workers

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The coronavirus appears to be striking African-Americans at far higher rates than white Americans, write Reis Thebault, Andrew Ba Tran and Vanessa Williams at WaPo. Given that African-Americans are on average younger than whites, they should have fewer cases. But other causes are overriding the youth advantage. The median age […]

Employment

Pandemic will cause another Housing Crisis, and Without Strong Long-Term Gov’t Policy it Will hit Workers Hardest

The Conversation

By Roshanak Mehdipanah and Gregory Sallabank | – Millions of Americans are suddenly out of work as the financial and economic crisis sparked by the coronavirus pandemic deepens. Without an income, most of these people will have a hard time covering their expenses, including keeping a roof over their heads. But even before the current […]

Epidemics

Heckuva Job, Pencie! A US ruled for and by the Rich leaves Workers at Risk for Coronavirus

John Buell

Southwest Harbor, Maine (Special to Informed Comment) – Is the United States prepared to deal with a public health emergency? At this point such an emergency seems likely, but, even if it were not, the consequence of inaction are catastrophic and must be planned for. Preparation for a national health emergency depends on two variables, […]

Bernie Sanders

Sanders’ Medicare for All: Why the Nevada Culinary Workers revolted against their Union Bosses

John Buell

Southwest Harbor, Maine (Special to Informed Comment) – In the days leading up to the Nevada Democratic caucus media frequently referred to the “powerful” 60,000 member Culinary Workers Union. In the last quarter century instances when the words powerful and union would be used in the same sentence are all too infrequent. Nonetheless, this union […]

Donald Trump

No Trump ‘Blue Collar Boom’: 1/2 of Americans work Low-Wage Jobs and Manufacturing is in Decline

Peter Certo

(Otherwords.org) – Trump is counting on the working class he’s betraying most aggressively. Can the left get out of affluent suburbia and back to its roots? By Peter Certo | February 5, 2020 There’s an image burned into my brain from childhood: the graffitied train tracks along the intersection of Fifth and Patterson in downtown […]

Democratic Party

The Dark Side of the Trump Economy: Dems Must Stand up for Workers facing Gig Economy, Forced Overtime, Denial of Unionization

John Buell

Southwest Harbor, Maine (Special to Informed Comment) – Common wisdom among the pundit class is that President Trump may be able to coast to victory this November on the back of a strong economy. It’s the economy, stupid. Democrats’ best hope is to change the subject, going perhaps for racism, sexism, and climate crisis. I […]

workers

Why You can’t have Democracy without Strong Workers’ Unions

OtherWords

By Christine Owens | – When workers don’t have a voice in their workplace, they eventually lose their voice at the ballot box, too. You deserve to have a say in matters that affect you. Everyone does. That’s democracy. This shouldn’t change when you go to work. Democratic rights in the workplace — including the […]

Featured

On Labor Day, US Workers are 1/3 poorer than in 2003 & Top 1% is 2x Richer

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – On Labor Day, American workers have little to celebrate. That’s alright. The September Labor Day, while initially proposed by some workers in the 1880s, was backed by conservative President Grover Cleveland over May 1, which he associated with radicalism (i.e. with workers who would demand their rights). So it really […]

Donald Trump

Taking Focus off Wage Stagnation: How Trump’s Stoking of Racial Divide Harms the White Working Class

The Conversation

By Donald T. Tomaskovic-Devey and Eric Hoyt | – Many white men say they feel threatened by the increasing presence and success of minorities in the workplace. As social scientists, we wondered if there is any evidence to support this perceived economic threat, a perception that can provide fertile ground for current rounds of racist […]