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Tidbits - July 31, 2014

Portside
Reader Comments - Gaza, Israel, Palestine and the Jewish Community; Water Privatization; Charlie Haden; McDonald's and Low-wage Workers; Portside Book Reviews; Koch Bros.; Universal Soldier; Argentina; HIV; NSA, spying and Saudi Arabia; Public Education; Market Basket Revolt; Immigration Reform Infographic; new poems by Tom Karlson and Alan Gilbert; Afro-American Artists to Present Works in Cuba; Sinéad O'Connor: 'I Won't Play in Israel'

Atlantic City Workers Stunned As Casino Economy Begins to Crash

Bruce Vail In These Times
Atlantic City needs to diversify its economy away from casinos if it wants to continue attracting large numbers of visitors, union leaders argue in response to announcements of closures. New solutions are needed for workers and the wider community to prevent Atlantic City from again going into decline.

Two Theories of Poverty

Matt Bruenig Demos
There are fundamental differences in the way right-wingers and left-wingers understand poverty.

Minority Union at Volkswagen, For Now

Alexandra Bradbury Labor Notes
The brand new Local 42 has already begun signing up and swearing in members who work at the VW plant looking toward winning a majority.

A Bill to Get the Labor Movement Back on Offense

George Zornick The Nation
Representatives Keith Ellison and John Lewis plan to introduce a bill Wednesday that would make labor organizing a basic freedom no different than freedom from racial discrimination. The legislation would amend the National Labor Relations Act to include protections found under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to include labor organizing as a fundamental right.

All Life is Connected - We Are Part of a Whole - We Choose Freedom for All

Jewish Voice for Peace
A diverse group of celebrities, artists, and activists including American Jews and Palestinians are speaking out for Palestinian human rights in a video released online today. The video is a first of its kind expression of support for Palestinian freedom, equality and justice and features celebrities holding signs with the names and ages of Palestinian civilians recently killed by the Israeli military in Gaza.

Ruling Says McDonald’s Is Liable for Workers

Steven Greenhouse The New York Times
A major ruling by the NLRB states that McDonald's is jointly responsible for the working conditions in its franchises. This ruling will have major impacts for the company and other corporations that have increasingly relied on the franchise model.