Whats on - April 19, 2008
BERKELEY, Calif. CHICAGO MICHIGAN OAKLAND, Calif. ST LOUIS TUCSON, Ariz.
Oceans in trouble
Disturbing news continues to emerge from beneath the waves. In December, science journals reported that disappearing deep-sea species could trigger an ocean-wide collapse of sea life, that global warming is destroying coral — and that loss of top predators is knocking ocean ecosystems out of whack.
What are the jobs of the future?
Trends in privately funded research and development tell a lot about the kinds of investments corporations are planning for the future, and what kinds of occupations will be growing or declining both in the United States and around the world.
Food price crisis
Among the necessities for human life — indeed, all life — food obviously occupies a central place. In recent decades advances in agriculture and in the ability to distribute food around the world seemed to promise an end to the age-old scourge of famine.
Earth Day 2008
The first Earth Day in 1970 symbolized our growing awareness of problems in the relationship of human production to nature on which we depend for survival. The problems are rapidly escalating.
Chavez government nationalizes Sidor steel
Venezuelan Vice President Ramón Carrizalez closed a last ditch meeting April 9 between officials of Venezuela’s giant Sidor steel plant and representatives of the United Steel Industry Workers Union (SUTISS) with the announcement that Sidor would be re-nationalized.
Some background about Tibet
Over a month after Tibetan protesters launched demonstrations demanding independence, news reports and opinion pieces continue to appear daily. Many discuss issues of sovereignty, development and relations among nationalities. Others focus on responses, including protests and counter-protests over the Olympic torch relay, or calls to boycott the Beijing Olympics.
This week in labor
Unions abroad boost workers here Senators criticize NLRB Labor slams mortgage ‘rescue’ package First responders need help
Modern-day slavery exposed by guest workers
Daniel Castellanos was lured from his native city of Lima, Peru, all the way to the U.S. Gulf Coast where, he was told, a construction job and a green card would be waiting for him. All he had to do to land the full-time, $11-an-hour job was pay $5,000 to a recruiter in Peru.
Longshore union plans anti-war action
Nearly 100 delegates to the Longshore Caucus of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union voted last February to support an eight-hour daytime “stop-work” meeting at all West Coast ports May 1, calling for an immediate safe return of U.S. troops from Iraq.
