Podcasts about national employment law project

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Best podcasts about national employment law project

Latest podcast episodes about national employment law project

Breaking Through with Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner (Powered by MomsRising)
Federal Workers Under Attack, Maternal Health in Jeopardy, Keeping Public Education, & Top Concerns of Main Street America

Breaking Through with Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner (Powered by MomsRising)

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2025 57:53


On the radio show this week we cover Trump's attack on federal workers, the critical services they provide and the disproportionate impact on women and people of color. We dive into how we can win at the state level, even in red states, with bipartisan support for issues like maternal health.  We hear about Trump's dangerously unqualified pick for Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, and why you should call your Senators to oppose her nomination. Finally, we discuss the negative impacts that trade wars and tariffs are having on Main Street America, and how you can help in your own community.      SPECIAL GUESTS:  Judy Conti, National Employment Law Project, @nelpnews, @nelp.org; Tina Sherman, MomsRising, @MomsRising, @momsrising.org; Ruthanne Buck, SquadBuck; Richard Trent, Main Street Alliance, @mainstreetweets

Boston Public Radio Podcast
BPR Full Show 12/16: Jim's First Tattoo

Boston Public Radio Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2024 149:18


South Boston Senator Nick Collins discusses the demise of Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's proposed tax shift plan that would have helped Boston homeowners.ABC News just agreed to give $15 million to Donald Trump's presidential library fund to settle a lawsuit. We open the phone lines to get your thoughts on whether legacy media can be trusted to hold "Truth to Trump" in his second term. Terri Gerstein of NYU Wagner Labor Initiative and Paul Sonn of the National Employment Law Project share what states can do before Jan. 20 to ensure labor protections under another Trump era.Ilan Stavans of Amherst College discusses the very-much-alive Yiddish language and what Democrats always miss about immigration. Plus, a few Hanukkah recipes from his book "Sabor Judio."Charlie Sennott of the GroundTruth Project gives a round-up of the world news: France's government crisis, the rebel government in Syria, South Korea's impeachment and Ukraine's plea to Donald Trump.We ask listeners what tattoo Jim should get, now that he's decided 70-something is the perfect age get inked for the first time.Boston Globe travel writer Christopher Muther discusses the holidays in Iceland and a magical airport in Singapore.We finish with another BPR moldy chestnut: holiday tipping. Yea or nay?

Boston Public Radio Podcast
Best Of BPR 12/16: Nick Collins On Defeating Wu's Tax Proposal & How To Protect Labor Rights Under Trump

Boston Public Radio Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2024 33:16


Today:We talk with one of the legislators – State Senator Nick Collins – who led the charge to defeat Boston Mayor Wu's plan to shift the tax burden towards commercial properties in the city.And, states don't have to give into anticipatory obedience on everything Trump will try to rollback – We talk with Terri Gerstein of NYU's Wagner Labor Institute and Paul Sonn of the National Employment Law Project, who say states can and should act now to shore up worker protections ahead of Jan. 20. 

Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer
Revisiting the Legacy of the Fight for $15 (with Yannet Lathrop and Dr. T. William Lester)

Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2024 48:47


Over ten years ago, activists and civic leaders ignited the Fight for $15, a movement that was once seen as radical—even Forbes labeled Nick's support for a $15 minimum wage as “near-insane.” Today, the movement's achievements are undeniable: Higher wages for millions of workers, increased union membership, reducing the racial wealth gap, and now raising the federal minimum wage to $15/ hr is one of the central issues in the 2024 presidential campaign, with two-thirds of voters in support. We thought it would be a good time to revisit this episode from 2023, where Yannet Lathrop and Dr. T. William Lester discuss their report from the National Economic Law Project examining the legacy of the movement and all it has accomplished over the last decade.  This episode originally aired on January 24, 2023. Yannet Lathrop is a Senior Researcher and Policy Analyst for the National Employment Law Project. Dr. T. William Lester is Professor and Acting Chair of Urban and Regional Planning at San José State University and Research Professor at UNC Chapel Hill. Twitter: @NELPnews Further reading: Ten-Year Legacy of the Fight for $15 and a Union Movement  Website: http://pitchforkeconomics.com Twitter: @PitchforkEcon, @NickHanauer, @civicaction Instagram: @pitchforkeconomics Threads: pitchforkeconomics YouTube: @pitchforkeconomics Substack: The Pitch

Citations Needed
The Great Neoliberal Burden Shift (Part II)- How Corporate America Offset Liability Onto Its Workers

Citations Needed

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2024 56:00


"How Railroaders Are Killed; Train Crews Grow Careless," read a 1906 syndicated article. "There is a kind of personality who is accident-prone," reported the Kansas City Star in 1944. Amazon's safety programs are "designed to keep its nearly one million warehouse workers worldwide fit and limber," The Seattle Times claimed in 2021.  For well over a century, it's been standard practice for corporations, and the media more generally– echoing these "information campaigns" – to skirt, defy, or prevent regulations by shifting the burdens of protection and wellness onto relatively powerless workers. Just as corporations have historically shifted blame onto "consumers," as we discussed last week, so too have they shifted blame, and punishment, onto their own workers, at great social cost and much private profit. Of course, workers anywhere must bear some level of personal responsibility in matters of health and safety. But, as regulations have threatened their bottom lines, industries from railroads to retail, bolstered by US media, have seized upon this notion in order to render their workers the ones who bear ultimate responsibility for whether they're healthy or sick, safe or injured, and in the most extreme cases, whether they live or die. This is the second episode in a two-part series on what we're calling "The Great Neoliberal Burden Shift." Part I discussed how this burden shift harms consumers. On this episode, Part II, we examine this anti-regulatory PR strategy, looking at the past and present of corporate deflection of responsibility, how media enable this subtle – but effective – practice, and discuss how media campaigns and media coverage have let us internalize the pro-corporate effort to off-load responsibility for workplace health and safety from the bosses on to the workers.  This episode was produced in collaboration with Workday Magazine. Our guest is the National Employment Law Project's Anastaia Christman.

KPFA - CounterSpin
Sam on Students for Justice in Palestine / Sally Dworak-Fisher on Delivery Workers

KPFA - CounterSpin

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2024 29:58


This week on CounterSpin: Many college students appear to believe that learning about the world means not just gaining knowledge but acting on it. Campuses across the country — Rutgers, MIT, Ohio State, Boston University, Emerson, Tufts, and on and on — are erupting in protest over their institutions' material support for Israel's war on Palestinians and for the companies making the weapons. And the colleges' official responses are gutting the notion that elite higher education entails respect for the free expression of ideas. Students for Justice in Palestine is working with many of these students. We talk with Sam from National SJP about unfolding events. Then, app-based companies, including Uber and DoorDash, are adding new service fees and telling customers they have to, because of new rules calling on them to improve wages and conditions for workers. The rather transparent hope is that, with a lift from lazy media reporting on worry about more expensive coffee, folks will get mad and blame those greedy bicycle deliverers. We ask Sally Dworak-Fisher, senior staff attorney at National Employment Law Project, to break that story down. Plus, host Janine Jackson takes a quick look at the TikTok ban.   The post Sam on Students for Justice in Palestine / Sally Dworak-Fisher on Delivery Workers appeared first on KPFA.

Dreaming in Color
Rebecca Dixon: Dreaming of Occupational Liberation

Dreaming in Color

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2024 39:01


Welcome to Dreaming in Color, a show hosted by Christian Celeste Tate and Anum Qadir from The Bridgespan Group, that provides a space for social change leaders of color to reflect on how their life experiences, personal and professional, have prepared them to lead and drive the impact we all seek. In this episode, Anum sits down with Rebecca Dixon, President and CEO of the National Employment Law Project. Before taking the helm in 2020, Rebecca served on NELP's Executive Management team as Chief of Programs. Since joining NELP in 2010, she's advanced NELP's growth and impact while serving in several positions, including policy analyst and senior staff attorney. During the Great Recession and its aftermath, Rebecca was a leader in winning unprecedented unemployment insurance coverage expansions in 20 states and multiple extensions of federal emergency unemployment insurance benefits for long-term unemployed workers. In 2012, Rebecca was selected by the State of New York for its Empire State Leadership Fellows program and served in the Office of the Governor in its Labor and Civil Rights Division. She is a member of the Mississippi Bar Association; a board member of The American Prospect, Americans for Financial Reform, the Coalition on Human Needs, the Hope Enterprise Corporation, and the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation; and a member of the Economic Analysis and Research Network in the South, the 2020 Aspen Institute SOAR Leadership Fellowship, and the 2021 National Academy of Social Insurance's Unemployment Insurance Reform Working Group and COVID-19 Task Force. Join us as Rebecca shares how her commitment to advancing workers' rights is inspired by her lived experience growing up in rural Mississippi at the intersection of race, class, and gender. This is Dreaming in Color. Jump straight into: (0:32) Introduction of Rebecca Dixon: President and CEO of the National Employment Law Project(3:24) Rebecca illustrates how being a descendant of sharecroppers and her upbringing in rural Mississippi shaped her views on labor and fueled her passion for creating a standard of dignified work for all. (12:39) Rebecca defines an equitable labor market. (16:40) We explore how interest-based problem-solving is a great solution for creating a balanced workplace democracy. (22:40) The importance of multi-generational support in the workplace. (24:41) The dangers of occupational segregation.Episode ResourcesConnect with Rebecca Dixon on LinkedInLearn more about the National Employment Law Project through their websiteFollow the National Employment Law Project on Twitter and LinkedInRead Rebecca's article Reversing Labor Laws Rooted In Slavery.Read more of Rebecca's writing here.

KQED’s Forum
Thousands of Californians in Legal Battles over Pandemic Unemployment Benefits

KQED’s Forum

Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2023 57:33


“A multi-billion-dollar debacle three years in the making” is how CalMatters investigative reporter Lauren Hepler describes the current state of California's unemployment benefit system. During the Covid pandemic, the already fraying system reached a backlog that affected more than 5 million workers while up to $31 billion was paid to scammers, according to the state's Employment Development Department. At the same time, watchdogs claim the EDD wrongly denied up to a million cases and mistakenly flagged more than half of those as fraudulent. More than 150,000 Californians are currently involved in the appellate process for their unemployment benefits, many accumulating debt and stress in the interim. We'll learn more and hear what's being proposed to fix the system. Guests: Lauren Hepler, investigative reporter, CalMatters Nicolas Allen, graphic designer based in Fresno Madeline Maye, video editor based in Burbank Jenna Gerry, senior staff attorney, National Employment Law Project

Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer
The legacy of the Fight for $15 (with NELP)

Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2023 48:06


Exactly one decade ago, activists and civic leaders launched the Fight for $15. It's hard to recall now, but the idea was wildly controversial at the time—Forbes called Nick's support of a $15 minimum wage “near-insane,” for example. A new report from the National Employment Law Project (NELP) examines the legacy of the movement and all that it has accomplished in the last 10 years. Two of the report's authors join us to discuss the Fight for $15's impact beyond growing paychecks, including its effect on the racial wealth gap, union participation, and the economy overall.  Yannet Lathrop is a Senior Researcher and Policy Analyst for the National Employment Law Project.  Dr. T. William Lester is Professor and Acting Chair of Urban and Regional Planning at San José State University and Research Professor at UNC Chapel Hill.  Twitter: @NELPnews Ten-Year Legacy of the Fight for $15 and a Union Movement https://www.nelp.org/publication/10-year-legacy-fight-for-15-union-movement/  Website: http://pitchforkeconomics.com Twitter: @PitchforkEcon Instagram: @pitchforkeconomics Nick's twitter: @NickHanauer

The Automotive Troublemaker w/ Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
Amazon's 150% Churn, Gen Z Drips, An Old Ford Factory Goes Boom

The Automotive Troublemaker w/ Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2022 17:35


This Tuesday we're talking about Amazon's impressive employee churn rates. We also cover a new report indicating big differences between Millennial and Gen Z buying habits, as well as an iconic former Ford Factory going down in Jacksonville. According to leaked internal documents, Amazon is experiencing attrition rates as high as 81% across the entire company spanning positions from warehouse workers all the way to vice presidentsThe documents, which include several internal research papers, slide decks and spreadsheets, indicate that only one third of new hires stay past 90 days with the vast majority of them willfully quitting vs being laid off or firedA New York Times investigation revealed an annual turnover rate of 150% among hourly employeesWall Street Journal and National Employment Law Project have both found turnover to be around 100 percent in warehouses , twice the industry averageA major issue cited is the lack of tracking training and promotion data$8B is the estimated cost of the turnoverIronically, saw a huge Amazon ad offering free technical training with no college debt featuring a smiling Gen Z'er Tili: People need purposeA new study by Advantage Unified Commerce indicates a major shift in buying behavior between Millennials and Gen Z when it comes to indulgent premium productsIndicates that brands must deliver an elevated ‘premium' experience that creates indulgent moments in the midst of ordinary lifeMillennials = aspirational  Gen Z = intentionally premiumConsumers report no intent to walk away from premiumization in the face of inflation, with 65% planning to purchase premium over the next 12 months“premium” defined as:  worth the purchase with "added value, proof of value, performance, inclusion and shareability."Gen Z indicates being willing to work more as opposed to scaling back purchasesA piece of auto manufacturing history is slated to be demolished as a Jacksonville City Council unanimously agreed Tuesday with the owner of the Ford factory which was built 100 years agoThe plant made Model Ts for about 8 years before Ford closed operations as a result of the great depressionAt one point the factory boasted 200 cars per day and was one of the highest producing sites in the southeast (modern factories produce over 1,000 per day)It was then turned into a parts warehouse, and later a pallet factoryThe prime waterfront real estate will be redeveloped after the buildings removal A city-hired photographer will document the building's legacy before it's torn downGet the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/ Read our most recent email at: https://www.asotu.com/media/push-back-email Share your positive dealer stories: ...

Better Life Lab | The Art and Science of Living a Full and Healthy Life

Being unemployed in the United States is bad for you.  It's bad for your mental, physical and emotional health. Bad for your family stability. Bad for your ability to survive.  It's just bad news, period. The research shows that 83 percent of laid-off workers develop a serious stress-related condition. And as we look at the future of work, that's a problem for the American economy. Because one of the big questions about the American workplace is:What if, in the a future, we actually have less work … and more unemployment? Guests Kiarica Shields, hospice nurse in Georgia who lost her job early in the pandemic, and eventually lost her home and her car. Her unemployment insurance stopped inexplicably, and after she her appeal, she was told she was ineligible for coverage because she worked a single day on another job.  Mark Attico  - furloughed at the start of the pandemic in his job planning business travel. Was on unemployment for months, and with the pandemic supplement his income was actually enough to pay his bills, and gave him time to reconnect with his teenage son - and hold out for a better job that fit his skills and paid well. Dorian Warren, co-president of Community Change. Sarah Damaske, author of The Tolls of Uncertainty: How Privilege and the Guilt Gap Shape Unemployment in America. Resources Reforming Unemployment Insurance: Stabilizing a system in crisis and laying the foundation for equity, A joint project of Center for American Progress, Center for Popular Democracy, Economic Policy Institute, Groundwork Collaborative, National Employment Law Project, National Women's Law Center, and Washington Center for Equitable Growth, June, 2021 A Playbook for Improving Unemployment Insurance Delivery, New America New Practice Lab, 2021 A Plan to Reform the Unemployment Insurance System in the United States, Arindrajit Dube, The Hamilton Project, April 2021  How Does Employment, or Unemployment, Affect Health, RWJF, 2013  Single transitions and persistence of unemployment are associated with poor health outcomes, Herber et al, 2019 The Toll of job loss, Stephanie Pappas, American Psychological Association, 2020

Slate Daily Feed
Better Life Lab: The New Unemployment

Slate Daily Feed

Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2022 36:57 Very Popular


Being unemployed in the United States is bad for you.  It's bad for your mental, physical and emotional health. Bad for your family stability. Bad for your ability to survive.  It's just bad news, period. The research shows that 83 percent of laid-off workers develop a serious stress-related condition. And as we look at the future of work, that's a problem for the American economy. Because one of the big questions about the American workplace is:What if, in the a future, we actually have less work … and more unemployment? Guests Kiarica Shields, hospice nurse in Georgia who lost her job early in the pandemic, and eventually lost her home and her car. Her unemployment insurance stopped inexplicably, and after she her appeal, she was told she was ineligible for coverage because she worked a single day on another job.  Mark Attico  - furloughed at the start of the pandemic in his job planning business travel. Was on unemployment for months, and with the pandemic supplement his income was actually enough to pay his bills, and gave him time to reconnect with his teenage son - and hold out for a better job that fit his skills and paid well. Dorian Warren, co-president of Community Change. Sarah Damaske, author of The Tolls of Uncertainty: How Privilege and the Guilt Gap Shape Unemployment in America. Resources Reforming Unemployment Insurance: Stabilizing a system in crisis and laying the foundation for equity, A joint project of Center for American Progress, Center for Popular Democracy, Economic Policy Institute, Groundwork Collaborative, National Employment Law Project, National Women's Law Center, and Washington Center for Equitable Growth, June, 2021 A Playbook for Improving Unemployment Insurance Delivery, New America New Practice Lab, 2021 A Plan to Reform the Unemployment Insurance System in the United States, Arindrajit Dube, The Hamilton Project, April 2021  How Does Employment, or Unemployment, Affect Health, RWJF, 2013  Single transitions and persistence of unemployment are associated with poor health outcomes, Herber et al, 2019 The Toll of job loss, Stephanie Pappas, American Psychological Association, 2020 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Opportunity in America - Events by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program
The Rewards of Work: Lessons from the Fair Labor Standards Act

Opportunity in America - Events by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2022 76:48


The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938 established the federal minimum wage and overtime pay, created a standard work week, and prohibited children's employment in dangerous conditions. Leaders passed the FLSA not only to ensure “a fair day's pay for a fair day's work,” as FDR said, but also to end a race to the bottom on wages and working conditions that were driving business competition. The law raised wages for hundreds of thousands of workers at the time, but also deliberately excluded a number of industries, which uncoincidentally employed a large number of people of color and women. These exclusions continue to negatively affect opportunity for these groups today. The FLSA has suffered some additional wear and tear in recent decades. The failure of the minimum wage to keep pace with inflation, weak enforcement on issues such as wage theft and misclassification of independent contractors, and a failure to update the tipped minimum wage have minimized the rewards of work for many workers. While federal policy has been slow to respond, some state and local governments and businesses are addressing some of the FLSA's weaknesses by increasing wages and improving job standards in sectors such as domestic and gig work, among others. What innovations can create a more just economy that rewards work fairly? What lessons can we learn from the FLSA and its history to help us restore the commitment to a fair day's pay for a fair day's work? This event includes opening remarks from David Weil (Former Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, U.S. Department of Labor; Dean and Professor, The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University), followed by a panel discussion with Rebecca Dixon (Executive Director, National Employment Law Project), Michael Lastoria (Co-Founder and CEO, &pizza), Teresa Romero (President, United Farm Workers), Ben Zipperer (Economist, Economic Policy Institute), and moderator Noam Scheiber (Labor Reporter, The New York Times). This is the second part in a five-part series on “The History and Future of U.S. Labor Law: Conversations to Shape the Future of Work.”

Jim Hightower's Radio Lowdown
Truck Drivers Hijacked by Immoral Corporate Bosses

Jim Hightower's Radio Lowdown

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2022 2:00


Keep On Trucking' was an iconic underground cartoon created in 1968 by comic master Robert Crumb. Featuring various big-footed men strutting jauntily through life, the caricature became widely popular as an expression of young people's collective optimism. “You're movin' on down the line,” Crumb later explained, “It's proletarian. It's populist.” But today the phrase has become ironic, for America's truck drivers themselves are no longer moving on down the line of fairness, justice, and opportunity. What had been a skilled, middle-class job in the 1960s is now largely a skilled poverty-wage job, thanks to the industry's relentless push for deregulation and deunionization, decoupling drivers from upward mobility. Trucking has been turned into a corporate racket, with CEOs arbitrarily abusing the workers who move their products across town and country. To enable the abuse, corporate lawyers have fabricated a legal dodge, letting shippers claim that their truck drivers are not their employees, but “independent contractors.” Thus – Hocus Pocus! – drivers don't get decent wages, overtime pay, workers comp, Social Security, health care, rest breaks, reimbursement for truck expenses (including gasoline, tires, repairs, and insurance) … and, as “contractors,” drivers are not allowed to unionize. This rank rip-off has become the industry standard, practiced by multibillion-dollar shipping giants like XPO, FedEx, Penske, and Amazon. The National Employment Law Project recently reported that two-thirds of truckers hauling goods from US ports are intentionally misclassified as contractors, rather than as employees of the profiteers that hire, direct, set pay levels, and fire them. Of course, corporate bosses try to hide their greed with a thin legalistic fig leaf – “We believe our [drivers] classifications are legal,” sniffed an XPO executive. Sure they are, sport, since your lobbyists write the laws! But might doesn't make right, “legal” doesn't mean moral, and “boss” spelled backwards is double-S.O.B.

Clotheshorse
Episode 116: Buying New Underwear Instead of Doing Laundry: Meet Rita (part II)

Clotheshorse

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2022 109:28


Please DON'T buy new underwear instead of doing laundry. Thanks!Rita of Panty Witch is back to talk about two of the major obstacles that limit access to slow fashion: size and cost. As part of that conversation, Amanda talks about Victoria's Secret's links to forced labor and worker exploitation. Veronica shares her audio essay about quitting her job (get ready to be inspired). And Amanda talks about Amazon's current and future impact on what it means to be both an employer and an employee (no matter where you work).SO MUCH ADDITIONAL READING THIS WEEK!!!Inside Amazon's Employment Machine (a series from The New York Times).Amazon's Disposable Workers, by Irene Tung and Deborah Berkowitz, National Employment Law Project.“Internal Amazon documents shed light on how company pressures out 6% of office workers,” by Katherine Anne Long, The Seattle Times.“Some Amazon divisions have lost at least 35% of their staff in the past year. One reason: The company doesn't reward loyalty, insiders and former employees say,”  by Katherine Long, Eugene Kim, and Ashley Stewart, Insider.“Yes, prisoners used to sew lingerie for Victoria's Secret — just like in ‘Orange is the New Black' Season 3,” Emily Yahr, The Washington Post.“Victoria's Secret, Slave Labor And So-Called ‘Free Trade,'” Jonathan Tasini, Huff Post.If you want to meet other Clotheshorse listeners, join the Clotheshorsing Around facebook group.Want to support Clotheshorse *and* receive exclusive episodes and some swag? Then become a patron!You can also make a one-time contribution via Venmo to @crystal_visionsClotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable brands:Cute Little Ruin is an online shop dedicated to providing quality vintage and secondhand clothing, vinyl, and home items in a wide range of styles and price points.  If it's ethical and legal, we try to find a new home for it!  Vintage style with progressive values.  Find us on Instagram at @CuteLittleRuin.Blank Cass, or Blanket Coats by Cass, is focused on restoring, renewing, and reviving the history held within vintage and heirloom textiles. By embodying and transferring the love, craft, and energy that is original to each vintage textile into a new garment, I hope we can reteach ourselves to care for and mend what we have and make it last. Blank Cass lives on Instagram @blank_cass and a website will be launched soon at blankcass.com.Caren Kinne Studio:  Located in Western Massachusetts, Caren specializes in handcrafted earrings from found, upcycled, and repurposed fabrics as well as other eco-friendly curios,  all with  a hint of nostalgia, a dollop of whimsy, a dash of color and 100% fun.  Caren is an artist/designer who believes the materials we use matter. See more on Instagram @carenkinnestudioSt. Evens is an NYC-based vintage shop that is dedicated to bringing you those special pieces you'll reach for again and again. More than just a store, St. Evens is dedicated to sharing the stories and history behind the garments. 10% of all sales are donated to a different charitable organization each month. For the month of February, St. Evens is supporting the Yellowhammer Fund, a reproductive justice organization serving Alabama and the Deep South. New vintage is released every Thursday at wearStEvens.com, with previews of new pieces and more brought to you on Instagram at @wear_st.evens.Thumbprint is Detroit's only fair trade marketplace, located in the historic Eastern Market.  Our small business specializes in products handmade by empowered women in South Africa making a living wage creating things they love like hand painted candles and ceramics! We also carry a curated assortment of  sustainable/natural locally made goods. Thumbprint is a great gift destination for both the special people in your life and for yourself! Browse our online store at thumbprintdetroit.com and find us on instagram @thumbprintdetroit.Country Feedback is a mom & pop record shop in Tarboro, North Carolina. They specialize in used rock, country, and soul and offer affordable vintage clothing and housewares. Do you have used records you want to sell? Country Feedback wants to buy them! Find us on Instagram @countryfeedbackvintageandvinyl or head downeast and visit our brick and mortar. All are welcome at this inclusive and family-friendly record shop in the country!Selina Sanders, a social impact brand that specializes in up-cycled clothing, using only reclaimed, vintage or thrifted materials: from tea towels, linens, blankets and quilts.  Sustainably crafted in Los Angeles, each piece is designed to last in one's closet for generations to come.  Maximum Style; Minimal Carbon FootprintSalt Hats:  purveyors of truly sustainable hats. Hand blocked, sewn and embellished in Detroit, Michigan.Republica Unicornia Yarns: Hand-Dyed Yarn and notions for the color-obsessed. Made with love and some swearing in fabulous Atlanta, Georgia by Head Yarn Wench Kathleen. Get ready for rainbows with a side of Giving A Damn! Republica Unicornia is all about making your own magic using small-batch, responsibly sourced, hand-dyed yarns and thoughtfully made notions. Slow fashion all the way down and discover the joy of creating your very own beautiful hand knit, crocheted, or woven pieces. Find us on Instagram @republica_unicornia_yarns and at www.republicaunicornia.com.Gentle Vibes:  We are purveyors of polyester and psychedelic relics! We encourage experimentation and play not only in your wardrobe, but in your home, too. We have thousands of killer vintage pieces ready for their next adventure! Picnicwear:  a slow fashion brand, ethically made by hand from vintage and deadstock materials - most notably, vintage towels! Founder, Dani, has worked in the industry as a fashion designer for over 10 years, but started Picnicwear in response to her dissatisfaction with the industry's shortcomings. Picnicwear recently moved to rural North Carolina where all their clothing and accessories are now designed and cut, but the majority of their sewing is done by skilled garment workers in NYC. Their customers take comfort in knowing that all their sewists are paid well above NYC minimum wage. Picnicwear offers minimal waste and maximum authenticity: Future Vintage over future garbage.Shift Clothing, out of beautiful Astoria, Oregon, with a focus on natural fibers, simple hardworking designs, and putting fat people first.  Discover more at shiftwheeler.comNo Flight Back Vintage:  bringing fun, new life to old things.  Always using recycled and secondhand materials to make dope ass shit for dope ass people.  See more on instagram @noflightbackvintageLate to the Party, creating one of a kind statement clothing from vintage, salvaged and thrifted textiles. They hope to tap into the dreamy memories we all hold: floral curtains, a childhood dress, the wallpaper in your best friend's rec room, all while creating modern sustainable garments that you'll love wearing and have for years to come. Late to the Party is passionate about celebrating and preserving textiles, the memories they hold, and the stories they have yet to tell. Check them out on Instagram!Vino Vintage, based just outside of LA.  We love the hunt of shopping secondhand because you never know what you might find! And catch us at flea markets around Southern California by following us on instagram @vino.vintage so you don't miss our next event!Gabriela Antonas is a visual Artist, an ethical trade fashion designer, but Gabriela Antonas is also a radical feminist micro-business.  She's the one woman band, trying to help you understand, why slow fashion is what the earth needs.  The one woman band, to help you build your brand ! She can take your fashion line from just a concept, and do your sketches, pattern making, grading, sourcing, cutting and sewing for you. Or the second option is  for those who aren't trying to start a business, and who just want ethical garments! Gabriela will create custom garments for you. Her goal is to help one person, of any size, at a time, including beyond size 40.   For inquiries about this serendipitous intersectional offering of either concept DM her on Instagram to book a consultation. Please follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Clubhouse at @gabrielaantonasDylan Paige is an online clothing and lifestyle brand based out of St. Louis, MO. Our products are chosen with intention for the conscious community. Everything we carry is animal friendly, ethically made, sustainably sourced, and cruelty free. Dylan Paige is for those who never stop questioning where something comes from. We know that personal experience dictates what's sustainable for you, and we are here to help guide and support you to make choices that fit your needs.  Check us out at dylanpaige.com and find us on instagram @dylanpaigelifeandstyleLocated in Whistler, Canada, Velvet Underground is a "velvet jungle" full of vintage and second-hand clothes, plants, a vegan cafe and lots of rad products from other small sustainable businesses. Our mission is to create a brand and community dedicated to promoting self-expression, as well as educating and inspiring a more sustainable and conscious lifestyle both for the people and the planet.Find us on Instagram @shop_velvetunderground or online at www.shopvelvetunderground.com

OFF-KILTER with Rebecca Vallas
“It's Just Been Like This Rolling Cliff:” What's Next for America's Crumbling Unemployment Insurance System?

OFF-KILTER with Rebecca Vallas

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2021 59:54


For all the talk about what's in “Build Back Better” recovery legislation that Democrats are trying to move through Congress, one thing that's not currently in the bill, in what many workers' advocates say is a glaring omission, is anything to do with Unemployment Insurance—which was badly in need of a refresh long before the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure that when workers lose a job, they have the protection they need.  In fact, workers' advocates and progressive think tanks have been ringing the alarm bells for years about how few jobless workers were protected by our UI system. The pre-pandemic share of jobless workers actually helped by UI in their time of need? Just 1 in 4, a record low. One of the most important lessons from the pandemic is without question the structural failings in America's Unemployment Insurance system—gaps that were in many cases briefly filled by temporary expansions of jobless protections that have since been allowed to expire, leaving millions of still-jobless workers with less than they need to get by, or worse, nothing at all to keep them and their families afloat. For a look at the state of Unemployment Insurance now that recent expansions have been allowed to run out, what jobless workers are facing right now, and the long-needed UI fixes that workers' advocates are hoping might still be included in upcoming recovery legislation… for this week's Off-Kilter, Rebecca sat down with a panel of UI experts and advocates who have been leading the charge: Rebecca Dixon, executive director of the National Employment Law Project; Andy Stettner, senior fellow at The Century Foundation; and Stephanie Freed, a freelancer turned UI organizer who founded and serves as the executive director of Extend PUA, which has organized tens of thousands of jobless workers in the fight to extend federal UI expansions during the pandemic. Read Rebecca Dixon's statement on why UI reforms must be included in “Build Back Better” recovery legislation  Read more from Andy Stettner on the 7.5 million jobless workers who went over a UI benefits cliff on Labor Day Learn more about the story behind ExtendPUA.org—and how Stephanie Freed went from being a freelancer to organizing tens of thousands of jobless workers Jobless benefits protected 4.7 million people from poverty in 2020, according to NELP analysis Here's a deep dive into how workers' advocates say UI needs to be fixed (by NELP and allies) And here's an op-ed Rebecca (Vallas) wrote early in the pandemic about Florida's broken-by-design UI system

Women Fight Back!
No Contract, No Snacks! Nabisco Workers on Strike Get International Solidarity

Women Fight Back!

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2021 34:25


On today's episode we say No Contract, No Snacks! Mondelez Nabisco workers across the country are on strike. On August 10th union members walked off the company's cookie plant in Portland Oregon demanding fair treatment and a fair contract. Since then over 1,000 other Nabisco workers are on strike nationwide. Jesus Martinez, the President of BCTGM Local 364 and Corey Waddy, a Packing Technician at Mondelēz/ Nabisco join us today to discuss their demands and their ongoing and growing movement.The end of extended unemployment assistance this week marks the largest cutoff of unemployment benefits in history, and spells disaster for the over 7.5 million jobless Americans struggling to pay their bills. Jenna Gerry, Senior Staff Attorney with the National Employment Law Project joins the show to explore what this means for working class people across the country, and why the mainstream media continues to pretend like this isn't devastating for working people and instead treats this cutoff as some marker of “normal”. 

On The Record on WYPR
Gig & Freelance & Unemployed--Oh My!

On The Record on WYPR

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2021 25:09


Governor Hogan's move to end enhanced federal unemployment benefits early is on hold until legal arguments are thrashed out in the next couple of weeks.What would the end of the special pandemic benefits mean for the thousands of gig workers in Maryland?Two freelancers--oboist Rick Basehore and writer Wendy Meyeroff--describe bewildering applications and long gaps but say the benefits are crucial. And Rebecca Smith of the National Employment Law Project contends some Maryland workers should be eligible permanently for what they got during the pandemic. Check out this WYPR News coverage of the legal battle over unemployment benefits in Maryland. Production assistance from Genevieve Montinar. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Voices for Human Needs
Raising the Federal Minimum Wage

Voices for Human Needs

Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2021 28:42


This episode of Voices for Human Needs is all about the fight to raise the federal minimum wage. Co-hosts Abigail Alpern Fisch and Leo Nguyen from the Coalition on Human Needs speak with Judy Conti, Director of Government Affairs at the National Employment Law Project, Adam Orman, co-owner of a neighborhood restaurant in Austin, Texas, L'Oca D'Oro, and Trupti Patel, a lead organizer at One Fair Wage in Washington D.C. These policy advocates, activists, and organizers discuss the top-line impacts of raising the federal minimum wage through the Raise the Wage Act, the disproportionate impacts of a low federal minimum wage on women workers and BIPOC workers, and what listeners like you can do to organize in your communities in support of One Fair Wage. Read more about this episode, at the Voices for Human Needs Blog: https://www.chn.org/voices-for-human-needs/ To learn more about the work being done by each of our speakers and their organizations as mentioned in this episode, please see below: Judy Conti: The National Employment Law Project: https://www.nelp.org/campaign/raising-the-minimum-wage/ Adam Orman: Good Work Austin: https://www.nelp.org/campaign/raising-the-minimum-wage/, L'Oca D'Oro Restaurant in Austin Texas: https://www.locadoroaustin.com/values/, Newsweek article mentioned by Adam: https://www.locadoroaustin.com/values/ Trupti Patel: One Fair Wage: https://onefairwage.site/ This podcast was produced by the Coalition on Human Needs: https://www.chn.org/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/voices-for-human-needs/message

Bad With Money With Gabe Dunn
WFH and Wages: Najah Farley

Bad With Money With Gabe Dunn

Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2021 38:52


Gaby is joined this week by the brilliant and delightful Najah Farley of the National Employment Law Project to talk about working from home, essential workers, and fighting for a living wage. How has work changed for the better or worse since the pandemic started? What can you do to protect yourself financially and emotionally? Plus, some hilarity involving the state of Florida and "your white co-worker Meghan." Have we mentioned that Najah is an incredible guest? Then, Gaby hears from listeners who have started their own small businesses all about their motivations, struggles, and successes. For more awesome businesses by Bad With Money listeners, see the links below!  Bad with Money Listener Small Businesses: Fleshpot - www.etsy.com/shop/FLESHPOT/ Drawmaturgy - www.drawmaturgy.etsy.com Covention - www.DearQueerie.wixsite.com Matisse DuPont - www.matissedupont.com Solilo and Co - www.soliloandco.etsy.com/ Caveat NYC - www.caveat.nyc/ Rexington Funk - www.rexingtonfunk.com/ THE SHORTLIST - www.shortlistshop.com.au/ Dizzie - www.dizzie.co.nz/ Send an email to gabyisbadwithmoney@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 844-474-4040. For a transcript of the show here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1upSYsj9aRaL1lNNAEZ5vATaW0c22AII6mNtuAdPti8A/edit Follow NELP on Twitter: @NELPNews Follow Najah on Twitter: @NajahFarley Find Najah on LinknedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/najah-farley-she-her-728b736 Here are some NELP publications on the issues we discussed: On retaliation and wage theft: https://www.nelp.org/publication/exposing-wage-theft-without-fear/ On the Raise the Wage Act and the $15 minimum wage: https://www.nelp.org/publication/u-s-needs-15-minimum-wage/ The yearly report on raises across the country: https://www.nelp.org/publication/raises-from-coast-to-coast-in-2021/ Follow Bad With Money on Instagram: @bwmpod Follow Gaby Dunn on Instagram: @gabyroad Shop gabydunn.com/shop for merch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesOur Sponsors:* Check out Arena Club: arenaclub.com/badmoney* Check out Chime: chime.com/BADMONEY* Check out Claritin: www.claritin.com* Check out Indeed: indeed.com/BADWITHMONEY* Check out Monarch Money: monarchmoney.com/BADMONEY* Check out NetSuite: NetSuite.com/BADWITHMONEYAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Bad With Money With Gaby Dunn
WFH and Wages: Najah Farley

Bad With Money With Gaby Dunn

Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2021 43:37


Gaby is joined this week by the brilliant and delightful Najah Farley of the National Employment Law Project to talk about working from home, essential workers, and fighting for a living wage. How has work changed for the better or worse since the pandemic started? What can you do to protect yourself financially and emotionally? Plus, some hilarity involving the state of Florida and "your white co-worker Meghan." Have we mentioned that Najah is an incredible guest? Then, Gaby hears from listeners who have started their own small businesses all about their motivations, struggles, and successes. For more awesome businesses by Bad With Money listeners, see the links below!  Bad with Money Listener Small Businesses: Fleshpot - www.etsy.com/shop/FLESHPOT/ Drawmaturgy - www.drawmaturgy.etsy.com Covention - www.DearQueerie.wixsite.com Matisse DuPont - www.matissedupont.com Solilo and Co - www.soliloandco.etsy.com/ Caveat NYC - www.caveat.nyc/ Rexington Funk - www.rexingtonfunk.com/ THE SHORTLIST - www.shortlistshop.com.au/ Dizzie - www.dizzie.co.nz/ Send an email to gabyisbadwithmoney@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 844-474-4040. Follow NELP on Twitter: @NELPNews Follow Najah on Twitter: @NajahFarley Find Najah on LinknedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/najah-farley-she-her-728b736 Here are some NELP publications on the issues we discussed: On retaliation and wage theft: https://www.nelp.org/publication/exposing-wage-theft-without-fear/ On the Raise the Wage Act and the $15 minimum wage: https://www.nelp.org/publication/u-s-needs-15-minimum-wage/ The yearly report on raises across the country: https://www.nelp.org/publication/raises-from-coast-to-coast-in-2021/ Follow Bad With Money on Instagram: @bwmpod Follow Gaby Dunn on Instagram: @gabyroad Shop gabydunn.com/shop for merch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Working Life Podcast
Ep 212: Unemployment Money Chaos Redux?; Clawing Back Dough From The Rich

Working Life Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2021 54:38


Support the Working Life Network here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast ActBlue: secure.actblue.com/donate/working-life-1 How many of you dealt with that chaos when it came to wrestling with the unemployment insurance system last year? Some of the rhetoric we heard was, “well that chaos was just the pandemic crush overwhelming the system”. Yes, that’s true in a very narrow sense—the system collapsed in many places, meaning people who were desperate to get a check to pay rent or for food had to wait months and months for a first check…and lots of people just gave up. But, here’s the truth, folks—that’s a feature not a bug. So, as enhanced unemployment benefits are about to expire at the end of March but seem likely to be extended in a new stimulus bill, is this chaos going to continue to be as bad as it was a year ago? Michele Evermore, a senior policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project and a leading national expert on the unemployment insurance system, tells us the status and how we fix the broken system. Support the Working Life Network here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast ActBlue: secure.actblue.com/donate/working-life-1 Remember during the presidential campaign when Joe Biden promised not to raise taxes for anyone making less than $400,000? I thought, “well, that’s dumb”. Why should someone making say $250,000—which puts them in the one percent—not pay higher taxes? I figured right then that that line-in-the-sand $400K number was a purely stupid political calculation—let’s not piss off the people in the suburbs who voted for Trump who we want to get. Really? Why not try a direct populist argument to reach a whole lot of people who are making under $100,000 and get angry about taxes because they have to pay a heavy load but see people making $250,000 paying a relatively small sum? I talk with Matt Gardner, senior fellow at the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy, about taxing people above $400,000, why other well-off people shouldn’t pay higher taxes as well and, bonus, how Netflix is paying less than one percent taxes on a massive revenue boost (hint: legalized corruption!) Support the Working Life Network here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast ActBlue: secure.actblue.com/donate/working-life-1

Here & Now
Unemployment Questions, Answered; Why Antacids Are Selling Out

Here & Now

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2020 42:51


The coronavirus relief bill that Trump signed on Sunday also includes extended support for unemployed people. Michele Evermore, senior policy analyst with the National Employment Law Project, answers questions about unemployment. And, Dr. Thomas Carroll of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston talks about why antacids like Tums are selling out, and how the stress-induced shortage is affecting people with serious acid reflux disorders.

The Capitol Pressroom
Pandemic highlights long-time disincentive to work in state's unemployment law

The Capitol Pressroom

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2020 12:29


Dec. 30, 2020 - COVID-19 has thrown many New Yorkers into a state of financial insecurity with thousands losing their jobs. We talked with Paul Sonn, State Policy Program Director at the National Employment Law Project, about how the Empire State's unemployment programs work and what changes can be made to improve the system.

Our America with Julián Castro
The Luxury of Paid Sick Leave

Our America with Julián Castro

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2020 24:38


Martin Macias and his wife, Tomasita, crossed the border from Mexico into the United States back in the ‘80s with the dream of starting a family. They had their son Jose, and together they became community leaders in the fight for immigrant rights and workers’ benefits. But their journey is marked with unimaginable loss – of a job, their home, and the family’s matriarch. This week, we’re talking about the life and death consequences of what happens when workers are denied basic benefits like paid time off. The father-son activist duo talk about Tomasita’s lasting impact, and what it’s going to take to make economic progress for undocumented immigrant families in our country.   Keep up with Julián on twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @JulianCastroTX.    Resources from this episode: Follow Make The Road Nevada’s advocacy updates on their webpage and on Twitter. Keep up with the Fight For $15 here. Check out Informed Immigrants’ comprehensive list of immigrant rights resources and the National Employment Law Project’s fact sheet on immigrant workers’ rights and COVID-19.   Support the show by checking out our sponsors You can digitally purchase life insurance from Haven Life Insurance Agency at havenlife.com/ouramerica. Haven Term is a Term Life Insurance Policy (ICC17DTC) issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111 and offered exclusively through Haven Life Insurance Agency, LLC. Policy and rider form numbers and features may vary by state and not be available in all states. Our Agency license number in California is 0K71922 and in Arkansas, 100139527. The Marguerite Casey Foundation, creating greater freedom for changemakers to create a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org, and connect with the Foundation on Twitter and Facebook.    To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/our-america shortly after the air date.   Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Federal Drive with Tom Temin
Whistleblower retaliation complaints have gone unanswered

Federal Drive with Tom Temin

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2020 9:36


Since the advent of the pandemic, whistleblowers have called out employers throughout the country. Many of the whistleblowers complained of retaliation to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. But OSHA resolved only a tiny fraction of the retaliation complaints, according to my next guest. For details, the director of the worker health and safety program at the National Employment Law Project, Debbie Berkowitz.

The Future Works - A Podcast for Workforce Leaders
The Future Works - Episode 8: Economic Recovery Through Quality Jobs

The Future Works - A Podcast for Workforce Leaders

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2020 26:31


New York has an opportunity to learn from the last recession, and reshape its regional economics by understanding and focusing on growing better jobs across the state as it recovers. Back in 2014, the National Employment Law Project found that the Great Recession wiped out high-wage and middle-wage jobs across the county, only to be replaced with low-wage work. Pre-COVID, in New York, 9 out of the top 10 fastest growing occupations paid less than $32,000 in 2019. For Episode 8 of The Future Works, we are joined by Mark Popovich, Director of the Good Companies, Good Jobs Initiative at the Aspen Institute who breaks down what it means to engage in job quality, the business proposition for employers and what workforce professionals can do, now.

Better Yet
BARTEES STRANGE!

Better Yet

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2020


The song we played this week was “Mustang” by Bartees Strange! Support Better Yet on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/betteryetpodcast Listen to Bartees Strange on Bandcamp! https://barteesstrange.bandcamp.com/ National Employment Law Project https://www.nelp.org/ Mutual Aid Network https://www.mutualaidnetwork.org/ FUCK THE POLICE

Belabored by Dissent Magazine
Belabored: The Senate Fiddles While America Burns, with Rebecca Dixon

Belabored by Dissent Magazine

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2020 66:31


The Democrats in the House just passed a new stimulus bill, but what are its odds of passing the Senate? Rebecca Dixon of the National Employment Law Project breaks it down. The post Belabored: The Senate Fiddles While America Burns, with Rebecca Dixon appeared first on Dissent Magazine.

KPFA - UpFront
What’s inside Prop 22, Uber and Lyft’s $182M ballot measure on the fate of gig drivers?

KPFA - UpFront

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2020


Listen to the full radio report here, first aired September 24, 2020: https://kpfa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/BOONE-Prop-22-Explainer.mp3 jQuery(document).ready(function($) { var media = $('#audio-344185-52'); media.on('canplay', function (ev) { this.currentTime = 0; }); });   By Ariel Boone (@arielboone), KPFA elections reporter OAKLAND, CA – Ride-hailing and delivery companies Uber, Lyft, Doordash, Postmates and Instacart have spent at least $182 million in support of Proposition 22, which California voters will decide in November.  At issue is the basic question: are drivers independent contractors, or should they be guaranteed all of the rights of employees, like minimum wage, overtime, workers compensation and unemployment insurance? Proposition 22 would permanently classify drivers for app companies as independent contractors. “What Prop 22 would do is protect the ability of app based drivers to choose to work as independent contractors, with control over where, when, how long and for whom they wanna work,” says Geoff Vetter, a spokesperson for the Yes on 22 campaign. “What we know from speaking with rideshare and delivery drivers is that more than 70 percent say that they want the ability to remain independent contractors.” Driver John Mejia disagrees. He drove for Uber and Lyft for just over four years, and he says the flexibility is a myth. He wants to be treated as an employee, in accordance with AB 5. For years, Mejia recalls, he would log into the Uber and Lyft apps to drive, and see a notice informing him his pay rate would decrease. Each time, he pressed “accept” — that was the only way to continue working. “They've always controlled how much I make when, when I get paid the most and under their algorithms,” Mejia says. “Is that independence? Not really. Is that, is that flexibility? Not really.” The workplace rights of John Mejia and thousands of other app drivers became a state policy fight in 2018, when the California Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision called Dynamex. It created a simple test to determine if a worker is an employee or an independent contractor.  To pass the Dynamex ABC test and classify their its drivers as independent contractors, Uber, Lyft, Doordash and their industry would have to prove that, A – Their drivers are “free from the control and direction of the company”; B – that the driving they do would is “outside the usual course of the company's business”; And C – That the driver is engaged in an independent trade or small business. Though lawsuits are currently making their way through courts deciding the matter, labor experts tell KPFA that multiple federal judges have agreed that app companies fail the ABC test — and that drivers are employees. Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez, the author of AB 5, a bill that incorporated the Dynamex decision into state law, agrees. “There is no way for a delivery driver, an Uber driver, to fit into this idea of being a small business,” she says. “They don't set their own rates. They don't make their own decisions. they're told where to go, when to go. there there's just a lot of control in the entire aspect of it.” “What I realized after driving with them almost for four and a half years, was that it was never about the relationship with the driver. It was really about their relationship to making money.” – John Mejia, driver for Uber and Lyft Six weeks after Governor Newsom signed AB 5 in 2019, delivery and ride-hailing companies filed paperwork to put Proposition 22 on the ballot, and exempt themselves from the law. Proposition 22 has support from police unions, multiple chambers of commerce, and the California Republican Party. In fact, the Yes on 22 campaign this month transferred $2 million to the California Republican Party to support campaigning efforts for the measure. It's opposed by labor unions, including the Teamsters, SEIU, United Food and Commercial Workers and the California Labor Federation as well as high-profile Democrats, like presidential nominee Joe Biden and senators Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren. What's inside Prop 22? Prop 22 would would permanently classify drivers for the app companies as independent contractors, not employees. It also contains some things that look like worker protections: It bars companies from stealing tips from drivers, a practice which is already illegal for employers to do to employees. It mandates drivers rest after working for 12 hours — though drivers could easily flout the law by switching to a second app.  It makes app companies pay a healthcare subsidy for drivers to buy insurance through Covered California. But the subsidy is based on the price of a “bronze” plan, known for high deductibles and fees.  Plus, Prop 22 creates a minimum pay system, something drivers have long demanded, which the app companies say is a historic wage guarantee. The initiative promises 30 cents a mile and 120 percent of minimum wage for hours worked. But there's a catch: labor attorneys say the companies found a way to undercount work hours. “The ballot proposition would only pay drivers for about two-thirds of the time that they're actually working, because it only pays them for engaged time,” says Rey Fuentes, a legal fellow at the Partnership for Working Families.  “The companies funded research that clearly indicates drivers spend about a third of their time waiting, logged on, engaged to work — or essentially engaged to wait. And that time is compensable. Under California law, you should be paid for that time.” Another study by UC Santa Cruz researchers suggested the unpaid waiting time for San Francisco gig drivers could be closer to 20-24 percent of their working time. Whatever the proportion, under Prop 22, waiting time would remain uncompensated.  The Yes on 22 campaign told KPFA that they intentionally limited driver pay to this so-called “engaged time” to prevent drivers from double dipping, earning money to wait on two apps at the same time. But two drivers told KPFA they feel the apps keep them waiting without pay on purpose to “maximize profits” and increase the availability of instant rides and deliveries for customers. Another thing Proposition 22 does: restrain lawmakers. If the state legislature wants to give app drivers a legal right to unionize or collectively bargain, they have to amend Prop 22, and that requires a seven-eigths supermajority vote. The part of the measure that makes drivers independent contractors could never be amended, Rey Fuentes says. Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez says she's “never” seen a ballot initiative with a seven-eighths threshold. “Sometimes it requires a three fourth vote of the legislature, but seven-eighths is almost laughable.” Geoff Vetter, the Yes on 22 spokesperson, says it's intentional. “We think it's important that the voice of drivers and voters be protected, so that if Proposition 22 passes in November, the legislature can't come back in January and completely undo it.” No sick leave, and a raging pandemic Another impact Prop 22 might have: keeping drivers on the job while they're sick. Independent contractors don't get the paid sick leave that state and local laws require for employees.  Labor rights lawyer Rey Fuentes says this means Proposition 22 would even override more generous local laws in places like San Francisco, where employees are currently guaranteed access to up to nine days of paid sick leave. “The ballot proposition would make that law inaccessible to workers for companies like Doordash and Uber and Lyft, and leave them with zero paid sick leave,” he says. KPFA spoke with a driver named Edan Alva, who had no legal protections or sick leave when he fell seriously ill with the flu in January. Driving has been Alva's primary source of income since 2018, and seeing a doctor would have cost him $120, which he could not afford.  “I had to work sick, putting myself and my passengers at risk,” he says. “And I hated myself for doing that. But the choice was between working sick and losing the roof over my head. I worked as much as I could just until I earned enough money to pay my rent. And then I just physically couldn't work or really move much anymore.”  Edan Alva now volunteers for a group called Gig Workers Rising, which is campaigning against Prop 22. He stopped driving when the pandemic started, and says he won't go back unless he feels safe. The CDC currently recommends companies pay for worker sick leave — so they don't go to work sick, and possibly spread a deadly disease. Thousands of drivers have also struggled to access pandemic unemployment insurance, because Uber and Lyft have declined to report driver earnings to the state. John Mejia filed for pandemic unemployment insurance, but the companies wouldn't confirm to the state that he worked for them, even though he had his earnings documented on a 1099. “They made it difficult for me,” Mejia says. “I actually got some unemployment insurance, but it took me just under six months before I saw any money from them.” The UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education conducted analysis that found Uber and Lyft would owe the state of California's unemployment insurance fund $413 million, if they had classified their drivers as employees. For now, California is continuing to pay out, despite the companies not paying in. Rebecca Smith of the National Employment Law Project says, “if you are an employee, you're entitled to all of those things. You're entitled to minimum wage, and overtime, and health and safety protections, and paid sick days. And in California, paid family leave and unemployment benefits when you lose your job and workers' compensation when you're injured, much of that is taken away by this initiative and it's taken away permanently.” A 2020 study from UC Santa Cruz of gig drivers in San Francisco said 45% of the workers couldn't handle a $400 financial emergency without having to borrow money. The study also estimates that up to 1 in 5 drivers might be earning nothing at all once expenses are accounted for.   The post What's inside Prop 22, Uber and Lyft's $182M ballot measure on the fate of gig drivers? appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA - The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays
What’s inside Prop 22, Uber and Lyft’s $182M ballot measure on the fate of gig drivers?

KPFA - The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2020


Listen to the full radio report here, first aired September 24, 2020: https://kpfa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/BOONE-Prop-22-Explainer.mp3 jQuery(document).ready(function($) { var media = $('#audio-344185-19'); media.on('canplay', function (ev) { this.currentTime = 0; }); });   By Ariel Boone (@arielboone), KPFA elections reporter OAKLAND, CA – Ride-hailing and delivery companies Uber, Lyft, Doordash, Postmates and Instacart have spent at least $182 million in support of Proposition 22, which California voters will decide in November.  At issue is the basic question: are drivers independent contractors, or should they be guaranteed all of the rights of employees, like minimum wage, overtime, workers compensation and unemployment insurance? Proposition 22 would permanently classify drivers for app companies as independent contractors. “What Prop 22 would do is protect the ability of app based drivers to choose to work as independent contractors, with control over where, when, how long and for whom they wanna work,” says Geoff Vetter, a spokesperson for the Yes on 22 campaign. “What we know from speaking with rideshare and delivery drivers is that more than 70 percent say that they want the ability to remain independent contractors.” Driver John Mejia disagrees. He drove for Uber and Lyft for just over four years, and he says the flexibility is a myth. He wants to be treated as an employee, in accordance with AB 5. For years, Mejia recalls, he would log into the Uber and Lyft apps to drive, and see a notice informing him his pay rate would decrease. Each time, he pressed “accept” — that was the only way to continue working. “They've always controlled how much I make when, when I get paid the most and under their algorithms,” Mejia says. “Is that independence? Not really. Is that, is that flexibility? Not really.” The workplace rights of John Mejia and thousands of other app drivers became a state policy fight in 2018, when the California Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision called Dynamex. It created a simple test to determine if a worker is an employee or an independent contractor.  To pass the Dynamex ABC test and classify their its drivers as independent contractors, Uber, Lyft, Doordash and their industry would have to prove that, A – Their drivers are “free from the control and direction of the company”; B – that the driving they do would is “outside the usual course of the company's business”; And C – That the driver is engaged in an independent trade or small business. Though lawsuits are currently making their way through courts deciding the matter, labor experts tell KPFA that multiple federal judges have agreed that app companies fail the ABC test — and that drivers are employees. Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez, the author of AB 5, a bill that incorporated the Dynamex decision into state law, agrees. “There is no way for a delivery driver, an Uber driver, to fit into this idea of being a small business,” she says. “They don't set their own rates. They don't make their own decisions. they're told where to go, when to go. there there's just a lot of control in the entire aspect of it.” “What I realized after driving with them almost for four and a half years, was that it was never about the relationship with the driver. It was really about their relationship to making money.” – John Mejia, driver for Uber and Lyft Six weeks after Governor Newsom signed AB 5 in 2019, delivery and ride-hailing companies filed paperwork to put Proposition 22 on the ballot, and exempt themselves from the law. Proposition 22 has support from police unions, multiple chambers of commerce, and the California Republican Party. In fact, the Yes on 22 campaign this month transferred $2 million to the California Republican Party to support campaigning efforts for the measure. It's opposed by labor unions, including the Teamsters, SEIU, United Food and Commercial Workers and the California Labor Federation as well as high-profile Democrats, like presidential nominee Joe Biden and senators Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren. What's inside Prop 22? Prop 22 would would permanently classify drivers for the app companies as independent contractors, not employees. It also contains some things that look like worker protections: It bars companies from stealing tips from drivers, a practice which is already illegal for employers to do to employees. It mandates drivers rest after working for 12 hours — though drivers could easily flout the law by switching to a second app.  It makes app companies pay a healthcare subsidy for drivers to buy insurance through Covered California. But the subsidy is based on the price of a “bronze” plan, known for high deductibles and fees.  Plus, Prop 22 creates a minimum pay system, something drivers have long demanded, which the app companies say is a historic wage guarantee. The initiative promises 30 cents a mile and 120 percent of minimum wage for hours worked. But there's a catch: labor attorneys say the companies found a way to undercount work hours. “The ballot proposition would only pay drivers for about two-thirds of the time that they're actually working, because it only pays them for engaged time,” says Rey Fuentes, a legal fellow at the Partnership for Working Families.  “The companies funded research that clearly indicates drivers spend about a third of their time waiting, logged on, engaged to work — or essentially engaged to wait. And that time is compensable. Under California law, you should be paid for that time.” Another study by UC Santa Cruz researchers suggested the unpaid waiting time for San Francisco gig drivers could be closer to 20-24 percent of their working time. Whatever the proportion, under Prop 22, waiting time would remain uncompensated.  The Yes on 22 campaign told KPFA that they intentionally limited driver pay to this so-called “engaged time” to prevent drivers from double dipping, earning money to wait on two apps at the same time. But two drivers told KPFA they feel the apps keep them waiting without pay on purpose to “maximize profits” and increase the availability of instant rides and deliveries for customers. Another thing Proposition 22 does: restrain lawmakers. If the state legislature wants to give app drivers a legal right to unionize or collectively bargain, they have to amend Prop 22, and that requires a seven-eigths supermajority vote. The part of the measure that makes drivers independent contractors could never be amended, Rey Fuentes says. Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez says she's “never” seen a ballot initiative with a seven-eighths threshold. “Sometimes it requires a three fourth vote of the legislature, but seven-eighths is almost laughable.” Geoff Vetter, the Yes on 22 spokesperson, says it's intentional. “We think it's important that the voice of drivers and voters be protected, so that if Proposition 22 passes in November, the legislature can't come back in January and completely undo it.” No sick leave, and a raging pandemic Another impact Prop 22 might have: keeping drivers on the job while they're sick. Independent contractors don't get the paid sick leave that state and local laws require for employees.  Labor rights lawyer Rey Fuentes says this means Proposition 22 would even override more generous local laws in places like San Francisco, where employees are currently guaranteed access to up to nine days of paid sick leave. “The ballot proposition would make that law inaccessible to workers for companies like Doordash and Uber and Lyft, and leave them with zero paid sick leave,” he says. KPFA spoke with a driver named Edan Alva, who had no legal protections or sick leave when he fell seriously ill with the flu in January. Driving has been Alva's primary source of income since 2018, and seeing a doctor would have cost him $120, which he could not afford.  “I had to work sick, putting myself and my passengers at risk,” he says. “And I hated myself for doing that. But the choice was between working sick and losing the roof over my head. I worked as much as I could just until I earned enough money to pay my rent. And then I just physically couldn't work or really move much anymore.”  Edan Alva now volunteers for a group called Gig Workers Rising, which is campaigning against Prop 22. He stopped driving when the pandemic started, and says he won't go back unless he feels safe. The CDC currently recommends companies pay for worker sick leave — so they don't go to work sick, and possibly spread a deadly disease. Thousands of drivers have also struggled to access pandemic unemployment insurance, because Uber and Lyft have declined to report driver earnings to the state. John Mejia filed for pandemic unemployment insurance, but the companies wouldn't confirm to the state that he worked for them, even though he had his earnings documented on a 1099. “They made it difficult for me,” Mejia says. “I actually got some unemployment insurance, but it took me just under six months before I saw any money from them.” The UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education conducted analysis that found Uber and Lyft would owe the state of California's unemployment insurance fund $413 million, if they had classified their drivers as employees. For now, California is continuing to pay out, despite the companies not paying in. Rebecca Smith of the National Employment Law Project says, “if you are an employee, you're entitled to all of those things. You're entitled to minimum wage, and overtime, and health and safety protections, and paid sick days. And in California, paid family leave and unemployment benefits when you lose your job and workers' compensation when you're injured, much of that is taken away by this initiative and it's taken away permanently.” A 2020 study from UC Santa Cruz of gig drivers in San Francisco said 45% of the workers couldn't handle a $400 financial emergency without having to borrow money. The study also estimates that up to 1 in 5 drivers might be earning nothing at all once expenses are accounted for.   The post What's inside Prop 22, Uber and Lyft's $182M ballot measure on the fate of gig drivers? appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA - UpFront
“We live in distress” One Oakland teacher on 9th Circuit upholding Trumps revoking TPS for 400,000 people; Plus: San Jose, Cupertino scheduling homeless sweeps, despite COVID moratorium

KPFA - UpFront

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2020 119:59


Protester in London denouncing the US Muslim ban, which like the ending of temporary protected status (TPS) are part of the Trump Administrations policies to alienate and criminalize immigrants to the US. (Photo: Wikipedia) 0:08 – Behind the new unemployment numbers Michele Evermore (@EvermoreMichele) is a senior policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project in Washington, D.C. focusing on social insurance. 0:25 – KPFA News: The Census Bureau recently released statistics on poverty, income, and health insurance coverage for last year. It shows median household income in 2019 increased 6.8% from 2018, and the official poverty rate decreased 1.3 percentage points — all before COVID hit. KPFA's Linda Khoury has more. 0:34 – South Bay sweeps threaten curbside communities, as several shelters close permanently Aug 15. Caltrans has scheduled a sweep for today, and Cupertino has a sweep scheduled Sep 21. Shaunn Cartwright is an advocate with the ‘Unhoused Response Group,' which formed at the beginning of the pandemic and advocates and supports curbside communities in the South Bay.  0:49 – In another edition from our series Taken from Us, we hear from Michelle and Ashley Monterrosa, the sisters of 22-year-old Sean Monterrosa. Sean was unarmed and kneeling with his hands raised when Vallejo Police Officer Jarrett Tonn fatally shot him through the windshield of a moving police vehicle in a Walgreens parking lot during the early morning hours of June 2nd. The family couldn't get any answers from the police that night. Instead, it took a day and a half for the police department to admit an officer had killed someone, and the police union filed a temporary restraining order to prevent the release of the names of officers involved. Later it was discovered that vital evidence, the windshield from the police car, had been destroyed, prompting an investigation by the California Department of Justice. Our reporter Chris Lee (@chrislee_xyz) spoke with Sean's two sisters in San Francisco, where he was born and raised. There is a car caravan to demand justice this Saturday, Sep 19th at 12 noon at Holly Park in San Francisco. Michelle and Ashley Monterrosa are currently fundraising and working with Bay Area artist Oree Originol to display pictures of Sean and other victims of police violence on a billboard space directly in front of the Vallejo Police Department. 1:08 – The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upholds Trump's repeal of TPS protections for 400,000 people Rosa Carranza is a Bay Area activist, preschool teacher, and TPS recipient herself. 1:20 – Is California Waste Solutions laundering money and bribing Oakland City officials? The Oakland Public Ethics Commission and The Oaklandside are investigating. Darwin Bond Graham is news editor of the Oaklandside. His latest investigation is Accusations of political ‘money laundering' under investigation in Oakland. 1:34 – How can outdoor performing arts happen in SF. And how to do it safely. Andrew Wood is Director of the SF International Arts Fest, which is calling for the reopening of outdoor sites for the performing arts.  1:45 – The Oakland International Film Festival kicks off today (Sep 17-27) David Roach is the director of the Oakland International Film Festival, now in its 18th year and virtual. The festival will feature 68 filmmakers and kicks off *today, Thursday Sep 17 at 3pm with the film, We Are the Dream, The Kids of the MLK Oratorical Festival and panel discussion. The post “We live in distress” One Oakland teacher on 9th Circuit upholding Trumps revoking TPS for 400,000 people; Plus: San Jose, Cupertino scheduling homeless sweeps, despite COVID moratorium appeared first on KPFA.

America's Work Force Union Podcast
Melissa Cropper (OFT-AFT) / Debbie Berkowitz (National Employment Law Project)

America's Work Force Union Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2020 54:40


Our first featured guest today on America’s Work Force Union Podcast was Ohio Federation of Teachers President Melissa Cropper. Cropper spoke about issues with standardized testing, the fight to limit new private school vouchers and various other education related topics.Debbie Berkowitz, Worker Safety and Health program director for the National Employment Law Project (NELP) was the second featured guest today on the podcast. She discussed her time spent working with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and comparing how pandemics were dealt with in the past compared to now, OSHA’s lack of response to worker complaints and how the COVID-19 pandemic exposed how weak worker rights really are. 

Council 4 Unplugged
#SaveThe600

Council 4 Unplugged

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2020 27:31


Michele Evermore of the National Employment Law Project and Xavier Gordon of AFSCME Local 269 (representing the CT Department of Labor) join us to discuss the struggles facing unemployed workers and the political fight over unemployment insurance benefits.

IMPACT
IMPACT on Important People

IMPACT

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2020 59:56


Nevada's second special legislative session of 2020 drew some contentious discussions - about criminal justice reforms (lawmakers didn't think they went far enough, but voted for the bill anyway), about DETR (technical fixes that most lawmakers can't even name), about voting (that's clear, but the president seems to think it isn't) and about COVID19 liability protection.That last bill, SB4 - which was first argued into the wee hours of the night - drew the most astonishing admission of the session, when Governor Steve Sisolak's General Counsel Brin Gibson said the bill - which did not include the input from hospitals or schools or the small business community - did include the “important members of the Nevada economy.”Meaning resort/casinos. And Culinary workers.Hospitals were specifically left out of liability protection for COVID19. Lawmakers continuously asked why, but the closest they got to an answer was this from Gibson:"There's a potential that this deal falls apart if we started amending our certain provisions in there and for reasons that might not be obvious, some are messaging related, some are optical related, some are substantive." Assemblyman Glen Leavitt of Boulder City couldn't even get Gibson to say who was in the room negotiating the deal.

KPFA - UpFront
Secretive Vallejo police clique celebrated fatal shootings by officers; Plus, Congress lets additional unemployment benefits lapse, as workers face claims delays

KPFA - UpFront

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2020 57:14


A Vallejo police sergeant's badge is bent to indicate fatal shootings of civilians, a new investigation by Open Vallejo says. Photo by Geoff King for Open Vallejo. On this show: 0:08 – For Mondays with Mitch, Cat Brooks and Brian Edwards-Tiekert chat with Mitch Jeserich, host of Letters & Politics weekdays at 10. 0:34 – John Swartzberg is clinical professor emeritus of infectious diseases at UC Berkeley's School of Public Health. 1:08 – Congress just let the $600-per-week additional unemployment insurance relief lapse, as Covid-19 continues to rage in the U.S. An analysis by the California Budget and Policy Center says Black and brown Californians are most affected by this. We talk with Chris Hoene (@ChrisWHoene), executive director of the California Budget and Policy Center. Read their latest article: “Congress' Failure to Extend UI is an Economic Attack on Workers & Families, Particularly Black & Brown Californians… Here's How We Know.” 1:17 – Even if Congress decided to reinstate the $600-per-week additional unemployment benefit, it could take four weeks to take effect, because of the staffing and technology limitations of state unemployment processing. Delays have already affected millions of claims. We talk with Michele Evermore (@EvermoreMichele), senior policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project in Washington, D.C. 1:39 – A stunning nine-month investigation from a new nonprofit newsroom Open Vallejo has revealed details about a secretive Vallejo police clique that celebrated fatal shootings of civilians by officers. Geoffrey King is an attorney and journalist, and founder of Open Vallejo. Read the investigation here. The post Secretive Vallejo police clique celebrated fatal shootings by officers; Plus, Congress lets additional unemployment benefits lapse, as workers face claims delays appeared first on KPFA.

Virginia Interfaith LIVE
Worker Health & Safety Press Conference

Virginia Interfaith LIVE

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2020 42:26


This episode of Virginia Interfaith LIVE! is a press conference from July 13, 2020 hosted by the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, the Virginia AFL-CIO, and the Legal Aid Justice Center to learn why the Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board must adopt clear standards and not allow employers to simply follow CDC guidelines if they feel like it. The Virginia Health and Safety Codes Board will hold a meeting on July 15, 2020, and worker advocates and health and safety experts are calling on Governor Northam and the Board to enact a strong Virginia OSHA Standard. Our speakers are Joyce Barnes, home health aide; Doris Crouse-Mays, President of the Virginia AFL-CIO; Jason Yarashes, Attorney with the Legal Aid Justice Center; Deborah Berkowitz, Worker Health and Safety Program Director at the National Employment Law Project; Delegate Jeion Ward (D, 92nd district); David Walrod from the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers; and Deborah Talley, a worker at a Boar's Head factory. This press conference is moderated by Kim Bobo, Executive Director of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy. We hope you enjoy it. You can find us at virginiainterfaithcenter.org or at vainterfaith on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Virginia Interfaith LIVE
Worker Health & Safety

Virginia Interfaith LIVE

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2020 42:35


On this episode of Virginia Interfaith LIVE, Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy's Executive Director Kim Bobo talks with state and national leaders about worker health and safety, particularly in the time of COVID-19, and the unique opportunity Virginia has to set a standard for health and safety regulations. Our wonderful guests are Deborah Berkowitz, the Worker Health & Safety Program Director for the National Employment Law Project, Rebecca Reindel, the Safety and Health Director for AFL-CIO, Jason Yarashes, an attorney at Legal Aid Justice Center, and Michael Pope from the Virginia Public Radio. We hope you enjoy and you can find us at virginiainterfaithcenter.org or at vainterfaith on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Working Life Podcast
Episode 188: Corporations & the Pandemic Killing Fields; Taking A Cleaver To The Pentagon Budget

Working Life Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2020 41:25


Episode 188: Big companies don’t give a second thought to making big profits during the COVID-19 pandemic even if that means thousands of workers—and their families—will get sick and die from the virus. Actually, it’s a feature not a bug, no pun intended—in food processing, all those workers who make sure you get beef or chicken on your plate, are getting sick by the droves, and the only way that happens is because companies, big rich companies, keep dangerous plants operating unsafely because to make things slightly safer would cost them a few bucks. That’s criminal in a normal world. Debbie Berkowitz, director of the worker health and safety program at the National Employment Law Project, joins me to look at the threat to workers—a threat that is growing as the pandemic surges. Support the Working Life Network here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast and at ActBlue: secure.actblue.com/donate/working-life-1 A few days ago, Bernie Sanders introduced a bill to cut the bloated Pentagon bi-partisan budget by a very, very modest 10 percent, with the money saved slotted to underwrite human and social programs in cities and communities where the poverty rate is 25 percent or higher. Ashik Siddique, research analyst at the National Priorities Project, talks with me about where the Pentagon could be cut—and how the slashing could go far, far deeper. Support the Working Life Network here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast and at ActBlue: secure.actblue.com/donate/working-life-1 Don’t forget to sign up for The Show!: https://www.youtube.com/WorkingLifewithJonathanTasini -- Jonathan Tasini Follow me on Twitter @jonathantasini Sign up for The Working Life Podcast at: www.workinglife.org Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jonathan.tasini.3

The Real News Daily Podcast
WORKING LIFE PODCAST: HOW DO I GET MY DAMN UNEMPLOYMENT CHECK—WE HAVE THE LOWDOWN

The Real News Daily Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2020 62:31


The big news—it's the first regularly scheduled Working Life TV Show!!! View the show now and sign up at www.youtube.com/WorkingLifeWithJonathanTasini But, all our audio podcast listeners will still be able to hear the show in the long-time format. The unemployment system is in chaos—jammed phone lines, crashing websites. People can't get the checks they desperately need to pay for simple things like food, utilities and rent. So, I decided to devote the lion's share of the show to dig into why this happening—and give concrete tips on how to access the system. Do not give up—that's the message Judy Conti, government affairs director for the National Employment Law Project and I deliver in our conversation (and here are the slides we used in the video show!) As hundreds of thousands of people are massing in the streets, we are inundated by a slew of corporate commercials and corporate statements from Amazon, News Corp and even from something called the Hedge Fund Association, all falling over to show enlightenment about racism, even embracing the slogan “Black Lives Matter”. But, as I explain in the show, once people win an unwinding of the militarization of communities and the unwinding of policing as it's been done for decades, that's only half the battle because the corporate PR bullshit is trying to hide the depths of how the corporate boot remains firmly on the neck of African Americans, and all Americans, but especially people of color.

TBS eFM This Morning
0610 In Focus 2 : Economic hardships of African Americans

TBS eFM This Morning

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2020 10:33


Featured Interview: Economic hardships of African Americans -미국 흑인들의 경제적 어려움 Guest: Han Lu, policy analyst, National Employment Law Project

The Real News Daily Podcast
WORKING LIFE PODCAST: HOW DO I GET MY DAMN UNEMPLOYMENT CHECK—WE HAVE THE LOWDOWN

The Real News Daily Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2020 62:31


The big news—it's the first regularly scheduled Working Life TV Show!!! View the show now and sign up at www.youtube.com/WorkingLifeWithJonathanTasini But, all our audio podcast listeners will still be able to hear the show in the long-time format. The unemployment system is in chaos—jammed phone lines, crashing websites. People can't get the checks they desperately need to pay for simple things like food, utilities and rent. So, I decided to devote the lion's share of the show to dig into why this happening—and give concrete tips on how to access the system. Do not give up—that's the message Judy Conti, government affairs director for the National Employment Law Project and I deliver in our conversation. As hundreds of thousands of people are massing in the streets, we are inundated by a slew of corporate commercials and corporate statements from Amazon, News Corp and even from something called the Hedge Fund Association, all falling over to show enlightenment about racism, even embracing the slogan “Black Lives Matter”. But, as I explain in the show, once people win an unwinding of the militarization of communities and the unwinding of policing as it's been done for decades, that's only half the battle because the corporate PR bullshit is trying to hide the depths of how the corporate boot remains firmly on the neck of African Americans, and all Americans, but especially people of color.

Working Life Podcast
Ep 185: How Do I Get My Damn Unemployment Check—We Have The Lowdown; Corporate PR Slime

Working Life Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2020 62:31


Episode 185: The big news—it’s the first regularly scheduled Working Life TV Show!!! View the show now and sign up at: www.youtube.com/WorkingLifeWithJonathanTasini But, all our audio podcast listeners will still be able to hear the show in the long-time format. The unemployment system is in chaos—jammed phone lines, crashing websites. People can’t get the checks they desperately need to pay for simple things like food, utilities and rent. So, I decided to devote the lion’s share of the show to dig into why this happening—and give concrete tips on how to access the system. Do not give up—that’s the message Judy Conti, government affairs director for the National Employment Law Project and I deliver in our conversation (you can see the slides Judy and I are talking about here: https://www.workinglife.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Working-Life-TV-slides.ppt) Support the Working Life Network here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast and at ActBlue: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/working-life-1 As hundreds of thousands of people are massing in the streets, we are inundated by a slew of corporate commercials and corporate statements from Amazon, News Corp and even from something called the Hedge Fund Association, all falling over to show enlightenment about racism, even embracing the slogan “Black Lives Matter”. But, as I explain in the show, once people win an unwinding of the militarization of communities and the unwinding of policing as it’s been done for decades, that’s only half the battle because the corporate PR bullshit is trying to hide the depths of how the corporate boot remains firmly on the neck of African Americans, and all Americans, but especially people of color. Support the Working Life Network here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast and at ActBlue: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/working-life-1 -- Jonathan Tasini Follow me on Twitter @jonathantasini Sign up for The Working Life Podcast at: www.workinglife.org Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jonathan.tasini.3

Better Life Lab | The Art and Science of Living a Full and Healthy Life
Crisis Conversations: Anti-Blackness in America

Better Life Lab | The Art and Science of Living a Full and Healthy Life

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2020 34:22


Since May 25, tumultuous protests have engulfed the country — touched off by the murder of George Floyd, another black man who died at the hands of a white police officer. And as protests have transfixed the nation, data continues to show the coronavirus pandemic also is disproportionately affecting communities of color, On this essential episode of Crisis Conversations, host Brigid Schulte asks: What needs to change to end our country's entrenched structural racism,? And how do we create a better, fairer America? To take on these questions, Brigid is joined by: Angela Hanks, Deputy Executive Director of the Groundwork Collaborative, and author of Structural Racism is Exacerbating the Coronavirus Pandemic for Black People - Especially Black Women Autumn McDonald, Senior fellow and head of New America California. She has been hosting COVID and the Black Community online conversations Dr. Nicole Mason, President and CEO of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research Kemi Role, Director of Work Equity at the National Employment Law Project

Your Rights At Work
Big biz uses COVID-19 to dodge responsibility for worker safety

Your Rights At Work

Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2020 54:43


Broadcast May 21, 2020 This week's guests: REBECCA DIXON, Executive Director, National Employment Law Project, on how big biz is using coronavirus as an excuse to get permanent protection from all worker lawsuits LYNN BERNABEI, lawyer, Bernabei & Kabat, on MedStar employee fired for tweeting about hospital's lack of coronavirus safety precautions DAMON SILVERS, Director of policy and special counsel for the AFL-CIO: AFL-CIO sues feds over coronavirus workplace safety Music: “We Just Come to Work Here” Artist: Ben Grosscup; original lyrics by Harry Stamper; new lyrics by Paul McKenna Produced by Chris Garlock; engineering by Jerry Paris

Sunrise
Phase Two

Sunrise

Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2020 20:53


Gov. Ron DeSantis visits Jacksonville to announce he’s lifting some of the restrictions imposed during the pandemic. Currently, we are in Phase One. In Phase Two, people from vulnerable populations would still be asked to self-isolate, but groups of up to 50 people would be permitted, as long as they practice social distancing. Phase Two also allows for increased restaurant capacity, as well as the reopening of gyms, schools, and bars. Also, on today’s Sunrise: — Monday is a big day in South Florida — Miami-Dade and Broward counties will relax their stay-at-home orders and begin reopening businesses. They’re the last counties in the state to enter what has been called “Phase One” of Florida’s grand reopening. — Sunrise takes another deep dive into the state workers' comp system. It’s been a nightmare for workers trying to file a claim. An attorney with the National Employment Law Project says it’s doing exactly what it was designed to do: Save money for business by making the unemployment system so frustrating that people will decide its simply not worth the effort. — Checking in with two Florida Men: one is a pro-Trump Congressman who unknowingly filed a bill that could hurt the President. The other is a 36-year-old who wanted to fight a child.

Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Freelancers and unemployment benefits in California

Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2020 50:14


On Tuesday, California launched a new portal for freelancers to receive pandemic unemployment benefits. A freelance event planner shares her difficulty in accessing the portal. Also, the program director for the National Employment Law Project discusses the problems plaguing the state's unemployment system.

America Amplified: Life, Community, and COVID-19
What's it like to be an "essential worker" while others are sheltering?

America Amplified: Life, Community, and COVID-19

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2020 47:04


Rose Scott of Atlanta’s WABE and Mina Kim of San Francisco’s KQED get a better understanding of what life is like for the workers who have been defined as “essential.” These workers have been living with the fear of being exposed to the coronavirus while providing services -- from grocery store clerks to healthcare workers. Guests include Keith Parker, President and CEO of Goodwill of North Georgia and former General Manager/CEO of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority; Mily Trevino, longtime Central Valley farmworker and founder of Lideres Campesinas, a non-profit supporting farmworker women and girls; and Debbie Berkowitz of the National Employment Law Project and a formerOSHA official.

Opportunity in America - Events by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program
COVID-19 and Unemployment Insurance (Part 2): A Live Q&A with Rebecca Dixon (Executive Director, National Employment Law Project)

Opportunity in America - Events by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2020 59:12


In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, our unemployment numbers are simply devastating. Millions of people are suddenly without an income and may be without health insurance in the midst of a pandemic. The human costs of this economic dislocation are profound. What can we do to help individuals who are unexpectedly out of work? We turn to Rebecca Dixon, Executive Director of the National Employment Law Project and the newest member of our Advisory Council, to talk about unemployment insurance—how it works, who it helps, and how it might better meet the needs of the people who find themselves in need in our current crisis. During this live Q&A discussion, participants had the opportunity to ask questions about unemployment insurance in this fast-changing situation. The Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy. We recognize that race, gender, and place intersect with and intensify the challenge of economic inequality and we address these dynamics by advancing an inclusive vision of economic justice. For over 25 years, EOP has focused on expanding individuals' opportunities to connect to quality work, start businesses, and build economic stability that provides the freedom to pursue opportunity. Learn more at as.pn/eop.

The Real News Daily Podcast
WORKING LIFE PODCAST: RETAIL WORKERS ON CORONA FRONTLINES; AMAZON MAIMS; CORI BUSH RUNS

The Real News Daily Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2020 57:46


When I have snuck out briefly in the past couple of weeks to safely get a few items at the supermarket, I made sure to thank the workers in the aisles and my cashier for being on the job, and I also tell them be safe and careful. They are supremely vulnerable to getting sick. Those retail workers, who still have jobs despite many stores having closed down, are forced to show up at work, mainly because they have no choice—their boss hasn't shut down and the workers need the paycheck because lots of them are like millions of Americans with very little in the way of an emergency cash cushion, and in lots of cases they have zero paid sick leave. Today, I speak with Dave Mertz, vice president and New York City director of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, about what's happening in the lives of retail workers on the corona frontlines. And speaking of bad employers—even without a pandemic Amazon is injuring workers and tossing them away like disposable units. Irene Tung, senior researcher and policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project, talks to me about a stunning new study she recently co-authored that looks at Amazon's injury and turnover rates. I wrap up this week's episode with a conversation with Cori Bush, a single parent, registered nurse, a pastor, an activist, and a community organizer in St Louis Missouri, who is a strong progressive taking on a long-time entrenched incumbent in a Democratic primary in Missouri's 1st Congressional District.

Opportunity in America - Events by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program
COVID-19 and Unemployment Insurance (Part 1): An Interview with Rebecca Dixon (Executive Director, National Employment Law Project)

Opportunity in America - Events by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2020 24:08


In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, our unemployment numbers are simply devastating. Millions of people are suddenly without an income and may be without health insurance in the midst of a pandemic. The human costs of this economic dislocation are profound. What can we do to help individuals who are unexpectedly out of work? We turn to Rebecca Dixon, Executive Director of the National Employment Law Project and the newest member of our Advisory Council, to talk about unemployment insurance—how it works, who it helps, and how it might better meet the needs of the people who find themselves in need in our current crisis. The Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy. We recognize that race, gender, and place intersect with and intensify the challenge of economic inequality and we address these dynamics by advancing an inclusive vision of economic justice. For over 25 years, EOP has focused on expanding individuals' opportunities to connect to quality work, start businesses, and build economic stability that provides the freedom to pursue opportunity. Learn more at as.pn/eop.

Working Life Podcast
Episode 174: Retail Workers on Corona Frontlines; Amazon Maims; Cori Bush Runs

Working Life Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2020 57:46


Episode 174: When I have snuck out briefly in the past couple of weeks to safely get a few items at the supermarket, I made sure to thank the workers in the aisles and my cashier for being on the job, and I also tell them be safe and careful. They are supremely vulnerable to getting sick. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast Those retail workers, who still have jobs despite many stores having closed down, are forced to show up at work, mainly because they have no choice—their boss hasn’t shut down and the workers need the paycheck because lots of them are like millions of Americans with very little in the way of an emergency cash cushion, and in lots of cases they have zero paid sick leave. Today, I speak with Dave Mertz, vice president and New York City director of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, about what’s happening in the lives of retail workers on the corona frontlines. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast And speaking of bad employers—even without a pandemic Amazon is injuring workers and tossing them away like disposable units. Irene Tung, senior researcher and policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project, talks to me about a stunning new study she recently co-authored that looks at Amazon’s injury and turnover rates. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast I wrap up this week’s episode with a conversation with Cori Bush, a single parent, registered nurse, a pastor, an activist, and a community organizer in St Louis Missouri, who is a strong progressive taking on a long-time entrenched incumbent in a Democratic primary in Missouri’s 1st Congressional District. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast -- Jonathan Tasini Follow me on Twitter @jonathantasini Sign up for The Working Life Podcast at: www.workinglife.org Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jonathan.tasini.3

Working Life Podcast
Episode 172: Corona In The Age Of Class Warfare; McKayla’s Bid To Knock Out Hoyer

Working Life Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2020 45:11


Episode 172: Pandemics might be one of the single best mass events to shine a light on class warfare, especially in the U.S. Rich people don’t have to worry about getting sick—they can afford extensive care in a country in which millions of working-class people can’t even afford to see a doctor for a run-of-the-mill reason. If a rich person gets sick, well, he can just sit home in his pajamas for as long as needed and never worry about paying next week’s rent, while a fast food worker or other service worker on an hourly wage is forced to go to work, even when sick. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast What the coronavirus has shown, quite sharply and clearly, is that a country without paid sick leave is not only an immoral society but also, on a practical level, a country which denies the most basic benefits that could contain a health threat—which is what I talk about today with Judy Conti, government affairs director for the National Employment Law Project. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast Then, you probably can’t find many people in Congress who are bigger shills for the corporate world than Steny Hoyer—and McKayla Wilkes is aiming to send Hoyer quickly into the world he really aspires to, that of a lobbyist for corporations. I talk with her today about her primary challenge. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast -- Jonathan Tasini Follow me on Twitter @jonathantasini Sign up for The Working Life Podcast at: www.workinglife.org Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jonathan.tasini.3

The Real News Daily Podcast
WORKING LIFE PODCAST: BLOOMBERG ISN'T ALONE MUZZLING WORKERS; RAMOS RUNS IN NEW YORK

The Real News Daily Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2020 49:29


Episode 171 You may remember me using this before because the idea comes up again and again in the struggle of workers to get some power at work. In his ballad “Pretty Boy Floyd”, Woody Guthrie sang these words: “Yes, as through this world I've wandered I've seen lots of funny men; Some will rob you with a six-gun, And some with a fountain pen” Today that's real life, and today, I chat with Hugh Baran of the National Employment Law Project about forced arbitration, a mumbo jumbo legal term that basically means millions of workers are giving up their rights to corporations who are stealing billions from workers by using the power of the corporate pen. Then, I chat with Tomas Ramos, a progressive running for the 15th Congressional district in New York, a heavily Democratic district where a progressive can win.

Working Life Podcast
Episode 171: Bloomberg Isn’t Alone Muzzling Workers; Ramos Runs in New York

Working Life Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2020 49:29


Episode 171: Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast You may remember me using this before because the idea comes up again and again in the struggle of workers to get some power at work. In his ballad “Pretty Boy Floyd”, Woody Guthrie sang these words: “Yes, as through this world I've wandered, I've seen lots of funny men; Some will rob you with a six-gun, And some with a fountain pen” Today that’s real life, and today, I chat with Hugh Baran of the National Employment Law Project about forced arbitration, a mumbo jumbo legal term that basically means millions of workers are giving up their rights to corporations who are stealing billions from workers by using the power of the corporate pen. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast Then, I chat with Tomas Ramos, a progressive running for the 15th Congressional district in New York, a heavily Democratic district where a progressive can win. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast -- Jonathan Tasini Follow me on Twitter @jonathantasini Sign up for The Working Life Podcast at: www.workinglife.org Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jonathan.tasini.3

The Real News Daily Podcast
Working Life Podcast: The Minimum Wage Divides The County In Half

The Real News Daily Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2019 44:22


Episode 162: As the New Year beckons, there's good news and bad news on wages. The good news is something I've been able to talk about for the past few years at the end of each year—come January 1st, a whole lot of people are going to see their paychecks increase because of some state and local minimum wage hikes that go into effect. Which shows why movements matter—in this case, the Fight for 15. The bad news: we are quickly becoming a country divided in half when it comes to minimum wages standards. That's on tap here in our first segment in a discussion with Yannet Lathrop, policy analyst for the National Employment Law Project. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast And two years after she first came on the program, progressive candidate Kara Eastman is back to talk about her second campaign to unseat a Republican incumbent in the 2nd Congressional district in Nebraska—and, even though she came so close in 2018, the party elites are not in her corner. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast -- Jonathan Tasini Follow me on Twitter @jonathantasini Sign up for The Working Life Podcast at: www.workinglife.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/jonathan.tasini.3

The Real News Podcast
Working Life Podcast: The Minimum Wage Divides The County In Half; Eastman Takes Another Shot in Nebraska

The Real News Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2019 44:23


Episode 162:As the New Year beckons, there's good news and bad news on wages. The good news is something I've been able to talk about for the past few years at the end of each year—come January 1st, a whole lot of people are going to see their paychecks increase because of some state and local minimum wage hikes that go into effect. Which shows why movements matter—in this case, the Fight for 15. The bad news: we are quickly becoming a country divided in half when it comes to minimum wages standards. That's on tap here in our first segment in a discussion with Yannet Lathrop, policy analyst for the National Employment Law Project.Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcastAnd two years after she first came on the program, progressive candidate Kara Eastman is back to talk about her second campaign to unseat a Republican incumbent in the 2nd Congressional district in Nebraska—and, even though she came so close in 2018, the party elites are not in her corner.Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast-- Jonathan TasiniFollow me on Twitter @jonathantasiniSign up for The Working Life Podcast at: www.workinglife.orgFacebook: www.facebook.com/jonathan.tasini.3

Working Life Podcast
Episode 162: The Minimum Wage Divides The County In Half; Eastman Takes Another Shot in Nebraska

Working Life Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2019 44:22


Episode 162: As the New Year beckons, there’s good news and bad news on wages. The good news is something I’ve been able to talk about for the past few years at the end of each year—come January 1st, a whole lot of people are going to see their paychecks increase because of some state and local minimum wage hikes that go into effect. Which shows why movements matter—in this case, the Fight for 15. The bad news: we are quickly becoming a country divided in half when it comes to minimum wages standards. That’s on tap here in our first segment in a discussion with Yannet Lathrop, policy analyst for the National Employment Law Project. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast And two years after she first came on the program, progressive candidate Kara Eastman is back to talk about her second campaign to unseat a Republican incumbent in the 2nd Congressional district in Nebraska—and, even though she came so close in 2018, the party elites are not in her corner. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast -- Jonathan Tasini Follow me on Twitter @jonathantasini Sign up for The Working Life Podcast at: www.workinglife.org Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jonathan.tasini.3

Working Life Podcast
Episode 147: Temp Work Is All The Rage; Coal Miners & The Green New Deal

Working Life Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2019 54:25


Episode 147: Once upon a time, if you got a job that lasted a long time, you’d be a permanent worker, maybe after a short probationary period. Not so much anymore with the plague forcing people to take “temp” jobs—the kind of job that is increasing in the past few years, outpacing full-time permanent work, and also spreading a lot more to so-called “blue collar” jobs. I explore this with Laura Padin, senior staff attorney with the National Employment Law Project and author of a new important report called “Lasting Solutions for America’s Temporary Workers”. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast My regular listeners may recall that whenever the topic of a Green New Deal comes up, I gripe about the way in which environmentalists and politicians so easily promise to take care of workers. Don’t worry, people say, there will be a “Just Transition” for workers in the fossil fuel industries, which would mean income support and job retraining. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast But when you dig down into these plans and promises, virtually all of them are done on the cheap—meaning giving those workers income that won’t last for more than a few years and training them for jobs that will pay a lot less. That is especially true when workers move from a good union job to an industry that is non-union, and most of the climate change-related industries are non-union. So, today, you will hear from Cecil Roberts, the president of the United Mine Workers of America, about the future his members are looking at as the country, and the globe, debate climate change. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast -- Jonathan Tasini Follow me on Twitter @jonathantasini Sign up for The Working Life Podcast at: www.workinglife.org Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jonathan.tasini.3

Working Life Podcast
Episode 143: Kill More Hogs, Hurt More Workers; Your Server’s Higher Wage Won’t Hurt

Working Life Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2019 39:31


Episode 143: Working on in a hog processing plant is one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet—and it’s about to get a whole lot worse, evoking “The Jungle” of the early 20th Century. In a classic profits-over-people move, a new regulation is about to hit which would eliminate any speed restrictions on how fast hog carcasses come hurtling down the assembly line. As it is about to become law—more than a year after I first talked about the topic in a May 2018 episode—I bring back Debbie Berkowitz, director of the worker safety and health program at the National Employment Law Project, to dig into the attack against these workers. Support the podcast here: https://www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast Then, you knew it along—hiking the minimum wage does not usher in an apocalypse for businesses, despite the whining and moaning of the CEO class. The opposite is true. With the latest state minimum wage hike at the end of 2018 to $15 an hour in New York State in the books, I talk with Yannet Lathrop, policy analyst with NELP, about a new study she co-authored that looks at the New York City restaurant industry and debunks, yet again, the rhetoric about minimum wage hikes hurting business. Support the podcast here: https://www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast -- Jonathan Tasini Follow me on Twitter @jonathantasini Sign up for The Working Life Podcast at: www.workinglife.org Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jonathan.tasini.3

Working Life Podcast
Ep 140: Stopping Wall Street Looting; Airline Workers Demand Fair Pay; The Minimum Wage Bill Passes

Working Life Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2019 50:45


Episode 140: I like the ring of The Stop Wall Street Looting Act, don’t you? True, it’s part of the business model of the joint, especially the private equity pirates. The Act is, in fact, aimed squarely at the private equity industry, who have stripped and destroyed hundreds of companies. I’ll talk about the Act with the national expert on the industry, Eileen Appelbaum, the co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast When you are sitting on your airplane ready to take off, you’ve probably seen those LSG Sky Chefs catering trucks driving up to service your plane with the sumptuous menu of crackers and peanuts. Thousands of those catering workers are low paid, and have to pay for expensive ,mediocre health insurance—and they are preparing for a possible strike to get some justice on the job. I’ll be speaking with one of the workers on today’s program. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast Lastly, you may have heard a minimum wage bill passed the House which would hike the minimum wage to $15 by 2025. Judy Conti, the government affairs director of the National Employment Law Project, chats with me about the bill—and what happens next. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast

Working Life Podcast
Episode 139: The Corporate Sneak Attack Against Workers In The States; Amazon’s Tax Dodging Culture.

Working Life Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2019 62:30


Episode 139: I have to tip my cap to the conservative, anti-worker right-wing. That whole gang has been far more focused, in a laser-like way, on seizing power in places where it can matter a lot—the local and state political arenas. Progressives, until recently, just didn’t focus enough on state capitols and local races—letting the right wing dominate state legislatures and local city governments. And that’s meant really bad things for workers to the tune of billions of dollars in lost wages—as we will hear today from Laura Huizer, senior staff attorney of the National Employment Law Project, who talks about a report she has co-authored looking at a little wonky, very dangerous, legal thing called “pre-emption”. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast And with the strike by thousands of workers globally against Amazon this past Monday on Amazon Prime day, I remind us what a corporate terrorist the company really is by re-airing two great segments on the topic of Amazon’s tax avoidance strategy. You will hear from Matt Gardner, senior fellow at the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy, and Oren Teicher, CEO of the American Booksellers Association. Support the podcast here: www.patreon.com/WorkingLifePodcast -- Jonathan Tasini Follow me on Twitter @jonathantasini Sign up for The Working Life Podcast at: www.workinglife.org Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jonathan.tasini.3

Working Life Podcast
Episode 132: Murder, Violence and Robbery—Gifts From the Free Market

Working Life Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2019 61:04


Episode 132: Murder, violence and robbery—it sounds like a list for a plot of The Wire. But, no, it’s just another standard operating procedure for the free market system—in which people are murdered in Colombia thanks to so-called “free trade”, workers are beat up and sometimes killed at McDonald’s because the company doesn’t care about its workers beyond the bottom line so leaves workers exposed to threats to their lives and, lastly, public sector employees have the money they have saved for retirement, sometimes over many decades, taken from them mainly because some greedy Wall Street lowlifes crashed the economy to make a pile of money no matter the cost to millions of people. The Violence: Debbie Berkowitz, the Worker Health and Safety Program Director for the National Employment Law Project, chats with me about NELP’s new report looking at the violence faced by McDonald’s workers. The Robbery: Tom Chamberlain, president of the Oregon AFL-CIO, explains how the Democratic-led Legislature is pushing—disgracefully—to cut public workers’ pensions. The Murders: Cathy Feingold, the director of the AFL-CIO’s international department who was recently elected as Deputy President of the International Trade Union Confederation, the organization representing 200 million unionized workers worldwide, breaks down the widespread killing of union leaders and other activists in Colombia, despite promises made—promises yours truly never bought—that the so-called “free trade” deal between the U.S. and Colombia would bring about labor rights reforms and protections. -- Jonathan Tasini Follow me on Twitter @jonathantasini Sign up for The Working Life Podcast at: www.workinglife.org Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jonathan.tasini.3

Working Life Podcast
Episode 114: How Amazon Dodges Taxes; 22 Million Workers Get A Raise!

Working Life Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2019 57:46


Episode 114: I’ve spent a fair amount of time recently on the very bad deal made by New York and Virginia with Amazon to lure the company to build its new headquarters in those two states. Amazon is an important story because of the power it exercises over our economy—a power that grows every day. This week, I talk with Oren Teicher, the CEO of the American Booksellers Association, whose perspective goes beyond the damage Amazon has done to book stores; he and I talk specifically about the hundreds of millions of dollars states and cities lose because of Amazon’s on-going shenanigans around sales tax collections, and how the company hurts businesses and communities on just about every block in the country. In the second segment, I celebrate and discuss with Yannet Lathrop of the National Employment Law Project the extra money 22 million workers will see in their paychecks this year because of state and local hikes in the minimum wage (yes: the federal minimum wage still stands at an immoral $7.25-an-hour). Our Robber Baron of the week is the CEO of Standard & Poor’s.

Opportunity in America - Events by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program
The Justice System and Jobs: How Court Decisions Are Shaping Americans' Work Lives

Opportunity in America - Events by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2018 90:01


This Supreme Court term saw several high-profile cases in which the court adjudicated labor issues. The Janus decision, with its implications for public sector unions, and the Epic Systems decision, regarding the use of private arbitration, drew the media's attention this year. Somewhat less widely covered were important decisions of lower courts, which have been adjudicating issues such as the validity of non-compete agreements, whether non-poach agreements among franchisees are legal, and what defines when a worker must be considered an employee. While these and other employment-related court rulings can seem technical or dry, the impact of these rulings will be felt by virtually everyone with a job: the over 150 million wage and salary workers in the United States. Throughout history, courts have played a key role in interpreting and enforcing the rules that govern work, balancing the rights and interests of workers and those of the companies they work for. How courts strike that balance has changed over the years and has influenced the continuing evolution of the relationship between workers and employers. In this event, we hear from legal and economic scholars and worker advocates about the critical role that courts have in setting the rules for the employer-employee relationship and the impact these decisions can have on individuals and the economy. This event features Oren Cass (Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute), Sarita Gupta (Co-Director, Jobs with Justice), Christine Owens (Executive Director, National Employment Law Project), Evan Starr (Assistant Professor of Management & Organization, Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland), and moderator Lauren Weber (Workplace Reporter, Wall Street Journal). This event is part of the Working in America series, an ongoing discussion series hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program that highlights an array of critical issues affecting low- and moderate-income workers in the United States and ideas for improving and expanding economic opportunities for working people. For more information, visit as.pn/workinginamerica. The Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy. We recognize that race, gender, and place intersect with and intensify the challenge of economic inequality and we address these dynamics by advancing an inclusive vision of economic justice. For over 25 years, EOP has focused on expanding individuals' opportunities to connect to quality work, start businesses, and build economic stability that provides the freedom to pursue opportunity. Learn more at as.pn/eop.

Working Life Podcast
Episode 99: Anonymous Tells Unintended Truths; Cutting Off The Prison Industry; Bank Workers Woes

Working Life Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2018 60:18


Episode 99: Anonymous did, in fact, do us a great favor—but probably not in the way he or she (most likely a “he”) thinks. I ruminate a bit on the point I have made for a long time—Anonymous simply showed us that Donald Trump and the Republican Party, as a whole, are one and the same. I, then, turn to a discussion with American Federation of Teachers leader Jay Rehak about his union’s efforts to use its large pension fund holdings to undercut the private prison industry’s role in tearing children from their families under the immoral Trump immigration policies. And, finally, I converse with Anastasia Christman from the National Employment Law Project about the hard conditions facing bank workers. Our Robber Baron of the week is the CEO of General Dynamics.

Loud & Clear
Dr. Gerald Horne: Slavery Was Key in July 4 Declaration of Independence

Loud & Clear

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2018 112:08


On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Dr. Gerald Horne, a professor of history at the University of Houston and author of many books, including “The Counter-Revolution of 1776: Slave Resistance and the Origins of the United States of America.”A few years ago, Dr. Gerald Horne wrote a book called “The Counterrevolution of 1776” in which he argues that the American Revolution was a conservative reaction to changes in the British views toward slavery. Abolitionist sentiment was running high in London, and the only way to keep Africans enslaved in the colonies was to revolt. False Profits—A Weekly Look at Wall Street and Corporate Capitalism with Daniel Sankey, L&C’s regular Tuesday economic segment, focuses on big banks getting big breaks and what society could do with extra wealth from automation, versus what companies will do with it—namely, lay off workers. Financial policy analyst Daniel Sankey joins the show. A new study shows that Uber and Lyft drivers are being pushed into poverty by the companies that force them to work long hours with no breaks and no benefits, oftentimes for less than the minimum wage. The National Employment Law Project and the Partnership for Working Families found that Uber and Lyft bullied legislators in the vast majority of states to overrule regulations and strip drivers of their rights. Brian and John speak with Bhairavi Desai, executive director of New York Taxi Workers Alliance.A year ago, big tech company Google said it would stop letting outside parties scan gmail inboxes for data to use for advertising. But according to a Wall Street Journal investigation, it hasn’t. Dr. Robert Epstein, the Senior Research Psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology, joins the show.US hospitals have experienced a medicine crisis over the past few years. One of the primary drug manufacturers, Pfizer, has not been producing cheap older drugs like morphine with the regularity that hospitalized people need—but they have been raising their prices on big money-makers like Viagra and blood pressure medication. So why can’t hospitals get what they need? Dr. Margaret Flowers, the co-coordinator of Popular Resistance at PopularResistance.org, joins Brian and John.German Chancellor Angela Merkel has completely reversed course to save her coalition. She’s fully capitulated to Interior Minister Horst Seehofer’s demands to hold in custody migrants who have applied elsewhere for asylum. What does this mean for European migration and for her hobbled government? Berlin activist and journalist Diani Baretto joins the show.As you’ve heard on this show and elsewhere for several days, leftist candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador won the Mexican presidential election this past Sunday. Polls showed that he was in the lead by 20 and 30 points, and he has been popular in the country for decades. But some media and political analysts are delivering credit for his win to none other than...Russia. How DID Andres Manuelovich get elected? Brian and John speak with Alex Rubinstein, Sputnik news analyst and journalist whose work is on Twitter at @RealAlexRubi.

OFF-KILTER with Rebecca Vallas

This week on Off-Kilter, while Trump spent much of the week crowing about how he’s to thank for the so-called “best economy ever,” the United Nations released a scathing indictment of poverty and inequality in the U.S., finding that for all but the richest, “the American Dream is rapidly becoming the American illusion.” The report’s findings are damning and specifically call out Trump and the GOP for lavishing massive tax breaks on the wealthiest while 5.3 Americans live in “third world conditions of absolute poverty.” Rebecca speaks with Philip Alston, the U.N. special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, who authored the fiery report. Later in the show, ride-hailing corporations like Uber and Lyft have adopted the dirty tactics of the gun and tobacco industries to buy political influence and override local policies intended to protect consumers and drivers. In 2016, Uber and Lyft deployed a whopping 370 lobbyists around the country—more than Amazon, Microsoft, and Walmart combined. To unpack how Uber and Lyft have rewritten state laws in a staggering 41 states to benefit their own bottom lines at the expense of their drivers and consumers, Rebecca talks with Rebecca Smith, director of work structures at the National Employment Law Project, and one of the authors of the recent report, “Uber State Interference: How TNCs (Transportation Network Companies) Buy, Bully, and Bamboozle Their Way to Deregulation.” But first, Michigan passes a slightly less racist but still awful bill jeopardizing Medicaid for 350,000 Michiganders; the story behind the “Save Our Tips” signs all over D.C.; the return of the Equal Rights Amendment; why did Trump try to hide the Social Security and Medicare Trustees Report? and more. Jeremy Slevin returns with the news of the week in poverty and inequality, In Case You Missed It.

Opportunity in America - Events by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program

Headlines warn that changes in retail will lead to disruptive job loss for frontline workers such as cashiers, salespersons, stock clerks, and order fillers. But there may be more to the story. New technologies, the rise of ecommerce, and shifting business strategies, marketing approaches, and customer expectations are altering the way businesses sell, customers shop, and employees work. How will these changes influence retail businesses' employment practices and the shape of retail jobs? Will the response to these changes vary across segments of the retail industry, whether companies are publicly traded or privately held, small or large, brick-and-mortar or online, or local or multinational? What are the opportunities to create new jobs with potentially more productive, meaningful, and rewarding work? This event features Ellie Bertani (Senior Director of Associate Innovation, US People Team, Walmart), Tsedeye Gebreselassie (Senior Staff Attorney, National Employment Law Project), Gina Schaefer (Co-Founder & CEO, A Few Cool Hardware Stores), Sebastian Vanderzeil (Director & Global Thematic Research Analyst, Cornerstone Capital Group), and moderator Greg Ip (Chief Economics Commentator, The Wall Street Journal). This event is part of the Working in America series, an ongoing discussion series hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program that highlights an array of critical issues affecting low- and moderate-income workers in the United States and ideas for improving and expanding economic opportunities for working people. For more information, visit as.pn/workinginamerica. The Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy. We recognize that race, gender, and place intersect with and intensify the challenge of economic inequality and we address these dynamics by advancing an inclusive vision of economic justice. For over 25 years, EOP has focused on expanding individuals' opportunities to connect to quality work, start businesses, and build economic stability that provides the freedom to pursue opportunity. Learn more at as.pn/eop.

The Laura Flanders Show
Holiday Special Pt. 2: Facing Race – Kim Diehl + Tarso Luís Ramos

The Laura Flanders Show

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2016 26:48


Supposedly, the far right have won. So what now? We ask our guests this week the same question, taking from a mixed pot of loss and success. Whether it's about the fight for reproductive justice in the South, or a movement for rural agency in progressive work, our guests offer some wisdom on what's happening now, and what's next as we head into the new administration. The Facing Race conference, coordinated by Race Forward this November in Atlanta, brought together some of the most noteworthy names in progressive organizing right now. This week on the show, we have a special compilation of interviews from the conference with these very activists. On this Holiday Special for the Laura Flanders Show Podcast, Laura speaks with Tarso Luís Ramos, executive director of Political Research Associates, about the far right's global dawn; Kim Diehl of the National Employment Law Project, on strategy for progressive movements. For more on these organizations, check out our website at www.lauraflanders.com.

The Women's Mosque of America
"Combatting Islamophobia" Khutbah by Zahra Billoo (7/24/15)

The Women's Mosque of America

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2016 34:34


Khateebah Zahra Billoo delivers the 7th khutbah for The Women's Mosque of America on July 24th, 2015. In her sermon, Zahra talks about how we as individuals in the Muslim community should stand up for ourselves and our communities to challenge injustice in our daily lives and the world around us. Bio: As the Executive Director of CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) San Francisco Bay Area, Zahra Billoo strives to promote justice and mutual understanding. Zahra joined CAIR-SFBA in 2009, and immediately embraced her roles as community organizer and civil rights advocate. She frequently provides trainings at mosques and universities as part of CAIR's efforts to empower the community, while building bridges with allies on civil rights issues. Zahra also represents victims of discrimination and advocates for policy changes that uphold civil rights for all. A 2014 recipient of the National Lawyers Guild SF Bay Area Chapter's Unsung Hero Award and a 2013 recipient of the South Asian Bar Association of Northern California's Trailblazer Award, Zahra came to CAIR with a background in employment and labor rights advocacy. In college, she worked with the California Faculty Association on issues including faculty salaries and the defunding of public higher education. In law school, she was awarded the Peggy Browning Fund Fellowship to work on the National Employment Law Project. Zahra graduated Cum Laude from CSU Long Beach with degrees in Human Resources Management and Political Science. She earned her J.D. from UC Hastings College of Law, and was admitted to the California Bar in 2009.

Belabored by Dissent Magazine
Belabored Podcast #94: Disrupting Uber

Belabored by Dissent Magazine

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2016 43:02


New legislation in Seattle could pave the way for Uber drivers to unionize. We explore the legal and political road ahead with Rebecca Smith of the National Employment Law Project and Takele Gobena of the App-Based Drivers Association. The post Belabored Podcast #94: Disrupting Uber appeared first on Dissent Magazine.

Opportunity in America - Events by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program
The 1099 Economy: Exploring a New Social Contract for Employers, Employees, and Society

Opportunity in America - Events by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2015 84:41


Headlines about work abound with projections that employment as we know it is quickly fading away. Jobs are sliced-and-diced into “micro-tasks,” and employees are replaced by an army of contractors. Some blue-collar workers do not even know whom they work for, technically, due to the layers of contracting that separate them from the company to which they deliver services. The on-demand or “sharing” economy is exploding. Microenterprises are proliferating. Estimates of the percentage of the workforce that is “contingent” (or freelance, contract or self-employed) range widely from four to 40 percent. This panel discusses the scope of these phenomena, what is driving this trend, and the implications for workers trying to earn a living in today's economy. As the social contract between employers and employees deteriorates, how do workers access stable and adequate incomes, protections from abuse, and basic benefits like health care and retirement? As the nature of work evolves, how should labor and social policies evolve to ensure work in America can still lead families to a better future? Panelists explore policy alternatives for today and for the future. This event features Sen. Mark Warner (US Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia), Jared Bernstein (Senior Fellow, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; Board Chair, National Employment Law Project), Natalie Foster (Fellow, The Institute for the Future; Co-Founder, Peers), Saket Soni (Director, National Guestworker Alliance and New Orleans Workers' Center for Racial Justice), David Williams (Chief Tax Officer, Intuit Inc.), and moderator Yuki Noguchi (National Correspondent, NPR). This event is part of the Working in America series, an ongoing discussion series hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program that highlights an array of critical issues affecting low- and moderate-income workers in the United States and ideas for improving and expanding economic opportunities for working people. For more information, visit as.pn/workinginamerica. The Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy. We recognize that race, gender, and place intersect with and intensify the challenge of economic inequality and we address these dynamics by advancing an inclusive vision of economic justice. For over 25 years, EOP has focused on expanding individuals' opportunities to connect to quality work, start businesses, and build economic stability that provides the freedom to pursue opportunity. Learn more at as.pn/eop.

Making Contact
Full time Struggle, Part time Work: Making a living post recession

Making Contact

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2015 29:14


During the Great Recession from 2007 to 2009 millions of people lost their jobs and hustled to survive. Since then, the economy has regained more than 8 million jobs. Still wage growth remains low and many simply can’t find a full time work. On this edition of Making Contact we’ll hear from a panel of labor experts on the state of labor market especially for part-time and low-wage workers. The Panelists include former New York Times labor reporter Steven Greenhouse, Ann Boger, Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy for the Freelancers Union; Tsedeye Gebreselassie, Senior Staff Attorney for the National Employment Law Project; and Rick McGahey, the first voice you’ll hear. He’s a Professor of Professional Practice and Director of Environmental Policy and Sustainability for The New School for Public Engagement. The moderator is David Gray, Senior Fellow at New America NYC.

Making Contact
Full time Struggle, Part time Work: Making a living post recession

Making Contact

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2015 29:14


During the Great Recession from 2007 to 2009 millions of people lost their jobs and hustled to survive. Since then, the economy has regained more than 8 million jobs. Still wage growth remains low and many simply can’t find a full time work. On this edition of Making Contact we’ll hear from a panel of labor experts on the state of labor market especially for part-time and low-wage workers. The Panelists include former New York Times labor reporter Steven Greenhouse, Ann Boger, Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy for the Freelancers Union; Tsedeye Gebreselassie, Senior Staff Attorney for the National Employment Law Project; and Rick McGahey, the first voice you’ll hear. He’s a Professor of Professional Practice and Director of Environmental Policy and Sustainability for The New School for Public Engagement. The moderator is David Gray, Senior Fellow at New America NYC.

Belabored by Dissent Magazine
Belabored Podcast #79: On Board for $15

Belabored by Dissent Magazine

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2015 44:39


Irene Tung of the National Employment Law Project explains Andrew Cuomo's new wage board, an unconventional way that New York fast food workers might see a raise. Plus, audio from the Walmart shareholders meeting. The post Belabored Podcast #79: On Board for $15 appeared first on Dissent Magazine.

Belabored by Dissent Magazine
Belabored Podcast #58: Holding McDonald’s Responsible, with Catherine Ruckelshaus

Belabored by Dissent Magazine

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2014 47:16


This week, Belabored talks to Catherine Ruckelshaus, General Counsel of the National Employment Law Project, about the NLRB's McDonald's ruling, and what it means for workers facing the "Who's the Boss" problem. The post Belabored Podcast #58: Holding McDonald’s Responsible, with Catherine Ruckelshaus appeared first on Dissent Magazine.

Belabored by Dissent Magazine
Belabored Podcast #52: Fast Food Local, with Tsedeye Gebreselassie

Belabored by Dissent Magazine

Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2014 54:37


In the latest escalation of the low-wage workers' movement, fast food workers went out on strike this week in hundreds of cities around the globe. Sarah and Michelle speak with Tsedeye Gebreselassie of the National Employment Law Project about the importance of local victories in this global struggle, and why workers must lead the way. Plus: miners' deaths abroad and at home, teachers' ongoing resistance to high-stakes testing, Thomas Piketty, and more. The post Belabored Podcast #52: Fast Food Local, with Tsedeye Gebreselassie appeared first on Dissent Magazine.

Opportunity in America - Events by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program
Raising the Minimum Wage: A Different Approach to the Jobs Problem

Opportunity in America - Events by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2013 77:41


Today, roughly four million Americans earn wages at or below the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. For a family of four, this wage falls beneath the poverty line. As President Obama recently stated in his State of the Union Address, in the wealthiest nation on earth, no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty. However, the problem of working people living in poverty continues to grow. Low wage jobs have made up the majority of new jobs coming out of the recession and are projected to comprise a substantial share of the jobs that will be created in the coming decade. Given that the wage floor has far-reaching effects on the economy, meaningful consideration of its impact on workers, consumer spending, income inequality and other issues is vital. This event features a successful business leader and philanthropist, a leading conservative voice, a workers' rights advocate, and a prominent researcher discussing how raising the minimum wage could contribute to addressing our jobs challenge. This event features Ron Unz (Publisher, The American Conservative), Heidi Shierholz (Economist, Economic Policy Institute), Christine Owens (Executive Director, National Employment Law Project), Nick Hanauer (Entrepreneur and Venture Capitalist, Second Avenue Partners), and moderator Roben Farzad (Reporter, NPR). This event is part of the Working in America series, an ongoing discussion series hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program that highlights an array of critical issues affecting low- and moderate-income workers in the United States and ideas for improving and expanding economic opportunities for working people. For more information, visit as.pn/workinginamerica. The Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy. We recognize that race, gender, and place intersect with and intensify the challenge of economic inequality and we address these dynamics by advancing an inclusive vision of economic justice. For over 25 years, EOP has focused on expanding individuals' opportunities to connect to quality work, start businesses, and build economic stability that provides the freedom to pursue opportunity. Learn more at as.pn/eop.

Opportunity in America - Events by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program
The Housing Market's Foundation: A Discussion on the Workforce in Residential Construction

Opportunity in America - Events by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2012 70:49


This event features Mike Holland (Division President, Marek Brothers Systems, Inc.), Christine Owens (Executive Director, National Employment Law Project), Emily Timm (Policy Analyst, Workers Defense Project), Nik Theodore (Associate Professor, Department of Urban Planning and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago), and moderator Yuki Noguchi (Correspondent, National Desk, National Public Radio). This event is part of Reinventing Low-Wage Work, a discussion series hosted by the Economic Opportunities Program that advances conversations about the nature of low-wage work, the challenges it presents to workers, businesses, and the economy, and the opportunities we have for addressing these challenges. Learn more at as.pn/rlww. The Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy. For more information, visit our website at as.pn/eop. Learn about new events and activities by joining our mailing list (as.pn/eopmail) and following us on social media (as.pn/eopsocial).

Lawyer 2 Lawyer -  Law News and Legal Topics
The Debate over Background Checks & Hiring Practices

Lawyer 2 Lawyer - Law News and Legal Topics

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2011 38:14


The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission better known as the EEOC held a hearing last month to examine arrest and conviction records as a hiring barrier. The question today is whether employers’ hiring practices today can be considered discriminatory. Attorney and co-host Bob Ambrogi welcomes Attorney Charles H. Kaplan, a partner in Sedgwick LLP’s New York office, Attorney Maurice Emsellem, Policy Co-Director of the National Employment Law Project and Attorney Ray P. McClain, Director of the Employment Discrimination Project from the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, to explore the debate over background checks and applicants. They look at the process of conducting criminal background checks on applicants, the responsibility of employers when hiring and how the hiring process can impact those with criminal histories.

WWRL Morning Show with Errol Louis
The Unemployment Crisis

WWRL Morning Show with Errol Louis

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2009 12:30


Andrew Stettner of the National Employment Law Project says recovery will take at least another year.