Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos speaks to the media on the company's sustainability efforts on September 19, 2019 in Washington, D.C.
Posted in Labor News Worker Safety Workers

NLRB says Amazon firing of workers illegal retaliation

The workers are demanding better climate, labor policies. “It’s clear that Amazon has been violating the law when it tries to silence workers who speak out,” said Christy Hofmann, general secretary of UNI Global Union. by…

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Posted in Analysis Filibuster Politics

House Passage of Historic Union Rights Bill Intensifies Pressure on Dem Senators to ‘Stop Hiding Behind’ Filibuster

“Once again, the key obstacle in the way of passing this legislation is the Jim Crow filibuster.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer Wednesday, March 10, 2021   With the support of just five Republicans, the House…

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Posted in Labor Labor News

A huge, huge deal’: Biden issues public statement of support for unionizing Alabama Amazon workers

“We haven’t had this aggressive and positive of a statement from a president of the United States on behalf of workers in decades.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer Monday, March 1, 2021   Declaring that all…

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Posted in Analysis Minimum wage Republicans Wealth

John Thune’s childhood $6 wage—$24 adjusted for inflation—sure helps make the case for at least $15

“The worst thing is that these people aren’t dumb. They know about inflation… They just don’t think people who make their food and clean their bathrooms deserve the same things they got.” by Kenny Stancil, staff…

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Posted in Columns Labor Wade Rathke

Google and majority unionism

by Wade Rathke January 4, 2021 New Orleans   A well-orchestrated rollout welcomed workers back from the holidays with the news that around 225 people of the 260,000 employees of Google and its parent company, Alphabet, have…

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Posted in Labor News

Effects of CA Prop 22 begin as Albertsons stores move to replace unionized drivers with gig workers

“Albertsons was happy to reap public goodwill during the pandemic. But once Prop 22 gave the company the option of replacing workers with lower-paid contractors, they jumped at the opportunity.” by Kenny Stancil, staff writer Tuesday,…

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Posted in Columns Labor Minimum wage Wade Rathke

New York City protects fast food workers

by Wade Rathke December 18, 2020 Atlanta   The New York City Council passed two ordinances that could open the door to a new era of job protection for some of the most precarious workers in the…

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Posted in Common Dreams Labor News Workers

Longtime Union members Pocan and Norcross announce Labor Caucus to advocate for workers in Congress

“President-elect Joe Biden’s new administration gives the Democratic Party the opportunity to reprioritize working families at the center of our legislative agenda.” by Jessica Corbett, staff writer Friday, November 13 Amid a flurry of new campaigns…

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Posted in Bailout 2020 Common Dreams Coronavirus Labor News

Disney fires 28,000 workers during stock buyback spree

“It appears that—prior to, and during the pandemic—Disney took good care of its top executives and shareholders—and now is hanging its front-line workers out to dry.” by Andrea Germanos, staff writer Wednesday, October 14 Sen. Elizabeth…

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Posted in Columns Coronavirus Sick Leave Wade Rathke Worker Safety

Dept. of Labor takes paid leave away from low wage healthcare workers

by Wade Rathke New Orleans   This is complicated, so hang with me, but here is what you need to know. Nursing home workers and other frontline healthcare providers like home health aides, and community home workers…

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Posted in Black Lives Matter Columns Democracy Labor Wade Rathke

Firing workers for off-the-job protests

by Wade Rathke September 17, 2020 New Orleans   A small notice in an email caught my eye. A National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) attorney in a newly released guidance letter wanted to make sure that…

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Posted in Columns Coronavirus Wade Rathke Worker Safety

Where’s the health and safety plan?

by Wade Rathke Friday, September 11, 2020 New Orleans   Leaders and members of Local 100 United Labor Unions finally had enough of working on the frontlines without proper protection against the coronavirus in nursing homes, supported…

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Posted in Columns Gig Economy Labor Safety Net Wade Rathke Workers

Gig work is not a jobs safety net

by Wade Rathke Thursday, September 3, 2020 Pearl River If service work had been the equivalent of a jobs’ “safety net” for workers in many cities and towns in the past, the only replacement available would…

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Posted in Common Dreams Courts Labor News Workers

Major ‘Milestone’ for workers as California judge rules Uber and Lyft must classify drivers as employees

“This is a resounding victory for thousands of Uber and Lyft drivers who are working hard—and, in this pandemic, incurring risk every day—to provide for their families.” by Jessica Corbett, staff writer Tuesday, August 11 In…

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Posted in Columns Labor Wade Rathke

Pandemic privacy and discrimination

by Wade Rathke New Orleans   Businesses are madly lobbying Congress for liability protection from lawsuits by their workers. They are clear that they want their staff to return to work, but they do not want…

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Posted in Analysis Community organizing Human Rights Justice The Conversation

The 2020 uprisings join a long river of struggle in America

Protesters filled the newly named Black Lives Plaza, near the White House, on June 6, 2020 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee/Getty Images by Matthew Countryman, University of Michigan The river was the metaphor that best captured…

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Posted in Columns Democracy Hightower OtherWords

How pro-Trump millionaires robbed small businesses of coronavirus aid

Thanks to a specially carved loophole, one multi-millionaire claimed 339 times more than the average small business received. by Jim Hightower May 20, 2020 Monty Bennett was just another faceless right-wing millionaire on the long list…

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Employees at one Nike facility were given face masks like the one above. (Obtained by ProPublica and MLK50)
Posted in Coronavirus News Pro Publica Public Health

Nike turned away a public health official from Its warehouse days after a worker with COVID-19 died

The Health Department received a complaint that a Nike warehouse wasn’t being cleaned thoroughly or allowing for social distancing. Its inspector wasn’t allowed inside. Twenty-one workers have tested positive for COVID-19 at Nike’s Memphis locations. by…

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Posted in Citizen Wealth Columns Coronavirus economic justice Wade Rathke

The robots are coming and jobs are disappearing

Pearl River   We all wonder what the world of life and work is going to look like at the end of this 2020 Great Depression under the helm of the modern-day Herbert Hoover. Just as an…

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Posted in Analysis Columns Labor Wade Rathke

Workers virus rights for big companies

Pearl River     The stimulus bill overs some expanded rights for workers at companies with under 500 workers.  What do you do if your employer has over 500 workers and is refusing to do the right things…

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Posted in Columns Labor Transportation Wade Rathke

Delivery driver unions and resistance are growing

New Orleans       Traveling in other cities both in the United States and around the world, it sometimes seems like food delivery workers are everywhere on either scooters or bicycles.  The soft box on their backs…

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