One of the things we are constantly trying to get across to the American worker on this site is the simple fact that war has been waged on them for the last few decades by corporations and their paid for politicians in both parties. Now besides stagnate wages, outsourcing of the middle-class, and the breakdown of our unions workers at the jobs that are left in America have a new worry to add to the list. Emerging technology in the last few decades have given employers a whole new way to steal worker's rights. By stealing their privacy.
It is no huge secret that in the last few decades American workers are falling further behind. They are losing rights, and have seen their wages stagnate even in periods of economic growth and record profits. Even worse is that with more and more women leading households in our country, their wages are still sagging far behind men who do the same or similar work. Unfortunately, although the issue was addressed in the Senate this past Friday, little note of it was made in the media who are still determined to stay transfixed on the shiny object of any particular day.
We all know how loud, boisterous and idiotic the tea-bagger movement was in disrupting the townhalls last year with their rude behavior and little concern for fellow citizens views. With that in mind proponents of Universal Healthcare are also waging a campaign to be heard. Thousands of them rallied today in Washington D.C. to make their voices heard. It remains to be seen if they will get the same airplay as the opponents of Progress in our country.
The memory of the banking industry, spurned by Republican policies of de-regulation and greed crashing our economy should be quite fresh in most Americans minds. Especially now that so many of them are still unemployed by those actions and millions have lost billions from their 401ks. However, what should be most infuriating to Americans is after being bailed out for crashing our economy it has just been business as usual for these folks with their huge bonuses for running their businesses and indeed our whole countries economy into the ditch.
TPM A labor source confirmed to TPMDC tonight that the AFL-CIO voted to back new Senate candidate Lt. Gov Bill Halter over Sen. Blanche Lincoln in the May 18 Democratic primary in Arkansas. Three unions within the umbrella group have committed to a $3 million independent expenditure on Halter's behalf. Read More.
Some of the most frustrated folks in America right now are the leaders of America's labor movement. They have good reason to be, as an all-out war has been waged basically by both parties upon them in the last several decades. After the last election, when they used so much energy and support working Americans won the White House and a huge majority in both chambers of Congress they had really hoped that the plight of working Americans would be addressed through healthcare, wages, an end to outsourcing and the Employee Free Choice Act.
February 26, 2010 Evansville, Indiana. Click here to see our previous post about Whirlpool moving 1100 of our jobs to Mexico. The folks in Evansville, Indiana let Whirlpool know that moving to Mexico might not be a good idea. We covered the event with photos (click here to view photos) and videos (the videos are after the page break) hoping to give our readers a flavor of what transpired in Evansville, Indiana February 26, 2010 and according to our sources the Evansville police estimated 5500 were at the rally.
Richard Trumka had this to say: "What’s happening here in Evansville is a head-on collision between corporate greed and failed economic policies-and it’s happening all across our country." Click here to see the video.
In this diary from earlier in the week I detailed how Whirlpool is a profitable company that has taken millions of dollars in federal money, but yet has still decided that American workers are too fat and sassy to enjoy those profits with. Hence, they are closing their plant just over the river from my state of Kentucky in Evansville, Indiana putting 1100 middle-class, hardworking Americans on the unemployment line. Now, Central Indiana Jobs with Justice needs our help.
Across the Ohio River from Kentucky in Indiana is the city of Evansville. For years, American workers have made quality appliances at the Whirlpool factory there. Now, Whirlpool has decided to close this factory down and put 1100 more Americans out of work. It it even more outrageous the circumstances under which they plan to do so.
Because of the current recession and job losses, more people are going hungry now that at any time since the statistic has been recorded. Unfortunately, most likely these numbers will be even worse next year as the full effects of the recession come to fruition. As always with hunger children were some of the hardest hit.
On Veteran's Day American honors it's Veterans both fallen, living, past and present. While we can thank those that have served previously and died for our freedoms it is our duty as a country to honor also those who are serving now, and will hopefully soon return home and finish their service. What better way to honor these present soldiers than to make sure that these Veterans will have opportunity and jobs when they begin civilian life??
I met Bernard Pollack, in 2007, during the Kentucky Governor's race and now Danielle Nierenberg and Bernard Pollack are in Africa on a foundation grant to evaluate projects that promote sustainable agriculture, clean water, and workers' rights. Bernie is taking a leave of absence from the AFL-CIO and planning to travel all over the entire continent. For those that want to keep up with their travels, they will be blogging at www.borderjumpers.org See Bernie's latest email after the hump.
One thing that has been lost in the shuffle through decades of free trade zealously is the simple fact that it matters where things are made. With the loss of millions of manufacturing jobs and the closures of hundreds of thousands of factories the ability of our country to innovate and to make the products we consume has been greatly diminished. This in turn has shrunken our middle-class to disasterous levels.
With the ever-encompassing debate over healthcare another Progressive initiative that is greatly needed has been overlooked in the last several months. The Employee Free Choice Act is still desperately needed to even the playing field for American workers, and the recent trouble in the economy despite what some will say has only deepened the need. As pointed out in one great piece, with the current crashed economy it seems as if once again the only ones who are feeling the pinch is the working American.
We have been detailing at some length of the diminishing opportunities faces the young in this country. Not only the diary just linked, but an earlier one here. Now, as if young Americans needed it even more disturbing news is coming out about how the policies of the last several decades, some supported by both parties are killing opportunity for young workers and threatening to make them the first "Lost Generation" in our history who actually will make less and be worse off than their parents or grandparents.
