Labor and Workforce

Position

News

• Asian Migrant Workers See Exploitation in Sweden
  Sep 8, 2010 — New York Times
  Their pigments can be used for coloring cosmetics, pharmaceutical syrups and nutritional supplements.In Sweden and Finland, over 30,000 tons are gathered each season, according to Polarica, the largest producer there. In Finland, migrant Ukrainians have found themselves in a similarly precarious situation in recent years.Officially, there are about 4,000 Asian workers in Sweden with permits this year. Kommunal has deals with about 15 or 20 major companies, but Mr.
• Immigration Crackdown Steps Into the Kitchen
  Sep 8, 2010 — New York Times
  Malecot then started paying those employees in cash, before Mr. Malecot said. “I came here with nothing. Malecot said, he has lost at least $500,000 in catering jobs.
• Kaine: Don't count out 'underdog'
  Sep 8, 2010 — Politico
  ..."That's incredible." It's a message the Democrats will need to push hard. Despite polls suggesting monumental GOP House pickups and even an outside chance Democrats could lose their Senate majority, Kaine and Rendell expressed confidence that the party could make a turnaround by November. "This election isn't over by a long shot," Rendell said. "Polls are polls, but polls 60 days out don't mean a whole lot." Kaine...
• Michaels ordered to pay $8 million to manager fired after breast cancer diagnosis
  Sep 8, 2010 — The Dallas Morning News
  ...a jury last week had to decide whether Jorud was let go by district manager Skip Sand because she violated company policies or because she had cancer, said Joe Curley, one of the attorneys representing Jorud. The lawsuit, which was also filed against Sand, said the retailer violated the Family Medical Leave Act, the Florida Civil Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The jury found that Jorud's rights under all three acts were violated. Mike Veitenheimer, Michaels'...
• RIP post-partisanship
  Sep 8, 2010 — Washington Post
  That's one difference between the Republican vision and the Democratic vision. That’s our vision for a stronger economy and a growing middle-class. Boehner and everyone else: we should not hold middle class tax cuts hostage any longer.
• EDITORIAL
  Sep 7, 2010 — Star Tribune
  In theory the solidarity of human interests is fully recognized; no one element of the population can exist prosperously unless each of the others is enjoying a full return for its labors. Obviously, in serving the national interest they have also promoted their own. On the one hand it confronts the fact that 10 million wage earners in the United States are sill unemployed, and that the figure has remained substantially unchanged for the last two years.
• Frank conversation can set limits on college spending
  Sep 7, 2010 — The Sacramento Bee
  Maybe: College students and credit cards have long been a hot topic. They're like a credit card, but you can't overdraft or spend beyond your limit. Check on fees for transferring funds online to your student.8. Overdraft protection.
• One year later
  Sep 7, 2010 — The Seattle Times
  This summer, she's been working part-time caring for pets and teaching yoga at a studio in Renton. It's scary." There's something romantic about Maki's yearning for an American Dream that seems more and more out of reach. The nation's top 500 nonfinancial companies have stashed away a staggering $1.8 trillion to cushion themselves since the financial meltdown began, according to the Fed.
• Ramped-up curb work wreaks havoc
  Sep 7, 2010 — The Morning Call
  The state also directed municipalities to replace ramps along their roads as they tackle road resurfacing projects. A tripping hazard between the sidewalk and curb at Green and Walnut streets was created by a drain that made it difficult to work around and still meet state design standards. But the borough also would have to improve ADA ramps at a cost of about $49,000.
• The State Worker
  Sep 7, 2010 — The Sacramento Bee
  Arnold Schwarzenegger on July 1 issued minimum wage instructions to the state controller, saying that state law demands it. Most workers have gone two years or more without a contract. Many haven't seen a raise in a much longer time. Those on the lower rungs of the state wage scale are tapped out.