Sunday, January 31, 2010

7 deadly plastics

Might wish to review this ditty. We worked with some of these at American Can--American National Can and Silgan. I suspect Crown-Cork folks also handled some of this stuff.

USW workers and folks in manufacturing might wish to review this with members.

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note: OSHA does poor job of regulations in the chemical industry. OSHA seems to go by the body count, not the dangers.

Hint: get copies of Material Data Safety Sheets and keep copy--at union hall and make copy for self. It is amazing how some of this stuff gets lost.

more bpa bad news

This snip is from the Bill Moyer's Journal on BPA. Again, can workers at 083 (American Can, American National Can and Silgan containers) in St. Louis, Missouri were exposed.

How do I know? I was safety-chair and on the safety committee at 083 for a decade. In fact, I was the last labor chair of Safety committee. I read thru the safety-material data sheets. I suggest current can workers at Silgan Containers do the same.

Those in the USW (united steelworkers) might wish to review with folks the "potential" dangers of BPA.

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potential can danger BPA

these vids show some potential dangers from food packaging. We used this chemical at American Can--American National and Silgan at the 083 plant. Quite possible use at Continental/Crown Cork.

I am starting at vid two of this interview.
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part one:

Friday, January 29, 2010

Howard Zinn dies

This is a snip from "Russia Today" and talks about Howard Zinn.

Zinn was historian and much, much more. Requiescat in pace et in amore”.






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these are remarks by Zinn in the nation magazine "Obama at One" article and blog:

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20100201/forum/6#zinn

I' ve been searching hard for a highlight. The only thing that comes close is some of Obama's rhetoric; I don't see any kind of a highlight in his actions and policies.

As far as disappointments, I wasn't terribly disappointed because I didn't expect that much. I expected him to be a traditional Democratic president. On foreign policy, that's hardly any different from a Republican--as nationalist, expansionist, imperial and warlike. So in that sense, there's no expectation and no disappointment. On domestic policy, traditionally Democratic presidents are more reformist, closer to the labor movement, more willing to pass legislation on behalf of ordinary people--and that's been true of Obama. But Democratic reforms have also been limited, cautious. Obama's no exception. On healthcare, for example, he starts out with a compromise, and when you start out with a compromise, you end with a compromise of a compromise, which is where we are now.

I thought that in the area of constitutional rights he would be better than he has been. That's the greatest disappointment, because Obama went to Harvard Law School and is presumably dedicated to constitutional rights. But he becomes president, and he's not making any significant step away from Bush policies. Sure, he keeps talking about closing Guantánamo, but he still treats the prisoners there as "suspected terrorists." They have not been tried and have not been found guilty. So when Obama proposes taking people out of Guantánamo and putting them into other prisons, he's not advancing the cause of constitutional rights very far. And then he's gone into court arguing for preventive detention, and he's continued the policy of sending suspects to countries where they very well may be tortured.

I think people are dazzled by Obama's rhetoric, and that people ought to begin to understand that Obama is going to be a mediocre president--which means, in our time, a dangerous president--unless there is some national movement to push him in a better direction.

Richard Trumka on PBS this evening: Bill Moyers

Might wish to watch PBS this evening on Bill Moyers:

Friday, January 29, 8:00pm
AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka.

This will repeat varied times Sunday in St. Louis

from AFL blog:


Bill Moyers interviews AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka tonight on PBS.



AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka is tonight’s featured guest on “Bill Moyers Journal” on PBS. In an in-depth 30-minute interview, Trumka will outline steps to restore the nation’s economy, create jobs and rebuild the middle class.

He will talk about the AFL-CIO’s role in creating a broad movement of Americans to demand jobs and an economy that works for families on Main Street and why bankers and brokers on Wall Street must be held accountable with strong new financial reform rules.

Trumka will discuss why health care reform must pass and what it must include. He will explain why it’s time to restore the freedom of workers to form unions and bargain for a better life.
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http://blog.aflcio.org/

Trumka speaks on Jobs after state of the union 2010

Richard has a point. Worth watching and yes, he was in attendance at the State of the Union address in 2010.

AFL-CIO called folks to request they watch this vid yesterday:
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Sunday, January 17, 2010

Leo Gerard on employee on healthcare compromise

Leo talks on Ed Show about healthcare meeting with Obama. Some trading over excise tax.
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Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

National Press club: Richard Trumka Jan 2010

These are the remarks from AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka this last monday. Somewhat long, but important to folks following issues.

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Tuesday, January 12, 2010

are these guys nuts

First saw this on Charlie's A's blog. http://www.charlieaverill.blogspot.com/
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Political dangers occur all the time. This is a danger we must all look at: fast-track of items that circumvent traditional congressional hearings.

Fast track items like "bailouts" or Homeland security patriot act and more and more present some very unfortanate and unexpected side evils. Letting a handful of congressfolks or senators without public review tinker with social security or medicare is not a wise move for the public.

More info at: http://www.ss.com/2010/a-fast-track-commission-to-cut-social-security-and-medicare/



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Thursday, January 7, 2010

cutting ice 1902 Edison

Again for the history buffs in the groups, this short black and white flick is from Thomas Edison in 1902. If you have looked at the Missouri or Mississippi Rivers in the last couple days, this industry could return:



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alas, some fool would outsource these jobs if they still existed with a healthy tax break

labor day parade 1904 edison

For the history buffs: This is the first "film" of labor day parade made by Thomas Edison in 1904. Silent and black and white withstanding, it is of interest to folks that follow such things:


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This was taken in Fitchburg, Mass in 1904. Today, the size of the crowd is slightly less than the last labor day parade I attended in St. Louis, Missouri.

Sad how times have changed in a hundred years or so.

made in America, from the 30s

This is a vid from the 1930s and some may have seen it from the group in elementry school eons ago. Make it in America anymore is pretty much a sad joke for we make very little.

Perhaps it is time to revisit the IRS rules that allow firms to take tax breaks to offshore jobs?



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