Unions To Unseat Corporate "Democrats"

The Nation

Working in China: 14hrs a day, 7 days a week

Independent/UK

Bush's OSHA Fails to Protect Popcorn Workers

Washington Post

Fortune Fears John Edwards

"John Edwards: Union Man," Fortune:

should Edwards overcome stiff odds and win the presidency, a new and more hostile day is sure to dawn for Washington's business interests, particularly if Democrats retain control of Congress. Legislation to make union organizing easier would readily pass (already it passed the House this year), as well as other measures to boost the bargaining leverage of organized labor. Universal health care, mostly resisted by the private sector, would top his agenda.

The hyper-cautious Hillary Clinton learned the dangers of a frontal assault on business interests with the disastrous reception to her 1993 health-care plan. Barack Obama hails from the party's liberal-left wing, but prizes consensus. For President Edwards, though, the grievances of working Americans would land squarely at the door of corporate America.

To Fight Sprawl Let DC Grow!

Washington Post article about the restrictive building height limits in the city:

"D.C. leaders should consider lifting the limit around Metro stations that serve commuters from across the region, such as Dupont Circle, Union Station, Metro Center, the Navy Yard and, yes, Friendship Heights."

Common sense tells us that high density zoning centered around mass transit hubs (e.g. Metro stops) is the only way to fight suburban and exurban sprawl. If you can't build up, you have to build out.

Circuit City: "I've Made A Huge Mistake"

Circuit City, citing poor sales of large screen televisions, expects to post a loss at the end of this first quarter. Financial analysts blame the firing of the company's 3,400 most experienced workers, 60% of whom had sales positions. Wobblies protest.
-Washington Post, Times Union

DC Hotel Workers Rising

Youtube clip of Bruce Raynor's speech at a UNITE HERE rally

Wal-Mart Unionbusting Report

Human Rights Watch report on Wal-Mart
watch the anti-union training video

Be An Union Researcher

Cornell's ILR school is offering a special week-long course on strategic corporate research, June 17-June 22. You need to register by May 7.

NYC Taxi Cab Drivers Ready to Strike

The New York Taxi Workers Alliance is preparing for a strike in response to the Taxi & Limousine Commission's plan to require drivers to install expensive GPS computer systems in their cabs.
-Indypendent, NY Sun, Metro NY

Background on the Drivers: AFL-CIO Weblog, Taxi!

Elaine Chao makes me sick

Youtube clip of our SECRETARY OF LABOR bashing the Employee Free Choice Act in a speech at the Society for Human Resource Management luncheon

Starbucks Union Mania

Here's a link to the Post article that made the front of the Style section several weeks ago.

And check this out to listen to a NPR program featuring a great interview with Starbucks unionist Daniel Gross. He breaks out the facts and takes on some idiot named Joseph Michelli, author of "The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary into Extraordinary."