense with jackets and ties, not that yours truly planned on wearing such insane grab for this weather). A quick report here. Tomorrow will be the first […]

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   It’s nice and hot here in Bali where 13,000 people have gathered for the U.N. climate change meeting (The UN has graciously informed people that they can dispense with jackets and ties, not that yours truly planned on wearing such insane grab for this weather). A quick report here. Tomorrow will be the first […]

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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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    Sometimes I read The Wall Street Journal and just laugh…it’s kind of a derisive, you have to be fucking kidding laugh. Many of the reporters do a great job but when you get to the ideologues who write opinion pieces, oh, lordy…to wit: today, Josh Kurtzman has a piece which looks at Mexico’s "job […]

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    This is potentially a big story–and an important one. For many years, cities and states have been caught in effectively a blackmail situation–companies threaten to leave or not relocate their businesses unless the municipalities hand over a whole host of tax breaks and incentives. In return for these gifts, companies promise that all sorts […]

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