Rethinking the Economy

Stumbling towards a new model for creating growth, opportunity, and justice

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Entries Tagged as 'Unions'

SF Pride at Work Not Gaga over Wells Fargo [OWS, the Musical]

January 13th, 2012 · No Comments

Another nice example of how to do a protest with style, courtesy of the fabulous boys and girls of SF Pride at Work:
Here’s a little more about SF Pride at Work:
San Francisco Pride at Work is an organization of queers for economic and social justice. We are the LGBTQ arm of the [...]

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Tags: Activism · Finance · Unions

For Labor Day: How Managers and CEOs Screw It up for Everyone Else

September 5th, 2011 · Comments Off

Wall Street melts down, taking the rest economy with it. Who’s to blame? Unions and workers, of course. In honor of Labor Day, the fabulous Wall Streeter Yves Smith gives Exhibit 23,234 of what a load of crap this is. The whole post is definitely worth reading; here are some highlights:
Let me give [...]

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Tags: Good Jobs · Unions

To Save State Pension Funds, Make Them Guardians of the Middle Class

March 14th, 2011 · Comments Off

As we saw last week in the tale of John Kasich and the Ohio state pension funds, the biggest danger facing these pension funds is the unchecked power of Wall Street companies. The economy’s rules enshrine a predatory set of values, encouraging Wall Street to act like wolves and treat pension funds like sheep – [...]

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Tags: Finance · Unions

What Next?

March 11th, 2011 · Comments Off

Yesterday’s loss in Wisconsin was a real blow, although the folks in Wisconsin and their supporters around the country did a damn good job of fighting back. Now they’re gearing up for the next battle. Their immediate target: recall the jackasses who voted for it.
I’m glad they’re aggressively going for recalling these [...]

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Tags: Activism · Good Jobs · Government · Unions

John Kasich and the Temple of State Pension Funds

March 7th, 2011 · Comments Off

State pension funds are a mess — and it’s all the fault of those greedy teachers and firefighters, right? While they may have played a part, the real drivers of this twisted tale have managed so far to hide in the shadows. Luckily, Ohio Governor John Kasich is here to school you, courtesy of the [...]

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Tags: Finance · Unions

“Breathe Deep, Wisconsin”

February 28th, 2011 · Comments Off

Tom Morello of Rage against the Machine and The Night Watchman has a great piece in the Rolling Stone on his experience in Madison, where he and other musicians came to support the fight. My favorite part of his piece: the letter he read to the crowd from Amor Eletrebi, who he describes as [...]

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Tags: Unions

This Is What Democracy Looks Like, the Snow Edition

February 28th, 2011 · Comments Off

Saturday’s rally in Madison, Wisconsin, courtesy of SEIU’s Flickr photostream.

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Tags: Unions

Do Teachers Unions Make Us Stooopid?

February 24th, 2011 · Comments Off

Ken Sherrill, via Scott Lemieux:
Only 5 states do not have collective bargaining for educators and have deemed it illegal. Those states and their ranking on ACT/SAT scores are as follows:
South Carolina – 50th
North Carolina – 49th
Georgia – 48th
Texas – 47th
Virginia – 44th
If you are wondering, Wisconsin, with its collective bargaining for teachers, is [...]

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Tags: Unions

This Is What Democracy Looks like, the Kilt Edition

February 22nd, 2011 · Comments Off

Kevin Drum asks, why isn’t Wisconsin Gov. Walker going after firefighters and cops?
Is it because collective bargaining is somehow less of a problem for public safety employees than for teachers? Because strikes by cops are less hazardous than strikes by teachers? Because public safety employees tend not to be hard bargainers anyway? Because public safety [...]

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Tags: Unions

18 Days!!!

February 21st, 2011 · Comments Off

On Sunday, Kamal Abbas, general coordinator of the independent Egyptian Centre for Trade Unions and Workers Services (CTUWS) and all-around bad ass, sent Michael Moore a video clip supporting his union brothers and sisters protesting at the Wisconsin State Capitol. As I was reading the transcript, one thing blew me away:
No one [...]

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Tags: Activism · Global Economy · Unions