Category: Labor

Only part time, temp and minimum wage jobs are being created

By John Lawrence

“Four years after the [Great Recession of 2008] median family income has fallen by 10 percent in real terms. …[T]he number of full-time breadwinner jobs in the US economy is still down by 5 million; that is, it is more than 8 percent below its late 2007 level.

In short, the Main Street economy has been failing for years, and now the massive debt deflation [the paying down of debt rather than consuming] under way will aggravate that condition enormously [since GDP is 70% consumption], leaving millions of citizens to depend on intermittent employment in low-paying part-time jobs or to fall back on family, friends, charity, or nothing at all.” – David Stockman, The Great Deformation.

A breadwinner job is a job that is sufficient to support a family, including rent or mortgage, car payment, adequate food and nutrition, health care, education and savings for retirement. That meant a job paying $50,000 a year in 2007 when the US economy peaked. At that time there were 71.8 million “breadwinner” jobs in construction, manufacturing, white-collar professions, government and the like. These jobs accounted for more than half of the nation’s 138 million total payroll.

By David Rosen / Alternet

Three centuries before Las Vegas was founded, New York was known as sin city. It was home to drinking, gambling, and most especially, illicit sexual pleasures. One of New Amsterdam’s first sex workers was Grietje “Little Pearl” Reynies, a lively bawd or “doxie.” Taunted by seamen on a departing sloop with the cry, “Whore! Whore! Two pound butter’s whore!” she allegedly lifted her petticoat and pointed to her naked backside, replying, “Blaes my daer achterin.”

By Jim Miller

In this final installment of Under the Perfect Sun media critique greatest hits, I apply the propaganda model to San Diego’s media scene.

Interestingly, it should be noted that while the local press have largely continued the Filner as disruptive narrative cited here, articles in theNew York Times and Los Angeles Times have recently presented a much prettier picture of Filner as a game changing mayor on multiple fronts. This is surely an embarrassing development in the House of Manchester, but don’t expect that to change the party line.

As the historic battle between Mayor Filner and San Diego’s big hoteliers over the tourism marketing deal unfolds, it’s clear where the lines are drawn.

On one side, you have a new strong mayor who is committed to ending business as usual in San Diego and on the other, you have folks like Terry Brown, chairman of the San Diego Tourism Marketing Association who, as Matt Potter at The San Diego Reader has pointed out, is a big time Republican funder …

Editor: The following is the News Release straight from Mayor Filner’s office on the passage of his budget on Monday, June 10th.

CITY COUNCIL ADOPTS MAYOR’S FRAMEWORK
FOR FINANCIAL SUCCESS IN THE YEAR AHEAD!!!

Mayor’s First Budget Focuses on Economic Recovery and Includes a Five-Year Labor Deal that Provides the City with Financial Stability

Mayor Bob Filner’s balanced budget and financial priorities were adopted by the San Diego City Council late this evening. A 7-2 majority of the Council sided with the Mayor and made an unequivocal commitment to fiscal responsibility and enhanced city services for the coming year.

Today – Thursday, May 23rd – will witness the display of a secret Republican plot to maintain the City Council District 2 seat now held by Kevin Hawkner, a Republican who is termed out.

And it all involves the unveiling of a bronze statute dedicated to lifeguards in San Diego and Ocean Beach. Former Republican old guard, Byron Worn, who used to hold the seat, will be on hand to assist in the dedication. Byron used to be a lifeguard until he propelled his political career off the backs of the Lifeguard Employee Union and into the City Council seat – this was years ago – but his appearance today will confirm his continued involvement in local politics.

Thousands of hospital workers at University of California medical centers up and down the state have begun a two-day strike starting today, Tuesday, May 21.

The strike definitely includes the UC Med Centers here in San Diego, at both Hillcrest and La Jolla, where more than 2,000 workers stayed home today or walked picket lines. The striking workers include vocational nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacy technicians, bus drivers and custodians.

Here’s a petition a reader and supporter of Ian Rey sent us.

A petition has begun:

“Sprout’s Farmers Market: reinstate Ian Rey to his job with their company” and need your help to get it off the ground.

Will you take 30 seconds to sign it right now? Here’s the link:

http://www.change.org/petitions/sprout-s-farmers-market-reinstate-ian-rey-to-his-job-with-their-company

Here’s why it’s important:

Dozens protested Friday evening to show continued support for Ian Rey, a longtime Sprouts Farmers Market employee who said he was fired after 14 years for mistakenly taking a coworker’s jacket.

Rey was terminated from Sprouts on Monday, and has experienced an outpouring of support from the community and customers alike – many of whom say they won’t shop at the local grocery store anymore.

Many of us have heard about Ian Rey, a developmentally challenged  employee fired at Point Loma Sprouts. They said he…

Here are some events and marches and actions occurring today – May First, May Day – that are happening in San Diego County.

May 1 @ 2pm
May 1st Day of Action on International Worker’s Day
Workers of the world, unite! Join numerous organizations interested in supporting the working class with a march from Downtown San Diego to Chicano Park. Rally begins at 2pm at the Civic Center. The march to Chicano Park begins at 3:30pm with a rally there to close out the demonstration.
Civic Center
3rd & B St. Downtown
For more info visit

A Brief History of the Origins of the Modern May Day and the Movement for a 8-Hour Day

May Day Connections

By Neale Towart / Workers Online

May Day as a modern working class celebration and commemoration began from the 1886 events in Chicago where workers were demonstrating for an eight hour day. But the day already had special significance for working people before then.

Pre-Industrial May Day and Working People

As a working peoples celebration its origins go back much further, with connections to Ancient Roman rituals. In pagan Europe it was a festive holy day celebrating the first spring planting. The ancient Celts and Saxons celebrated May 1st as Beltane or the day of fire. Bel was the Celtic god of the sun.

In the 1700s the Churches banned the pagan rituals, just as bosses today want workers to forget any traditions of solidarity and celebration of workers rights, but many peasants continued the tradition.

Local Races in Assembly District 80 and City Council District 4

By Jim Miller

Before I devote the month of May to the San Diego Free Press’s upcoming focus on my Golden Hill neighborhood, recent events compel me to do one last column on the special elections in Assembly District 80 and City Council District 4.

The 80th California Assembly District: Lorena Gonzalez vs Steve Castaneda

In the race to replace Ben Hueso in the 80th it shouldn’t be shocking that Lorena Gonzalez’s opponent has attacked her for being a “union boss” except for the fact that that charge was hurled at her not from a Republican but from fellow Democrat, Steve Castaneda. Indeed, Mr. Castaneda, who would surely have taken labor’s endorsement if offered, was far too quick to turn to cartoon like right-wing anti-union stereotypes. This should tell us all we need to know about this variety of Democrat.