Labor

Laboring in Obscurity

by Diane Farsetta — June 30, 2005 - 11:32am

"The Labor Department worked for more than a year to maintain secrecy for studies that were critical of working conditions in Central America," reports the Associated Press. The department hired a contractor to study the likely effect of the Central America Free Trade Agreement, now before Congress.

Main Source: 
Associated Press, June 29, 2005

Praising the Golden CAFTA

by Diane Farsetta — April 20, 2005 - 8:59am

"A fierce battle over the Central American Free Trade Agreement is expected," reported the Grand Forks Herald. "The agreement needs the approval of both houses of Congress. ...

Main Source: 
Grand Forks Herald (North Dakota), April 6, 2005

Suing Them Softly

by Bob Burton — April 5, 2005 - 7:03pm

Hugh Morgan, the President of the Business Council of Australia (BCA), lashed out at a proposal by state attorney generals to prevent corporations from suing for defamation.

Main Source: 
Australian Financial Review, April 5, 2005

California Unions Sue to Terminate Arnold's Fake News

by Bob Burton — March 23, 2005 - 5:15am

A lawsuit filed in Sacramento Superior Court by three California unions seeks a ruling banning public funds from being used for the production of video news releases.

Main Source: 
San Francisco Chronicle, March 22, 2005

California Scheming

by Diane Farsetta — March 1, 2005 - 10:57am

California's Labor and Workforce Development Agency produced and distributed a video news release, narrated by a former reporter, that promotes Governor Schwarzenegger's "plan to modify rules detailing when and how employers are to provide meal and rest breaks." The Los Angeles Times noted, "Unlike

Main Source: 
San Francisco Chronicle, March 1, 2005

You Don't Say

by Diane Farsetta — February 28, 2005 - 12:31pm

Communications professor Nancy Snow deconstructs GOP pollster Frank Luntz's memo titled "The 14 Words Never to Use." Luntz writes, "Effectively communicating the New American Lexicon requires you to STOP saying words and phrases that undermine your ability to educate the American people." Included on the blacklist are "privatization" ("it evokes images of fat

Main Source: 
Common Dreams, February 26, 2005

Wal-Mart: The Race to the Bottom Line

by Diane Farsetta — February 10, 2005 - 1:33pm

Saying they had "bargain[ed] in good faith," Wal-Mart announced it was closing a store in Quebec whose employees were negotiating the first union contract ever with the giant retailer. Wal-Mart said the move is not a union bust, but due to "the fragile condition of the Jonquiere store." A union spokesperson said, "We're going to carry on with our efforts to organize Wal-Marts." The Canadian firm National PR is helping Wal-Mart with "French-language media outreach" following the announcement.

Main Source: 
Ottawa Citizen, February 10, 2005

Norquist Dreams of Twelve More Years

by Bob Burton — December 23, 2004 - 10:11pm

Conservative activist Grover Norquist, from Americans for Tax Reform, told Australian Financial Review journalist Tony Walker that three of his political priorities – tort reform, curtailing political contributions from unions, and promoting free trade – would have the combined effect of weakening support for the

Main Source: 
Australian Financial Review, December 23, 2004. (Sub req

Employing America (Sort Of)

by Diane Farsetta — August 2, 2004 - 10:00pm

"We Employ America, a national cooperative marketing and advertising campaign targeting the loss of American jobs to outsourcing," was launched by Milwaukee-based ad firm Catral Doyle Creative. WEA describes itself as "a market-driven, consumer focused program ...

Main Source: 
PR Week (sub. req'd), August 3, 2004

A Different Kind of Workplace Organizing

by Diane Farsetta — July 25, 2004 - 10:00pm

"The Business Industry Political Action Committee's 'Prosperity Project' program targets 20 million employees in battleground states" and "pushes their companies' views of political candidates to employees via Web sites and interoffice e-mails," reports Advertising Age.

Main Source: 
Advertising Age, July 26, 2004
Syndicate content