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09/2010 Labor's Edge Blog Articles
9/29/10
Jerry Brown Shows Meg Whitman How It’s Done at the First Gubernatorial Debate
by Rebecca Greenberg
There’s no doubt that Jerry Brown came out on top after the first gubernatorial debate last night at UC Davis. According to a SurveyUSA/CBS poll conducted last night just after the debate (as reported by CBS’ Doug Sovern on Twitter), 53% say they will vote for Brown, 38% for Meg.
Those figures come as no surprise. Throughout the course of the debate, Brown was warm, thoughtful, intelligent and even funny at times, while Whitman was cold, scripted and over-rehearsed, and her attempted jokes flopped with the audience. But more notably, Brown laid out a clear and executable game plan to create jobs and get California back on track, while Whitman completely failed to offer any real insight as to how she would implement all of her unrealistic policy proposals.
9/28/10
Repeal Tax Breaks for Big Corporations—Vote YES on Proposition 24
by Sara Flocks
In September 2008 and February 2009, Republicans demanded the passage of three massive tax breaks for corporations as part of the budget deal. These tax breaks will tear a gaping hole in the already tattered state budget, and would increase our budget deficit by estimated $1.3 billion every year after they take effect.
The solution to this problem lies in Proposition 24. If passed, Prop 24 would stop the giveaway of billions of dollars in state money to corporations by repealing the three tax breaks enacted in the 2008 and 2009 budget deals. Prop 24 would finally ensure that multi-national corporations pay their fair share to the state for the benefits they receive by doing business in California.
9/27/10
Is California Really “Bleeding Jobs” To Other States?
by Caitlin Vega
Meg Whitman keeps reciting the same misinformation about job loss resulting from California’s bad business climate, claiming that businesses are leaving California because of “over-regulation”. But the truth is, we have lost fewer jobs than neighboring states that have fewer worker protections and lower taxes on corporations and the wealthy.
As KQED’s John Myers points out, "The 'bleeding of jobs' -- the notion that a large number of jobs are businesses are fleeing California -- is a familiar talking point in state politics these days, especially among Republicans. But in the only broad, longitudinal nonpartisan study out there, the numbers don't match the rhetoric."
9/24/10
Rants & Raves for the Week of September 20th
* Whitman says Fresno is "awful" * Whitman takes more campaign cash from Goldman Sachs * Whitman seeks ballot measure to gut pensions *
* Study finds higher levels of unionization mean happier workers * Key health care reform provisions kick in * Boxer leads Fiorina in wake of new ad campaign *
9/23/10
Health Care Reform: What’s New, and What’s Next
by Sara Flocks
President Obama signed historic health care reform into law six months ago this week. Many Californians saw immediate benefits from the new law. Today, several important new provisions of the law go into effect, and millions more will start to see how the health care law benefits them and their families.
As of today, an estimated 1.3 million young adults in California will now be able to stay on their parents' health plans. Insurers are now prohibited from dropping coverage when someone gets sick, and they can no longer deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions. The abusive practice of placing a lifetime limit on insurance coverage will end today as well, thanks to the federal reform.
9/22/10
Combat Veterans to Whitman: Your Excuses About Your Voting Record Disrespect Our Sacrifices
by Mary Gutierrez
A group of U.S. combat veterans challenged Meg Whitman to come clean about why she has failed to exercise the right to vote they fought to protect with their wartime service in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. At a news conference in front of her East Los Angeles headquarters yesterday, the veterans released a letter addressed to the GOP gubernatorial nominee, asking Whitman to participate in an honest discussion with veterans about her voting record and her economic plans for the state.
9/21/10
Warehouse Union Slams Rite Aid Mismanagement Before Quarterly Briefing
by Rand Wilson
As Rite Aid management gets ready to spin another dismal quarter to industry analysts, the union uniting workers at the company's giant distribution center in Lancaster, CA has issued a scathing new report blasting management's poor performance.
The report, "Navigating Rough Waters -- Can New Management Steer Rite Aid Back on Course?" points out what Rite Aid workers across the country have been saying to management since the disastrous Brooks and Eckerd acquisition: Solving the company's financial problems on the backs of hard-working employees is bad for business and a failed labor relations strategy.
9/20/10
Poverty Figures Make the Case for a Stronger Safety Net
by James Parks
The numbers are bad enough: 14.3 percent of Americans or 43.6 million people live in poverty, according to data released yesterday by the U.S. Census Bureau. But several analyses out today show that the headlines on poverty hide even deeper problems. The statistics prove we desperately need a strong safety net to keep more people from becoming poor.
9/17/10
Rants & Raves for the Week of September 13th
* Whitman threatens to sue TV stations that air CTA ad * California poverty rate jumps to 15.3% * State seeks to sell public buildings to private investors *
* Yelp employee calls out Whitman's lies * Court rules in favor of LA Clean Trucks program * Cal/OSHA adopts historic diacetyl workplace safety rule *
9/15/10
Meg Whitman Doesn’t Like Meg Whitman’s Plans
According to the Sacramento Bee, Whitman is threatening to sue television stations that run a California Teachers Association ad attacking the candidate.
TV stations shouldn't be bullied by flimsy claims. If Meg Whitman doesn't like the truth, how about she explain what she means? For real this time, not the blather we've heard before.
9/9/10
Major Victory for LA’s Clean Trucks Program
by Aditi Vaidya
Last Thursday, a district court judge in California ruled in favor of the Los Angeles Clean Truck program. This ruling removes the legal hurdles that have prevented the Port of Los Angeles from enforcing all provisions of one of the most effective diesel reduction programs in the country.
The ruling comes just months after the Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports and the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy took the fight to fix the broken port trucking system all the way to Washington, DC for a historic hearing on clean trucks and ports.
9/8/10
Impact of Foreclosures Goes Far Beyond Economic Damage
by Caitlin Vega
A new study conducted by the Alameda County Public Health Department and the housing rights group Causa Justa found that those who have had homes foreclosed on are twice as likely to report that their mental and physical health has declined. Many cite increased crime in their communities as a result of mass foreclsoures, as well as the strain caused by dislocating their children from friends and schools due to a forced move.
This latest report only underscores the need to protect families from the harm caused by foreclosures. Unfortunately, the lending industry that aggressively marketed sub-prime loans is now resisting efforts to protect borrowers from unnecessary foreclosures.
9/5/10
Labor Day Kicks Off Final Push in Battle for the Soul of California
by Art Pulaski
This Labor Day, California is at a crossroads. We can either continue the economic race to the bottom – exacerbated by corporate policies and Gov. Schwarzenegger’s slash-and-burn budgets – or we can chart a new course to rebuild California from the bottom up. The heart of California’s economy, our workers, are struggling with near record unemployment, stagnating wages and devastating budget cuts that are eroding the California Dream.
This November, Californians have a critical choice to make about which direction our state should take to deal with the enormous challenges we face. This election is simply a battle for the soul of California.
In the race for Governor, the choices couldn’t be starker.
9/2/10
Fiorina Routed In California Senate Debate
by Robert Cruickshank
There was always a massive contradiction - or one might say, a dishonest hypocrisy of stunning proportions - at the heart of Carly Fiorina's US Senate campaign. She touts herself as someone who can create jobs, but her record as the failed and fired CEO of Hewlett-Packard shows her to be one of the worst offenders when it comes to corporate destruction of American jobs.
That is not only a contradiction, it's also a big campaign liability that was just waiting for someone to exploit it. And that's exactly what Senator Barbara Boxer did in last night's debate.