Labor

MnIndy interview: Doug Henwood on Lehman, AIG, Gray Monday, and the economy

After Monday’s dramatic tumble in the financial markets–led by dire announcements about Lehman Brothers (bound for bankruptcy court), Merrill Lynch (absorbed by Bank of America) and insurance giant AIG (desperately seeking bridge loans)–I got in touch with Doug Henwood for some help in sorting out these latest developments and what they augur for the US economy on Main Street.

In a 20-minute interview taped Tuesday afternoon, Henwood–the publisher of the invaluable Left Business Observer newsletter and perhaps our most plainspoken economics journalist–took the measure of “Gray Monday” and the arc of the US economy.

New report says the anti-immigration movement has failed

The New York-based political group Progressive States Network (PSN) has just released a report entitled, “The Anti-Immigration Movement That Failed,” which counters media hype around anti-immigration legislation, revealing that over the past few years, states have largely enacted various policies that embrace new immigrants.

While the anti-immigration movement may appear to hold sway at the federal government, the report makes the case that there’s still a heated debate going on at the state level, especially within swing states, said PSN executive director Joel Barkin.

Palin’s maligning aside, Alaska’s rife with community organizers

“I simply refuse to believe there are no community organizers in Alaska.” That’s what Marjorie Childress wrote at the New Mexico Independent after Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin maligned community organizers at the Republican National Convention.

Indeed, though their work may carry different job titles — “advocate” seems to be Alaskan for “organizer” — plenty of Alaskans do community organizing. In fact, Gov. Palin is currently hiring people to do the work of community organizers.

MnIndy job tip: Alaska is hiring a state librarian

You have until Sept. 22 to apply for the position of Alaska state librarian. The job pays as much as $8,049 per month, and there’s no state income tax in Alaska. You will, however, be working for Gov. Sarah Palin at least through Inauguration Day. The current state librarian, Kay Shelton, tells the Minnesota Independent her retirement at [...]

Confessions of an RNC Security Guard

Over at Salon, Avi Steinberg has written a highly entertaining account of his time patrolling the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis, headquarters of the Republican National Convention, for a (unnamed) private security firm. He explores the perils of tight pants and Sarah Palin, the noshing habits of secret service officers and the unexpected joys of chanting “Rudy! [...]

Journalists on RNC policing: ‘Dark days for press freedom in the U.S.’

As crews picked up after the RNC in downtown St. Paul Friday morning, a handful of local and national journalists went to City Hall and delivered 50,000 signatures pressuring St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and the city and county attorneys to immediately release journalists who were recently arrested in connection to convention protests and to [...]

Take Back Labor Day: Hip hop meets folk by the RNC riverside

Mos Def at Take Back Labor Day (photo: Tony Nelson)

“They look like Ninja Turtles,” said one bystander as St. Paul police in full riot gear advanced toward protesters Monday in the early afternoon. But as conflict ensued on 7th Street, the novelty wore off, and rumors of tear gas and violence spread across the river [...]

Campaign cash register: Anti-union Wal-Mart backs anti-union Coleman

Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., recently — and some say falsely — said that the Employee Free Choice Act would "eliminate the secret ballot for workers" in a campaign ad. Simultaneously, Wal-Mart has come under intense scrutiny for encouraging its middle managers to direct workers to vote for Republicans, in part to thwart EFCA. Both Coleman’s [...]

City Hall Monitor: Minneapolis schools set to pick city cops over park cops

The Minneapolis School Board is poised to grant a low-bid, high-six-figures contract for liaison police services to the Minneapolis Police Department. It means a switch from the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s independent police force, which has provided cops to the schools for the last five years. The move puts cops who serve under Minneapolis [...]

Report: State has hired fewer minorities in Pawlenty era

Minnesota state agencies barely employ more minorities now than they did in 1997 and a number of departments are showing a decline despite the steady growth of populations of color statewide, according to a new report by the Minnesota State Affirmative Action Association (MSAAA).
Further, it appears that the bulk of that slippage has occurred [...]