Economic Report:
Housing starts fell to their lowest point in 17 years during the month of July. That is an 11 percent drop since June. Meanwhile, producer prices jumped to their highest rate in 27 years in July creating across the board price increases for everything from automobiles to prescription drugs. The jump in the producer price index was 1.2 percent over June and 9.8 percent over the same time last year.
By Doug Cunningham
Unemployment for black men in America is high. In New York City’s Red Hook district of Brooklyn, it’s well over 20 percent. James Brodick is Project Director at the Red Hook Community Justice Center, where they’re working to help neighborhood residents get job opportunities.
[Brodick]: “What we’re trying to do is reach out to the business owners and say, hey, is there different forms or different opportunities we can bring you in where you can meet some of our residents.”
Brodick says a tough economy generally makes it even harder to find opportunities for residen
A California bill could make it easier for farm workers there to unionize. Jesse Russell reports:
Allegedly, six farm workers have died from heat exhaustion this year alone. Since 2003, it has been 15. A new bill that was passed by the California Assembly could make it easier for farmworkers to join a union. Unions could request a “mediated election” which would allow workers to fill out a ballot or in the traditional booth style. The idea is that allowing workers to fill out a ballot away from a booth election would relieve some of the pressure workers are put under by growers as they go to vote. The bill also establishes penalties if union organizers attempt to influence the ballot voting. The bill needs to return to the Assembly for Senate amendments and will then go to the desk of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The governor had previously vetoed two similar bills.
By Doug Cunningham
United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger says Senator Barack Obama is taking action to support American workers that will help automakers build cars of the future right here in the U.S. That includes a pledge of $4 billion in investments and low-interest credit for American auto companies. In stark contrast, Gettelfinger says, is Senator John McCain. The UAW president says McCain seems content to rely upon the failed policies of George W. Bush, which have cost American workers millions of good-paying manufacturing jobs. Gettelfinger says when it comes to which candidate will be best for the country’s workers, the UAW believes the choice for president could not be more clear – Obama is committed to changing failed policies while McCain is offering nothing but more of the same failed economic policies.
Working people have made passage of the Employee Free Choice Act a priority issue in the 2008 election. Today, 150 workers from throughout North Carolina pledged their support for the bill, which would level the playing field and allow workers to decide whether to choose a union without employer interference.
The workers held a public roundtable to set the record straight about the legislation after the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce held an event in Hickory featuring prominent anti-worker politicians to spread misinformation about the bill.
The event, which included national Chamber officials, Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.), Rep. Robin Hayes (R-N.C.) and other elected officials, was supposed to be held outside as a rally. But in a move to keep union members out, the event was moved inside and participants were required to show ID and a business card. Dole, who is running for re-election, opposes the Employee Free Choice Act. Her Democratic challenger, Kay Hagan, supports the bill.
 |
|
Sen. Barack Obama is running for president to fight for working families and to make sure economic prosperity is shared by everyone, not limited to a tiny elite. Apparently, that pro-worker agenda threatens the corporate interests that have been the beneficiaries of Bushonomics over the past eight years. These special interests are lashing out with lies and smears, through such Big Business-friendly media outlets like Fox News.
But, this election season, Brave New Films is challenging the lies and distortions about the Democratic presidential candidate. Check out this great video, in which Fox News commentators and other reactionary loudmouths get called out on falsehoods that wrongly impugn Obama’s policies, patriotism and concern for working families and our troops.
An ambulance company owner who forced a dispatcher to ride in a decrepit ambulance is not only a bad boss, today’s he’s been named the biggest loser of the workplace by online voters in Working America’s third annual My Bad Boss Contest. “Thunderstruck” from Illinois, who submitted this story, experienced a frightening incident of an infant choking, made worse by his co-worker’s lack of training.
Thunderstruck not only went on to a more rewarding job—a victory in itself—but, as the contest’s Grand Prize winner, gets a well-deserved vacation with a week’s free stay at a condo in one of more than 50 countries, plus $1,000 to put toward airfare and other expenses.
 |
|
The Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) union has endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for president.
Matthew Loeb, president of IATSE, says Obama has shown “clear and unwavering support” for unions and workers and would fight for pro-worker policies on health care, Social Security, housing and other key issues.
Since the 2008 presidential election represents a critical juncture for the success of labor organizations, security for members of the IATSE and all working Americans, the [IATSE] is officially endorsing Barack Obama for President.
Loeb says IATSE will work to mobilize the union’s 110,000 members in support of Obama.
The AFL-CIO has endorsed Obama and launched a website, Meet Barack Obama, to educate and mobilize union members. This fall, the AFL-CIO is carrying out an unprecedented grassroots mobilization to elect a working family-friendly Congress and president.
Recent Comments