Thursday, July 27, 2006
Good New Book Out There
Senator Byron Dorgan from North Dakota wrote a new book called "Take This Job and Ship It" about outsourcing. Here is a little review of the book:
"Moving jobs to China and running profits through the Cayman Islands to avoid taxes undermines American workers and threatens out future" - so begins Senator Dorgan's "Take This Job and Ship It." Our trade deficit now increases by $2 billion/day, and our total deficit (federal government and trade) is $1.2 trillion/year.
In 1970 the biggest U.S. corporation was G.M. - for most employees, it was a ticket to lifetime employment, and for all it provided good wages, pensions, and health care. Today it is Wal-Mart, with an average salary of $18,000, 70% turnover the first year, and large numbers without benefits. About three million have already lost their jobs to out-sourcing, and Alan Blinder, former vice chairman of the Federal Reserve Board estimates 42-56 million jobs could be sent abroad, while many of those remaining will be competing with those paid much less in foreign lands.
Dorgan goes on to assert that about 750,000 U.S. jobs have been lost via NAFTA, and the three largest imports from Mexico are autos, auto parts, and electronic - displacing high-skilled American jobs, contrary to pre-implementation projections. Even Fig Newtons are now imported from Mexico. We have gone from a $1.3 billion surplus with Mexico in 1994 to a $45 billion deficit. Meanwhile, the U.S. poverty rate increased for the fourth straight year (to 12.7%) in 2005.
The problem is no longer limited to blue-collar workers. Senior software engineer salaries have been driven down by outsourcing from $130,000 to $100,000 in a few years (IF one is still employed). Airline maintenance has also been exported.
Meanwhile, while corporations make record profits through outsourcing, their tax payments dwindle. From 1945 to 2000 the share of income taxes paid by corporations dropped from 35% to 10%. Companies that move jobs overseas can reinvest those profits there and pay no U.S. income taxes; or, they can repatriate the money and pay only 5.25% federal tax. (To be fair, they probably had also already paid local taxes, but these usually are less than in the U.S.)"
If you are intersted in the book - go to this link at powells.com (Amazon busted an organizing drive by CWA a few years back - so I never use them.) While Powells bookstore is union:
http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-031235522x-1
What other books are YOU reading.
"Moving jobs to China and running profits through the Cayman Islands to avoid taxes undermines American workers and threatens out future" - so begins Senator Dorgan's "Take This Job and Ship It." Our trade deficit now increases by $2 billion/day, and our total deficit (federal government and trade) is $1.2 trillion/year.
In 1970 the biggest U.S. corporation was G.M. - for most employees, it was a ticket to lifetime employment, and for all it provided good wages, pensions, and health care. Today it is Wal-Mart, with an average salary of $18,000, 70% turnover the first year, and large numbers without benefits. About three million have already lost their jobs to out-sourcing, and Alan Blinder, former vice chairman of the Federal Reserve Board estimates 42-56 million jobs could be sent abroad, while many of those remaining will be competing with those paid much less in foreign lands.
Dorgan goes on to assert that about 750,000 U.S. jobs have been lost via NAFTA, and the three largest imports from Mexico are autos, auto parts, and electronic - displacing high-skilled American jobs, contrary to pre-implementation projections. Even Fig Newtons are now imported from Mexico. We have gone from a $1.3 billion surplus with Mexico in 1994 to a $45 billion deficit. Meanwhile, the U.S. poverty rate increased for the fourth straight year (to 12.7%) in 2005.
The problem is no longer limited to blue-collar workers. Senior software engineer salaries have been driven down by outsourcing from $130,000 to $100,000 in a few years (IF one is still employed). Airline maintenance has also been exported.
Meanwhile, while corporations make record profits through outsourcing, their tax payments dwindle. From 1945 to 2000 the share of income taxes paid by corporations dropped from 35% to 10%. Companies that move jobs overseas can reinvest those profits there and pay no U.S. income taxes; or, they can repatriate the money and pay only 5.25% federal tax. (To be fair, they probably had also already paid local taxes, but these usually are less than in the U.S.)"
If you are intersted in the book - go to this link at powells.com (Amazon busted an organizing drive by CWA a few years back - so I never use them.) While Powells bookstore is union:
http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-031235522x-1
What other books are YOU reading.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Development - how should labor be invovled?
Anyone who was at the Syracuse Labor Council meeting last week saw some "fireworks." After more than 8 years on the job - for me it was par for the course. But some people don't like yelling and screaming or whatnot.
Anyway, blogs should be about back and forth. So I'll put this out there - how should labor be involved in development issues? How can we assure that the development is in the best for the community?
Be respectful if you comment, but put out ideas. And please, respect everyone's idea.
Anyway, blogs should be about back and forth. So I'll put this out there - how should labor be involved in development issues? How can we assure that the development is in the best for the community?
Be respectful if you comment, but put out ideas. And please, respect everyone's idea.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Bad Decision in the Federal Courts
Rick White was fired because he tried to form a union at Endicott Interconnect (the former IBM in Endicott). He has won in every single court that he has faced.
Until the boss found a judge that would rule their way. The article is here:
http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060719/BUSINESS/607190333/1002/BUSINESS
I cannot tell you what a disgrace this decision is to working people everywhere. The judge who made the ruling is also the same judge that threw Judith Miller into jail.
THAT IS WHY WE MUST ALL VOTE THIS YEAR!!!! Vote for candidates that represent our values. Vote so that we don't get more judges like this one. Vote so that the interest of working people are at least HEARD in Washington.
As for Rick, you can send well wishes to: rwhite3@stny.rr.com. Tell him that he is doing the right thing and that his fight is not in vain.
Until the boss found a judge that would rule their way. The article is here:
http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060719/BUSINESS/607190333/1002/BUSINESS
I cannot tell you what a disgrace this decision is to working people everywhere. The judge who made the ruling is also the same judge that threw Judith Miller into jail.
THAT IS WHY WE MUST ALL VOTE THIS YEAR!!!! Vote for candidates that represent our values. Vote so that we don't get more judges like this one. Vote so that the interest of working people are at least HEARD in Washington.
As for Rick, you can send well wishes to: rwhite3@stny.rr.com. Tell him that he is doing the right thing and that his fight is not in vain.
Some pics from the Cheney Rally
Is the Press Lazy - or Corrupt?
Here in our area, we have an organizing drive at one of the most high profile employers (Fuccillo Hyundai), a strike where the company is just leeching everything they can before they close the factory (Camillus Cutlery) and the whole Destiny mess - where the newspaper did not publish a commentary from the President of the Labor Federation, Labor Council and the Building Trades.
So what does that tell me? Either the press is lazy - or corrupt because they do not want to go against their monied interest. So then the question becomes - what do we do? Share your ideas.
So what does that tell me? Either the press is lazy - or corrupt because they do not want to go against their monied interest. So then the question becomes - what do we do? Share your ideas.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
I'm the worst blogger in the world, but....
We had a great time at the Cheney rally in Utica. We had 30 people board a bus and go out to rally against the Prince of Darkness. The police in Utica were actually ok (nervous with all the secret service around, but still ok). The rally had lots of music - a good crowd.
We were then hosted by the Central NY Labor Council after the rally. Many thanks to Pat Costello and the Labor Council for their hospitality.
Check out pictures from the rally at cnylabor.org
We were then hosted by the Central NY Labor Council after the rally. Many thanks to Pat Costello and the Labor Council for their hospitality.
Check out pictures from the rally at cnylabor.org
