Portside

No candidate has ever run for the presidency promising to raise the retirement age, end formal employment protection and greatly expand outsourcing. Nobody would ever get elected saying these things. The only way to remove the labor rights that we fought for over the last 100 years was through a coup such as the one in Brazil that forced Dilma Rousseff out of office. Workers have responded by strikes, demonstrations and massive rallies.

Gold's Gym's personal trainers set to become first U.S. fitness professionals to form a labor union.

Study after study after study demonstrate that independent, remote workers are more productive, satisfied, and engaged than their office-bound colleagues. Recent surveys find that workers, freed from the constraints of office life, report higher levels of satisfaction and greater productivity. These results aren’t surprising since remote work eliminates the wasted time of commuting and the stress of constant exposure to office politics, interruptions and meetings.

In his first book, Seattle-based union organizer Jonathan Rosenblum recounts the personal stories of clergy, activists and airport workers who mounted the first successful campaign for a $15 minimum wage in the U.S. Here is an interview with Rosenblum.

Well, I think that the auto companies typically complain every time they're required to make either their cars safer, or in this case safer for the environment, by having better fuel efficiencies, and they will complain bitterly how expensive if it is. But we have to realize that General Motors, has been making billions of dollars a year, and that's with the introduction of the electric car, with higher efficiencies mandated by the Obama administration.

Thoughts that huge tax cuts to high-income households will offset a downturn in automobile sales, cuts in public spending, rising college tuition or a dismantling of the health sector are irrational. If theFed raises interests rates, it will threaten a more fragile economy than appears at the moment. The drive to be “normal” in a world that is clearly not normal, may put us in danger of a downturn that will be difficult to recover from.

Trump is visiting Ypsilanti, Michigan on Wednesday. In an unprecedented move, "Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and General Motors told workers they will transport them to and from Trump's rally, provide lunch and cover their pay for the day if they miss a shift at their plant. Ford will do the same, but will not cover their pay." These companies have never before brought workers to a rally for a President and given them the day off. Some UAW Local Presidents opposed this.

In separate actions over a few days, House and Senate Republicans moved to undercut worker due process rights, weaken labor organizations and protect companies with workplace violations affecting contractor employees.

Japanese unions worked together to protest, lobby and organize and keep Uber out of Tokyo. They know Uber will continue to fight, so the battle is not over, but this example shows that unions can challenge the company and win.

It’s easy to feel comfortable in a space that magically cleans itself.