workers

By Jack Hoffman

As unemployment grows, the poverty statistics grow with it. And the anger becomes greater. One wonders: When will the people take to the streets again?

Recently, on his radio talk show, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg warned “that if the national jobs crisis doesn’t end soon, the United States will soon see riots in the streets.”

Call it what you want, but the warnings of riots and revolution have been echoed all over the country in magazines, newspapers and talk on the radio and TV shows. Professor Thomas Kochan at MIT’s Sloan School of Management, certainly no bastion of liberalism, not only agrees with Mayor Bloomberg, but also was surprised there aren’t more visible signs of public anger/protests.

The real unemployment figure for the US has now reached a staggering 20%. And just how much is the real under-employment, meaning the figures on those who are now working a bare minimum of what they used to work and earn not so long ago. The figures I have used – and will use – are based on the US Dept. of Labor statistics. Recently, the job crisis has been inflamed with the new reports of poverty in America. That last statement is an obvious fact. If people are out of a job and working at a bare minimal wage Click to continue »

Franco Flubs up!

John Mahoney, a small businessman and candidate for state representative in the 13^th Worcester District, called on his opponent, personal injury attorney Paul Franco, to reconcile his position on growing businesses in Massachusetts with his decision to send campaign business to Minnesota.

Mr. Franco’s lawn signs, an expenditure of nearly $1,400, have been manufactured by a Minnesota company.

“I am the owner of a small business and I know that every dollar counts,” said Mahoney. “It is inexplicable to send campaign money out of state. I believe in investing in our people. We need to grow businesses right here at home and help them create jobs.  As state representative, that will be my top priority.”

In his platform, Mr. Franco calls on the state to adopt more business-friendly measures so that businesses will expand here – rather than in states with more “business friendly” climates.  Click to continue »

Workers will give update on their fight to address low wages, unaffordable health care, and Sodexo’s unfair labor practices

Community, religious, and elected leaders in the Worcester area, and Clark students, will join Sodexo workers at the university for a campaign briefing on Wednesday, October 13.

The briefing will outline next steps that Clark Sodexo workers, who are supported by the Service Employees International Union, are planning in their months-long fight to improve their lives and the lives of their communities.

Clark Sodexo workers say they want to address ongoing, serious problems at their workplace, citing their low (in some cases, near-poverty) wages, an unaffordable company-offered health plan priced beyond the reach of many Clark Sodexo employees, and Sodexo’s pattern of intimidating, interfering with, and restraining U.S. Sodexo workers who are seeking to form a union.

Protests against intimidation of union supporters, substandard wages, and working conditions at Sodexo have broken out at colleges and other sites across the country in recent weeks, Click to continue »