More than 500,000 California farmworkers play a critical role in providing Americans with the food that nourishes and sustains their health. Yet, for those workers, their own health is too often in jeopardy.
While the timing of the release raises questions, we must not forget to ask: Who benefits? Why was it made? Who released the audio? Who made it? What was their goal? Do we really want to heal?
The new series Fire Country revolves around an incarcerated California firefighter. Based on a real program, the drama is made possible by California’s budget priorities: few resources for climate protection or fire services and abundant investment in prisons.
The bottom-line question is why so many highly profitable companies prefer to spend money to fight the unions instead of offering their vulnerable employees affordable health care coverage and safety from sexual assault.
Two key issues for the workers, all members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers, have been the subject of negotiation: wage increases and the union’s demand to increase the time therapists spend on tasks other than seeing patients.
A bill - BA 257 - aimed to create a fast food sector council to set minimum industry standards on wages, working hours, health and safety and other working conditions - is expected to come before the senate appropriations committee on August 11.
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