[Educationforall] spam con huevos labor views, news and concerns, 1.26.12-I

Fri Jan 27 03:35:29 UTC 2012

Immigration: Global Economy Has Forced MigrationTraitor Joe's? - Momentum is building!‏ Indiana Republicans Ignore Voters, Pass RTW‏ The US Has Already Lost These Eight Industries To China / Worst Cities For Retirees To Find Work‏Apple Driving Workers to Threaten Mass Suicide? The Pathologies of the Modern Corporation  @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Immigration: Global Economy Has Forced MigrationDavid Bacon, The Americas Program: "The root problem with migration in the global economy is that it's forced migration. A coalition for reform should fight for the right of people to choose when and how to migrate. Freedom of movement is a human right. Even in a more just world, migration will continue, because families and communities are now connected over thousands of miles and many borders. Immigration policy should therefore make movement easier." Read the Article and View the Photos  
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
On Thu, Jan 26, 2012 at 12:16 PM, Kaytee Riek, SumOfUs.org <us at sumofus.org> wrote:We are so close to sending 50,000 messages to the CEO of Trader Joe’s telling him to sign an agreement that would ensure fair wages and safe working conditions for the people who pick the tomatoes we put in our salads, sandwiches and spaghetti sauces.Click here to join the chorus calling for Trader Joe’s to sign the Fair Food Agreement with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers.As always, thank you for being one of Us!- Taren, Kaytee, Claiborne and the rest of the team

Here's the original email:
Trader Joe’s is refusing to sign the Fair Food Agreement which would guarantee farm workers get treated humanely and get paid approximately one penny more per pound of tomatoes they pick. Whole Foods, Burger King, and even McDonald’s have already signed the agreement.‎Send a message to Trader Joe’s CEO Dan Bane telling him to pay a penny more per pound of tomatoes.dorinda, At Trader Joe’s, tomatoes cost you a couple of dollars a pound.  But how much of that goes to the farm workers who pick the tomatoes?

If you buy your tomatoes at Trader Joe’s, the answer could be as little as 1.5 cents for every pound. For the men and women who harvest them, that means working ten hours and picking 2.25 TONS of tomatoes every day in order to earn just $12,000 a year.

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), a group of farmworkers in Florida, are working to change this. They’ve already convinced McDonald’s, Taco Bell and Whole Foods, Subway, and more to join their Fair Food Agreement and pay for worker protections and a fair wage.  But Trader Joe’s is refusing -- even though it has built its brand around appealing to responsible consumers.

Send a message to Trader Joe’s CEO Dan Bane demanding that TJ’s sign the CIW’s Fair Food Agreement and pay tomato pickers a fair wage.

If Trader Joe’s signs the agreement, the difference for a tomato would be a penny or less in the checkout line -- but it could mean the difference between poverty and a fair wage for workers. Seriously, Trader Joe’s, this isn’t even close to a hard call. Just do it.

Kaytee, Taren, and Claiborne

***********What is the Fair Food Agreement?
According to the Coalition of Immokalee Workers who are negotiating Fair Food Agreements with various corporations, “the agreements require those companies to demand more humane labor standards from their Florida tomato suppliers (including a zero tolerance policy for slavery), to pay a price premium for more fairly produced tomatoes, and to shift purchases to growers who meet those higher standards. Several Florida tomato growers have shown their early support for this effort by agreeing to pass along the pay premium to their tomato harvesters, and to abide by a code of conduct under which workers have a voice and slavery is not tolerated.”Is slavery a reality for some tomato workers?
Farm labor bosses have repeatedly been brought to court for their treatment of workers, including most recently in 2008 for beating their workers who refused to work or tried to leave, holding their workers in debt, and chaining and locking workers inside U-Haul trucks as punishment. The U.S. Attorney who prosecuted the 2008 case called the situation “slavery, plain and simple.” If Trader Joe’s signed the Fair Food Agreement, they would be guaranteeing that none of their tomatoes come from growers who treat their workers as modern-day slaves, as well as agreeing to pay a fair price for the tomatoes they sell.Who else signed the Agreement?
Fair Food Agreements have been reached between CIW and McDonald's, Burger King, Subway, and Yum Brands, as well as foodservice providers Compass Group, Aramark, Sodexo, and Bon Appetit Management Company, and grocery store chain Whole Foods.Click here to encourage TJ’s to join other companies in signing the Agreement.Why hasn’t Trader Joe’s signed?
On October 21, 2011, Trader Joe’s released a statement saying that they would not sign the Agreement, even though they agreed with it in principle and had implemented the basic requirements already. They said, essentially, “trust us, we’re doing it right”, but this is unverifiable. Without signing the agreement, Trader Joe’s has no way of knowing if the growers they’re purchasing from meet CIW’s standards; TJ’s would have to rely on the grower’s word alone, and what grower is going to volunteer the fact that they don’t treat their workers fairly or pay their workers a reasonable wage?Why does this matter for Immokalee farm workers?
The Immokalee farm workers, a coalition of people who work on farms in the Immokalee region of Florida (where most of the tomatoes are grown in the US) are organizing because they are some of the lowest paid workers in the country, often making less than $12,000 a year. They work ten-hour days picking tomatoes in order to pick enough (2.25 tons) to make minimum wage. They have no rights to collective bargaining or overtime pay. Each penny a pound increase that they have won brings more people out of poverty, and each buyer requiring workplace protections ensures more people are treated fairly in their jobs and fewer farm workers are brought to this country as slave labor.Click here to send a message to TJ’s CEO today.  @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@Jan. 26, 2012
Wisconsin has lost nearly 20,000 jobs since Gov. Scott Walker took office—yet in his State of the State address, he claimed to be a job creator.Despite polls showing strong public opposition to a “right to work” for less (RTW) bill being rammed through the Indiana legislature without debate, Republican House lawmakers yesterday passed RTW. The bill would lower the wages of working Hoosiers.
Got comments? Post them at blog.aflcio.org. Walker’s State of the State Rings Hollow to Many Wisconsinites The Cablevision 99% Votes Today Why the Tucson Ethnic Studies Ban Matters It’s Time for Protection Against Deadly Silica DustRead more important news of the day on the issues working families care about.Follow the AFL-CIO:
            Take the next step. Become a mobile activist
by joining the AFL-CIO Rapid Action Text Team.
Text NEWS to AFLCIO (235246) to receive action alerts and more.
(Message and data rates may apply.)
To find out more about the AFL-CIO, please visit our website at www.aflcio.org.

 @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 
Photos from Flickrhttp://www.businessinsider.com/the-us-has-already-lost-these-eight-industries-to-china-2012-1
This post originally appeared at 24/7 Wall St.Americans are used to the U.S. being the leader, or a top-ranked nation, in many areas. But in a number of industries and businesses, the U.S. has lost that first place, usually to China.While some, such as coal production, may not come as a surprise, other industries the U.S. has lost the market leadership on might. 24/7 Wall St. looked at a large number of manufacturing, agricultural and financial businesses to find those in which China has surpassed the U.S.Here are the Eight Industries the U.S Has Lost to China For several years, economists have said that China’s GDP growth indicates that its economy will pass that of the U.S. in the next two or three decades. China’s GDP is measured at about $6.5 trillion, now second in the world. America’s GDP is over $15.2 trillion, according to the International Monetary Fund. While China certainly has much catching up to do, the two countries’ rate of GDP growth is also very different. Last year, China’s economy expanded at more than 9%. America’s GDP grew at a little better than 2%.One reason that China continues to gain so rapidly on the U.S. is the high cost of American labor and manufacturing. In fact, U.S. manufacturing costs have risen so much that they are much higher than in any developed nation with factory capacity. This includes countries like China, Mexico and South Korea — places the U.S. and Japanese companies often contract to do their factory work. The labor price advantage has helped China become the largest steel producer in the world. China is also first place in car manufacturing.Low labor costs are not the sole reason China has become the single largest provider of many goods. China’s 1.3 trillion citizens have become voracious consumers as workers in its manufacturing sector have grown the number of its middle class. China also has decided that it is often financially better to provide its own raw material for its factories — items like cotton — than it is to import such items from overseas.24/7 Wall St. examined the manufacturing, agricultural and financial businesses in which China has surpassed the U.S. China likely will become the world’s largest economy based on GDP. It certainly has shown that it has the capacity to advance on that position — one large industry at a time.1. SteelChina production: 627 million metric tons in 2010U.S. production: 80 million metric tons in 2010U.S. position: 3rd In 1973, the U.S. was the largest producer of steel, making more than 136 million metric tons of crude steel, according to the International Iron and Steel Institute. Up to that point, the U.S. had enjoyed many decades of industry dominance, centered around the city of Pittsburgh. The following year, U.S. production was overtaken by the USSR, which produced 136.2 million metric tons, compared with the U.S.’s 132.2 million. Today, however, completely different players dominate the steel market. In 2010, the world’s top producer of crude steel was China, which produced approximately 627 million metric tons. Japan was a distant second-largest producer with nearly 110 million metric tons. The U.S. was third, producing approximately 80 million.2. CottonAPChina production: 7.3 million metric tons in 2011U.S. production: 3.4 million metric tons in 2011U.S. position: 3rd In 2000, the U.S. produced 4.2 million metric tons of cotton — the largest amount in the world. China was not far behind, producing 3.81 million metric tons. By 2008, however, China had not only surpassed the U.S., but made nearly double the U.S.’s production amount. China produced approximately 8.1 million metric tons to the U.S.’s 4.2 million. A year earlier, the U.S. lost its second spot among top cotton producers to India, thanks in part to technological breakthroughs in seed and production practices. Between 2011 and 2012, China produced 7.3 million metric tons, India produced 6 million and the U.S. was third, producing 3.4 million.3. Initial Public OfferingsNASDAQChina production: $73 billion raised in 2011U.S. production: $30.7 billion raised in 2011U.S. position: 2nd Even in the world of finance the U.S. is losing its dominance to China. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, “the yearly average of U.S. IPOs has decreased from 27 percent [global share] in the 1990s to 12 percent in the 2000s.” And as the U.S.’s share of IPO proceeds decreased, China’s share increased. It is now the world leader in IPOs. In 2011, companies raised a total of $73 billion through IPOs in the Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong stock markets. This is nearly double the amount raised in New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ, according to Dealogic. The last time the U.S. raised the most in IPO funds globally was 2008.4. TobaccoJohn Valls (via Behance)China production: 3 million metric tons in 2010U.S. production: 0.33 million metric tons in 2010U.S. position: 4th Until 1976, the U.S. produced the largest share of the world’s tobacco. Today, the U.S. only produces 6% of the global output, according to Stephan Richter, editor-in-chief of The Globalist, in an interview by Marketplace. The most recent data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations places the U.S. as the fourth-largest producer of tobacco in the world. China is the largest, producing more than 3 million metric tons of the crop in 2010. The U.S. produced slightly more than 326,000 metric tons that year. The other larger producers are Brazil and India, in that order.5. AutosChina production: 18.3 million autos in 2010U.S. production: 7.8 million autos in 2010U.S. position: 3rd Automotive manufacturing is considered one of the U.S.’s most critical industries. But in recent years, other countries have surpassed the U.S., which is now the third-largest producer of autos in the world, according to the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers. The American auto industry nearly collapsed in 2008, requiring massive federal support for General Motors (NYSE: GM) and Chrysler. By 2010, the U.S. manufactured 7.8 million cars and commercial vehicles. Japan, which is headquarters to major brands such as Toyota (NYSE: TM), Honda (NYSE: HMC), Nissan, and Mazda, produced 9.6 million vehicles — the second most — although damage caused by the earthquake has hurt production in the country. China is the world’s largest carmaker, producing 18.3 million in 2010.6. Beer ProductionChina production: 443.8 million hectoliters in 2010U.S. production: 227.8 million hectoliters in 2010U.S. position: 2nd The U.S. lost its top position even in beer production. In 2000, the U.S. beer industry was the greatest in the world, producing 232 million hectoliters, compared with China’s 220 million. One decade later, and China is in first place, generating 443.8 million hectoliters of beer, versus the U.S.’s 227.8 million. Not only does China have a population that is more than four times that of the U.S., but beer consumption in the country has increased dramatically in recent years. According to the World Health Organization, the average Chinese citizen drank about half a bottle of beer in 1961. By 2007, that amount had increased to 103 beers per year.7. High-Technology ExportsChina production: $348 billion in 2009U.S. production: $142 billion in 2009U.S. position: 2nd High-technology exports are defined as “products with high R&D intensity, such as in aerospace, computers, pharmaceuticals, scientific instruments, and electrical machinery,” according to the World Bank. The U.S. remains home to the largest pharmaceutical industry in the world, and the rest of industries mentioned are also huge domestically. According to the World Bank, China began earning more from high-technology exports than the U.S. as recently as 2005. In 2009, Chinese high-technology exports were worth $348 billion. High-technology exports from the U.S. were worth a more modest $142 billion.8. Coal ProductionAPChina production: 3.24 billion short tons produced in 2010U.S. production: 985 million tons produced in 2010U.S. position: 2nd America led the world in coal production up until 1984, and it is now a distant second to China. According to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy, the U.S. produced just under 1 billion tons of coal in 2010. China produced more than three times that amount, generating 3.2 billion short tons. There has been exponential growth in the Chinese energy infrastructure in the past decade. Since 2005, American coal production has decreased slightly, while Chinese production has increased by nearly 38%. Despite the U.S.’s decline in coal production, it is still the world’s second-largest producer, and combined, the two countries account for more than half of the world’s total coal production.Now That You're Done With That, Check Out The Worst Cities For Retirees To Find WorkFlickr / Argonne National LaboratoryHere are the six worst American metro areas for retirees to find work:
http://247wallst.com/2012/01/25/the-worst-cities-for-retirees-to-find-work/1/
Just because you’re retired doesn’t mean you don’t have to work. As of the end of last year, 7.3% of Americans 75 and older were employed — the highest level since 1966, according to The Wall Street Journal. But as the number of job seekers among retirement-age people has increased, so has the unemployment rate among that age group. It is now twice what it was five years ago.The issue of unemployment among older Americans is even more important now because retirement plans lost so much money since the recession began. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to identify the cities with the highest unemployment rates for Americans 65 and older.The cities with the highest unemployment rates among those 65 and older do not necessarily have the highest unemployment rates among the general population. In fact, many of the metropolitan regions on the list have unemployment rates below the national average. In five of the six cities on our list, unemployment rates are substantially worse for those 65 and older than for the population as a whole.The reason for this disparity among the age groups can be attributed to the fact that these cities, for the most part, rely heavily on industries like finance, banking, telecommunications and technology — areas that have a high percentage of professional or specialized jobs. More than many other fields, these kinds of jobs require a high degree of training. For those seeking to reenter the workforce, or change their line of work, this can present a challenge.24/7 Wall St. reviewed labor force statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Employment Statistics survey. This study provides age-based information for 46 of the largest metropolitan statistical areas in the country for the years 2005 to 2010. In seven of these metropolitan regions, unemployment rates in 2010 — the most recent available data — were higher for older Americans than for the entire population. We examined unemployment rates, labor participation and total unemployment for these regions, also from the Current Employment Statistics, to get a better look at the employment picture as a whole. We examined median income and population change over a 10-year period in these metro areas from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.6. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, Tex.
> 65 and older unemployment rate: 10.3%
> General unemployment rate: 7.1%
> Population change 2000 – 2010: +37.33% (8th most growth)
> Median income: $55,744 (50th highest)
> Pct. 65 and older: 8.1% (9th lowest)The Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos metropolitan area is one of the fastest-growing regions of young families and professionals in the country. Between 2000 and 2010, the population increased by 37%. Hundreds of thousands moved to the area in those years looking for jobs in the city’s up-and-coming semiconductor and software industries. Just 8.1% of the greater Austin region’s residents are 65 and older, the ninth-lowest rate among all metropolitan areas. More than a quarter of them are employed — the highest recorded rate among metro regions. However, 28.6% are looking for work — also the highest rate in the U.S. Because of this high demand for jobs, the region has a much higher-than-average unemployment rate for the older residents at 10.3%. This is despite the region having an unemployment rate for its whole population of just 7.1% — well below the national average.5. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Conn.
> 65 and older unemployment rate: 11.3%
> General unemployment rate: 8.9%
> Population change 2000 – 2010: +3.88% (281st most growth)
> Median income: $74,831 (3rd highest)
> Pct. 65 and older: 13.5% (166th highest)The Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk region is one of the wealthiest areas in the country. Part of the region is Fairfield County, the state’s gateway to New York City, which has a median income of just under $75,000. Besides serving as a suburban community for New York City workers, the region is home to a large financial sector. Jobs in health care, education and finance account for roughly one in four nonfarm jobs in the region. In 2010, the unemployment rate in the region was 8.9%, which was below the national average. However, unemployment for residents 65 and older was 11.3%.4. Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev.
> 65 and older unemployment rate: 13.4%
> General unemployment rate: 14.7%
> Population change 2000 – 2010: +41.8% (4th most growth)
> Median income: $51,437
> Pct. 65 and older: 11.3% (86th lowest)The Las Vegas metropolitan region had one of the fastest-growing economies in the U.S. before the housing bubble burst. Between 2000 and 2010, total population increased by more than 40%. Going back to 1990, the population has increased by more than 160%. When the housing market crashed, the damage dealt to the construction and real estate sectors had a ripple effect throughout the economy. This led to one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. The migration of young families from other parts of the country to Las Vegas when it was booming resulted in a relatively young population — just 11.3% are 65 or older. Of that group, more than one in five was part of the labor force, meaning they are either working or trying to get work. Among those 65 and older who were looking for work, 13.4% were unemployed in 2010.3. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Wash.
> 65 and older unemployment rate: 14.2%
> General unemployment rate: 10.6%
> Population change 2000 – 2010: +13.01% (137th most growth)
> Median income: $63,088 (16th highest)
> Pct. 65 and older: 10.8% (70th highest)Seattle is one of America’s industrial cities that has managed to establish itself as a high-tech, growth-sector hub. In the past several decades, the metropolitan region has become home to several large, relatively young companies, including Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX), Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), which is the second-biggest employer in the city. The region has also been a manufacturing center, home to companies like Boeing (NYSE: BA), which is still its biggest employer. Seattle’s unemployment rate in 2010 was 10.6%, which was above-average for metropolitan regions. And perhaps not surprising given the city’s technology focus, its unemployment rate for those 65 and older was much higher that year at 14.2%.2. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla.
> 65 and older unemployment rate: 14.5%
> General unemployment rate: 11.3%
> Population change 2000 – 2010: +16.16% (94th most growth)
> Median income: $43,547 (142nd lowest)
> Pct. 65 and older: 17.3% (68th highest)The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida region has grown at a faster-than-average rate. And like most of the state of Florida, the region also was hit hard by the housing crisis. The unemployment rate among the general population in 2010 was 11.3%, one of the highest rates in the country. Among residents over 65, that rate was 14.5%, the second-highest in the country for the older Americans. Only 14.5% of the 481,000 Tampa Bay residents 65 are in the labor force, meaning they have jobs or are looking for jobs. This labor force participation rate is well below the average among metro areas. Tampa’s economy relies on high-skill industries, including finance, insurance and telecommunications.1. Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, N.C.-S.C.
> 65 and older unemployment rate: 15.5%
> General unemployment rate: 10.8%
> Population change 2000 – 2010: +32.14% (15th highest)
> Median income: $50,449 (102nd highest)
> Pct. 65 and older: 10.1% (43rd lowest)The Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill region was one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country last decade. The population is young, with just over 10% of residents over the age of 65. In 2010, the unemployment rate in the Charlotte region was 10.8% for the general population — already above the national unemployment rate. The unemployment rate for residents 65 and older was even higher, at 15.5% — the worst in the country for the age group. Charlotte is a major industrial hub but also one of the biggest banking and finance centers in the country. With the biggest employers including Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) and Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), roughly one in 10 jobs in the region is in the financial services field.Read more: The Worst Cities for Retirees to Find Work - 24/7 Wall St. http://247wallst.com/2012/01/25/the-worst-cities-for-retirees-to-find-work/#ixzz1kZGuOVli
Read more: http://247wallst.com/2012/01/24/eight-industries-the-u-s-has-lost-to-china/#ixzz1kZGJa8wNRead more: http://247wallst.com/2012/01/24/eight-industries-the-u-s-has-lost-to-china/#ixzz1kZFNO5KLIn 1973, the U.S. was the largest producer of steel, making more than 136 million metric tons of crude steel, according to the International Iron and Steel Institute. Up to that point, the U.S. had enjoyed many decades of industry dominance, centered around the city of Pittsburgh. The following year, U.S. production was overtaken by the USSR, which produced 136.2 million metric tons, compared with the U.S.’s 132.2 million. Today, however, completely different players dominate the steel market. In 2010, the world’s top producer of crude steel was China, which produced approximately 627 million metric tons. Japan was a distant second-largest producer with nearly 110 million metric tons. The U.S. was third, producing approximately 80 million.
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Apple Driving Workers to Threaten Mass Suicide? The Pathologies of the Modern CorporationBetter technology is not sufficient to build a better society. To really change lives, corporations must use their work force to improve democracy and equality. READ MORERobert Cruickshank / AlterNet @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@  

Material appearing here is distributed without profit or monitory gain to those who have expressed an interest in receiving the material for research and educational purposes. This is in accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. section 107..
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html

Listen to Native Voice One http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/nv1/ppr/index.shtml

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.aktivix.org/pipermail/educationforall/attachments/20120126/e34304da/attachment-0001.htm>