Portside

Salon editorial staff unanimously support joining the Writers Guild of America East, and have asked for recognition. The move comes a month after the editorial staff at digital media publisher Gawker Media voted to unionize with the WGA East by an 80-27 margin. Gawker’s owners had agreed to abide by the vote.

Millions of California workers will see wage increases in the coming years as a result of recently-enacted state and local minimum wage policies. These minimum wage policies will reduce poverty, reduce employee turnover and improve the health of affected workers and their families. Less often discussed is that these wage increases will also reduce state health care spending.

Greek voters refuse to bow to impossible demands from creditors. More than 60% of Greek voters say NO. Alexis Tsipras: "The Greek people made a historic and brave choice. Their response will alter the existing dialogue in Europe."

When an economist confidently tells us that the unemployment rate can't get below 5.4 percent, 5.2 percent, or 5.0 percent without causing the inflation rate to spiral upward, why should anyone have confidence in this assessment?

Reparations for Chicago police torture “is something that sets a precedent that has never been done in the history of America. Reparations given to black men tortured by some white detectives. It’s historic.”

It’s safe to say that librarians don’t feel they have the power to unilaterally cancel all their institution’s subscriptions without some fearsome retribution either from within the institution itself or from elements of the publishing world.

Expecting artists to work for free hands the reins of cultural production to ruling elites.

In response to the wave of demonstrations over austerity programs and bank bailouts that have swept across Spain, a new law took effect on July 1, 2015 that criminalizes demonstrations in front of some government agencies and public buildings, and includes stiff fines for documenting the police response. The so-called Citizen Security Law makes it illegal to disseminate pictures, video and other content deemed “damaging” to Spain’s police and security forces.

Santa Cruz County’s Board of Supervisors recently suspended all business with the five giant banks, including JPMorgan Chase and Citicorp, who recently pleaded guilty to felony charges of criminal collusion. While the small California county’s portfolio is only valued at $650 million, Santa Cruz County Supervisor Ryan Coonerty says he’ll be contacting other local jurisdictions to urge them to follow Santa Cruz County’s lead.

According to the Washington Post, which, in the absence of reliable government statistics, is one of the news organizations tallying the number of police killings in the U.S., cops killed some 461 people in the first six months of 2015. And, more than a fourth of those slain, the reporters say, were "in the throes of mental or emotional crisis." The Washington Post estimates that in 2015, on average, police killed one mentally disturbed person every 36 hours.