Obama Creates Working Families Task Force
President Barack Obama began this week the arduous task of reversing the Bush administration's anti-working families policies. Welcoming labor movement leaders, small business owners, and representatives of not-for-profit groups to the White House Friday, Jan. 30, Obama issued three executive orders that will promote the rights of workers.
Obama Signs Historic Fair Pay Law
'This is a wonderful day,' President Obama announced just prior to signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, Jan. 29th. '[I]t is fitting that the very first bill that I sign ... that it is upholding one of this nation's founding principles: that we are all created equal, and each deserve a chance to pursue our own version of happiness.'
Coal: The Four-letter Word That Won't Go Away
Coal miners are now suffering from black lung disease at a higher rate than in the previous decade. In fact, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the prevalence of black lung disease has doubled over the past five years.
Obama Pushes Hard on Economic Recovery
Taking the case for passing his economic recovery plan to the people in his first weekly video address as president, Barack Obama emphasized the need to pass the measure in order to offset growing unemployment and declining family incomes.
Economy: Conservative Plan Isn't About 'Recovery'
The missive that House conservatives issued early Friday may be called an 'economic recovery plan,' but it is as threadbare as the big discount goods store that went belly-up in my neighborhood a few weeks ago and is now in the final days of bankruptcy liquidation.
Unions Need Unity, but More
OAKLAND, CA (1/10/09) -- Twelve unions met in Washington DC last week, and announced they're considering rejoining the two labor federations, the American Federation of Labor/Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and Change to Win (CTW), that split apart five years ago.
Quick Economic Turnaround not in the Cards
The latest figures indicate that the Canadian economy is becoming more deeply entrenched in recession, with no recovery in sight. Another 34,400 jobs were lost in December, on top of 70,600 in November, for a two-month total of 105,000.
Battlelines: The Political-economy of Recovery
President-elect Obama's economic recovery package could help create or save between 3 and 4 million jobs in a variety of job markets over the next two years, according to a report authored by Christina Romer, Obama's designee to chair the Council of Economic Advisors, and Jared Bernstein, Vice President-elect Joe Biden's top economic advisor.
Demand is Up for Emergency Food Help in Atlanta
As the economic crisis drags on, more people in the United States are struggling to get the food they need, turning to food pantries and food stamps for help at a greater rate than at any time in recent history.
US Economic Crisis: Fundamental Changes Needed
Employers cut 524,000 jobs in the months of December, the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed Friday, Jan. 9th. Altogether the jobless rate jumped to 7.2 percent, the highest in 16 years.
