Today, word comes of a mass layoff in Chicago. Apparently, Bank of America was involved in a process that laid off 300 people on three days' notice from a factory, in violation of federal and state law requiring greater notice or severance pay. A local union is staging a sit-in at the factor, a "peaceful occupation." President-elect Obama voiced support for these workers yesterday. Governor Blagojevich did so today, and announced that Illinois would stop doing business with B of A for a time. It doesn't hurt that this is all happening right before Christmas. For the first time in as long as I can remember, working people have allies in government. Can you imagine what Bush or McCain would do? Call out the National Guard, perhaps?
The minor labor action is also a foretaste of the public anger that will come if huge bailouts are granted to keep corporations afloat while tens of thousands of regular people (who actually need the money) are hurting really badly. People are willing, just barely, to see taxpayer money go to powerful corporations that are "too big to fail" because they fear for their jobs. But we want to see some small fraction of that money go to keeping regular employees at their jobs - at least for a little longer while there are no other jobs to be had.
Monday, December 08, 2008
A Whole New Day for Employees in America
Posted by The Law Talking Guy at 12:56 PM
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
This is very significant. You are right: Bush would have called for the workers to be arrested to keep "law and order" even though the businesses and the banks are the lawbreakers here.
Maybe this publicity will shame Bank of America into easing up on its draconian policies, at least when they are in the spotlight. The Obama Administration needs to clamp down on regulations on the banks so they start acting responsibly, especially as they are alive thanks to us.
Bush would have declared htem terorrists.
Once the huge public works projects take hold, the tax payer is going to be a lot less willing to bail out big CEOs.
Congress is calling for the resignation of the head of GM. He acted irresponsibily and collected a $22 milion salary and probably has a sweet severence deal. I bet Congress will get what it wants. So the changes are already a foot.
Are they calling for his resignation, or his resignation with no further payout of any kind? I know which I'd prefer...
Hara-kiri?
Post a Comment