Is a workers life worth about $11,300?
Eleazar Torres-Gomez climbed onto a slow-moving conveyor to untangle a pile of wet laundry. Cintas, the laundry giant, encouraged workers at its Tulsa, Okla. plant to climb onto the conveyors to push items that were tangled into the dryers to meet production goals. He was then sucked into the industrial dryer on March 6, 2007 and drew his last breath inside its 300-degree chamber.
New project to combat unconscious racism
While the election of President Obama shows that overt racism is less acceptable in America, a new project launched last month by the Institute for America’s Future explores the large role unconscious racial bias still plays in our politics and society.
May Day marches put immigration reform front & center
CHICAGO — Thousands of immigrant rights advocates marched in cities coast to coast May 1, to honor the most widely celebrated holiday on the planet, International Workers Day. Thousands took to the streets in Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Milwaukee, Denver, Chicago and New York to press for comprehensive immigration reform, a halt to raids and deportations and a path toward legalization for the country’s estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants.
At Haymarket, workers demand EFCA and immigrant rights
CHICAGO – As the skies began clearing here May 1, several hundred enthusiastic labor activists gathered for the annual celebration at the Haymarket Monument to honor the Haymarket martyrs and step up the fight for workers rights. Workers from December’s Republic Windows sit-in and a group of young anarchists also participated.
What will fix economy? Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!
WARREN, Ohio -- Approximately 2,000 steel, auto, electrical, public and other workers and their families from throughout the Mahoning Valley rallied here May 2 to demand protection from the growing economic crisis.
Hospitals not ready for swine flu
“I can’t honestly say that my hospital is ready to protect the health and safety of our workers during a potential pandemic.” The words were those of a top level administrator at one of the largest suburban hospitals in the New York City area, who spoke with the World, May 4, on condition of anonymity.
Haymarket anniversary marks workers historic struggle for labor standards
Workers and their unions gathered Friday in Chicago at the Haymarket monument to honor the significance and sacrifice of those who died in the struggle for the eight-hour day. On this day in 1886 a labor rally supporting the strike at McCormick Harvesting for the eight-hour day ended in bloodshed. Police charged into labor activists, a bomb was thrown at them and police opened fire on the crowd of activists. Many people were killed and wounded. In the immediate aftermath workers were rounded up and harshly treated. Eight Haymarket labor activists were tried and four were executed.
America's RNs call for much broader response to swine flu
After years of shredding our public health infrastructure and ill-advised minimal preparations for the next great global pandemic, the spreading swine flu threat is at last making clear the very real calamity that could be just around the corner. If not today, surely from the next epidemic
From Haymarket to Ludlow from Harlan to Matewan from Mother Jones to you
So it has come to this, why must I wake the sleeping? It wasn’t so long ago I was asleep myself. Why must I be the one to tell you what you don’t want to hear? Why must I tell you about how quickly hot red human blood congeals and turns black when mixed with cold pavement or frozen mud? Murderous armies training automatic weapons on women and children, then firing off a few rounds, just for fun.
