Monday Stuff

Here is a clip reminding us of the importance of today's holiday, as well as of the labor movement overall (more here , here, here, here, and a true relic is here...and as noted here, the beat goes on, you might say)…



...also, this story tells us about the Chicago Labor Day March, with the theme of workers over billionaires (rallying at Haymarket, which is a storied location in the history of organized labor, as noted in the first video)...



...and this report from CBS Sunday Morning tells us about prison labor and how those incarcerated can earn either points to be redeemed at a prison commissary or actual dough, in the case of the “Prison Blues” brand of jeans, which are apparently popular in Japan...I’m sure it won’t be surprising to learn which states don’t both to comp inmates in any form for their work...I have to admit that I didn’t know how wide-ranging prison work really was across diverse industries...also important to note that using incarcerated workers drives down wages for non-incarcerated workers, which is probably the biggest benefit for employers (and I say that through clenched teeth)...I knew that prison labor was exempted when slavery was outlawed by the 13th Amendment...



...and this story tells us about a California grower who wants to replace workers with robots amidst a labor shortage (with farmers taking a hit from Mango Mussolini’s cruel and ridiculous immigration raids)...this story poses a bit of a thorny question I realize; on the one hand, you have the threat of robotics driving down wages, but on the other hand, you have the threat of the affected crops not getting picked at all, potentially shuttering businesses and driving up food prices...there must be a balance that can be struck somewhere, though I’ll admit that I don’t know how or where...



...and Robert Reich tells us about 5 ways to strengthen labor and the middle class of this country...video is 12 years old, but it still has some good points about leveling the playing field, you might say, for workers...and I’m pretty sure the minimum wage adjusted for productivity and inflation is around $15 an hour now (what the federal minimum wage should be, I mean)...good idea about increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit also (and let's not forget this, by the way)...



Update 9/2/24: Well said.

Update: For Bluesky folks, I offer this.

...and here is a tune for the holiday.