Uh oh,

I have reverted to a lazier, video-posting shell of my former self.

Sorry.

This is a sad excuse for a post...

I have been hella busy with work as of late, what with saving the world from economic injustice one worker at a time and all, but I found this, and I thought you'd enjoy it:



And democratic leadership, I just wanted to say thanks! Thanks for screwing us on the Iraq issue!

My Favorite New Song This week

Via Tbogg:

Now that's smart

Three years ago, California grocery workers went out on strike to protect their pension benefits and health insurance. They got their asses handed to them after a 141-day strike that included management collusion among the big grocery chains. Essentially, they conspired to protect their declining profits together throughout the strike, which is perfectly illegal. What was completely illegal was that they hired striking workers back using fake Social Security numbers.

So workers have been living under a terrible contract for three years. Their contract is up this year, and they've started courting local government officials for support. This is not unusual. What is unusual is that they've been pressuring officials who issue liquor licenses to hold out on giving them to the chains until they agree to treat employees with respect and pay them good wages and benefits.

So essentially, if the chains continue to hardball the unions, they'll simply hardball back--where it hurts--with their liquor, beer, and wine profits.

Well, I'll be.

Apparently, during the 50's we made May Day into "Loyalty Day".

No kidding.

Happy May Day

It's here, the day when workers all around the world throw down and rally. Here in the greater Chicagoland area, I'll be attending a Haymarket memorial, then joining the immigrant rally for worker justice.

All in a day!

Wal-Mart: Yup, still evil

Human Rights Watch compiled 210 pages of union-busting goodness that Wal-Mart has been up to its neck in. Included are the 'rapid response team' of union-busters that's flown in to each store should an organizer show up and start talking to folks about their rights. Then there's the video surveillance on the premises that videotapes employees talking to each other. It all adds up to a climate of fear and intimidation that makes organizing rather unlikely. My favorite quote:

She said the [rapid-response] team also tells workers that unions are outdated and are represented by "aggressive, harassing and unsavory people," she said.

I want that on my tombstone--here lies an aggressive, harassing, and unsavory person.