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Labor's Edge Articles by Steve Smith
8/23/10
Whitman-Samueli Fundraiser Raises Questions
by Steve Smith
As millions of Californians continue to struggle in this economy, Meg Whitman will spend her evening today collecting huge checks from corporate insiders at the posh Corona Del Mar mansion of fellow billionaire CEO Henry Samueli.
Of course, there’s nothing unusual about candidates holding fundraisers, even billionaires like Whitman. But there’s more to meets the eye with this particular fundraiser considering the host’s background. And there’s some serious questions that need to be raised about whom exactly would have Whitman’s ear if she were to be elected governor.
8/12/10
Meg Whitman’s Bad Week
by Steve Smith
Every once in a while you have one of those weeks where it seems like nothing goes right. For Meg Whitman, it’s been one of those weeks.
Workers and community allies have been out in force protesting at a number of her recent appearances, she continues to get slammed from both the left and the right for her hypocrisy on immigration and other issues, top economists shredded her economic plan and polls show she’s continuing to lose support, even though she’s up on the air with wall-to-wall TV ads.
7/13/10
Message to Whitman: California’s Future Isn’t a Game
It’s no secret that Meg Whitman is wealthy beyond most of our wildest dreams. But few know the true cost of Whitman’s wealth. This week the California Labor Federation launched a new online video and video game that highlights Whitman’s job-slashing corporate history. Check out both the video and video game at www.WallStreetWhitman.com.
7/9/10
By Opposing High-Speed Rail, Whitman Shows True Colors on Jobs
by Steve Smith
Billionaire CEO Meg Whitman continued her hypocrisy on jobs yesterday, coming out in opposition to high-speed rail and the hundreds of thousands of jobs it would create. Whitman spokeswoman Sarah Pompei told the Sacramento Bee that Whitman opposes the project because the state can’t “afford” high-speed rail.
So let’s get this straight… the state can’t afford to create hundreds of thousands of good jobs with a project that’s already received significant federal funding and voter approval? This appears to be another example – a particularly egregious one – of Whitman showing her true colors on job creation.
5/18/10
Whitman Uses Bogus Claims of Fraud to Attack Workers, Seniors and People with Disabilities
By Steve Smith
Looks like desperation is beginning to set in over at Team Whitman headquarters. Monday in Roseville, Meg Whitman told a small audience that she would appoint a grand jury to root out the more than $7.5 billion in fraud she claims occurs annually in programs for the poor, seniors and people with disabilities. Tough talk. Just one problem, those numbers have absolutely no basis in reality.
5/18/10
California Education Advocates take up the CAUSE to Stop Governor’s Cuts
by Steve Smith
California schools, colleges and universities have been ravaged in recent years by deep budget cuts that threaten to destroy public education in our state. Over the last two years alone, Governor Schwarzenegger has slashed more than $17 billion from our state’s schools, which are already drastically underfunded. And with the release of his May Revise of the state budget last week, the Governor proposed additional cuts to education that would jeopardize the futures of millions of students statewide.
5/7/10
Union Members Ramp Up Worksite Informational Blitz to Expose Whitman’s Wall Street Agenda
by Steve Smith
In an increasingly impersonal political campaign environment saturated with slick TV ads and radio spots, many working families have difficulty 
discerning the truth from campaign spin... unless they’re union members.
Yesterday in Sacramento, union members with the Communications Workers of America Local 9421 passed out flyers and engaged their fellow workers at AT&T in discussion about this year’s elections during lunchtime as workers filed in and out of the busy AT&T building.
4/30/10
It’s Time for Meg “Wall Street” Whitman to Come Clean About Her Past (and Present) Ties to Goldman Sachs
by Steve Smith
Now that the Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation into Goldman Sachs’ role in the subprime mortgage meltdown, it’s more important than ever that Meg "Wall Street" Whitman disclose exactly what she knew and did during her 14 months on the board at Goldman Sachs. That’s why we’re calling on Whitman to provide detailed answers to questions regarding her knowledge and involvement in the Goldman scandal during this Sunday’s GOP gubernatorial debate.
4/26/10
Join California’s Workers in Exposing Meg Whitman’s Wall Street Agenda
by Steve Smith
Meg Whitman spent last week crisscrossing California with her Wall Street pal Mitt Romney, pumping up her already overflowing campaign coffers with even more corporate cash. Her campaign strategy is clear: write big checks and avoid a real conversation with voters about her background, her policies, and her plans for the state.
But California's workers aren't going to let Meg and her Wall Street agenda take the express jet to the Governor's office. Today, the California Labor Federation launched a massive grassroots campaign that will deploy an army of volunteers to expose the truth about Meg Whitman’s Wall Street agenda and her history on the board at Goldman Sachs.
3/26/10
Rants & Raves for the Week of March 22nd
* Toyota stops manufacturing at NUMMI * Schwarzenegger vetoes more worker-friendly bills * Sen. Coburn blocks jobless benefits for unemployed workers *
* Historic health care reform bill signed into law * Judge rules Governor's special-fund furloughs are illegal * Essential unemployment insurance bill moves forward * Legislative recess begins today *
3/19/10
Rants & Raves for the Week of March 15th
* Schwarzenegger protects tax cheats instead of providing tax relief to working families * Census data proves Meg Whitman wrong on public employees * Toyota NUMMI severence agreement includes gag order *
* CBO finds health care reform bill would cut deficit by more than a trillion dollars * Assemblymember Sandre Swanson regains Labor Committee chairmanship * Retirees honor advocate Bill Powers *
3/15/10
Tuning in to the GOP Debate Tonight? Get Ready for More False Rhetoric and Attacks on Workers
by Steve Smith
If you tune in to tonight’s first Republican gubernatorial debate between Meg “Megabucks” Whitman and Steve “We-don’t-bother-coming-up-with-nicknames-for-candidates-who-poll-under-20 percent” Poizner, you can bet you’ll be treated to overheated, misleading and flat-out false rhetoric about state government, unions, taxes, regulations and a host of other red-meat topics for the GOP conservative base.