Operatic Drama Swells in Labor Talks at the Met

Michael Cooper The New York Times
An offstage drama that has been playing out in New york City has highlighted the difficult economics of opera in the 21st century, which have forced several companies in the United States to close or scale back. In the city, a spate of recent emails between labor and management at the Metropolitan Opera and a review of the opera house’s financial statements have pulled back the curtain a bit on life at the Met, one of the most important opera houses in the world.

Workers on the Edge

David Bensman The American Prospect
It is a common myth that the shift to precarious, irregular employment reflects either the structure of the new, digital economy or the preferences of workers themselves. But in reality, most contingent work is the result of efforts by employers to undermine wages, job protections and worker bargaining power.

Continental Drift: Europe’s Breakaways

Conn Hallinan Dispatches From the Edge
While the U.S. and its allies may rail against the recent referendum in the Crimea that broke the peninsula free of Ukraine, Scots will consider a very similar one on Sept. 18, and Catalans would very much like to do the same. So would residents of South Tyrol, and Flemish speakers in northern Belgium.

Obama's Record Deportations an Effort to Appease Republicans?

Jacob Chamberlain Common Dreams
As the New York Times highlights, contrary to the administration's claims that its "Secure Communities" deportation program is focused on “criminals, gang bangers, people who are hurting the community," a stunning two-thirds of the two million deportation cases since Obama took office have in reality involved people who were guilty of only "minor infractions, including traffic violations, or had no criminal record at all."

Workers on the Edge

David Bensman The American Prospect
Payroll fraud and the shift to contingent employment are robbing workers of wages, benefits, and job security—and stealing revenues owed to government.

Greece Not Even Getting By

Panagiotis Grigoriou Le Monde Diplomatique
The jobs aren’t there any more. Anyone lucky enough to find work must accept whatever rate of pay they are offered. There’s nowhere, no way, to fight.