Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democr

Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democr


(2015/12/04) Killing the middle class (Labor Rights)

December 04, 2015

Edition #973
Today we look at the troubling trends facing today’s low wage workers and those in the middle class who may eventually find themselves to be low wage workers
 
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Show Notes
Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill
00:00:30 Ch. 2: Act 1: How America Is Killing the Middle Class - AJ+ (@ajplus) - Air Date 10-22-15
Ch. 3: Song 1: Working Poor - Horse Feathers

00:04:51 Ch. 4: Act 2: Why Conservatives Hate Unions... - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 02-10-15
Ch. 5: Song 2: Let's Eat the Poor - alan ross haynes

00:14:01 Ch. 6: Act 3:  Paul Ryan REALLY Believes in Family Time, Just Not for Your Family - Majority Report (@majorityfm) - Air Date: 11-02-15
Ch. 7: Song 3: Let's Go Down - Family of the year

00:21:01 Ch. 8: Act 4: KMart withholds holiday schedules and screws with employees lives - @TalkPoverty Radio - Air Date 11-19-15
Ch. 9: Song 4: Oak - Ben McElroy

00:24:52 Ch. 10: Act 5: Retail companies who were open on Thanksgiving don't have much to show for it - @TalkPoverty Radio - Air Date 12-3-15
Ch. 11: Song 5: Working Class Hero - Exit Clov

00:27:40 Ch. 12: Act 6:  Fair Wages: A history of getting paid - BackStory - Air Date 3-28-14
Ch. 13: Song 6: Family Farm - Chris Dorman

00:36:08 Ch. 14: Act 7: McDonald's Installs Automated Order Kiosks in NYC - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 08-06-15
Ch. 15: Song 7: Automation (Live Version) - Allan Sherman

00:40:47 Ch. 16: Act 8: Stiglitz: Sanders is Right - Everybody Has the Right to Healthcare, Sick Days and Family Leave - @democracynow - Air Date: 11-12-15
Ch. 17: Song 8: The Bare Necessities - Bruce Reitherman & Phil Harris

00:48:11 Ch. 18: Act 9: Fight. Strike. Vote. via @FightFor15 - Best of the Left Activism
Ch. 19: Song 9: This Fickle World - Theo Bard

00:50:59 Ch. 20: Act 10: Your Job May Be Killing You - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 11-02-15

Voicemails
00:58:49 Ch. 21: The culture of white supremacy in police work - Geoff from Florida
01:00:11 Ch. 22: Wade didn't say anything racist about cops in schools - Matt in Eastern PA
Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics

01:03:24 Ch. 23: Final comments on Amazon, labor, coops and an update on the member drive
Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone

Activism: Fight. Strike. Vote. via @FightFor15 — Best of the Left Activism
Take Action:
SIGN: the Fight for $15 Vote Pledge
POST: when you buy holiday gifts in your community, tag stores and purchases with #ShopLocal to encourage others to do the same.
Additional Activism/Resources:
SUPPORT good business by using the Think Progress "Holiday Shopping Guide" to see which companies force employees to work holidays.
Sources/further reading:
”Almost Half of All American Workers Make Less Than $15 an Hour” by Michelle Chen at The Nation
"Republicans divided by income over government’s role in ‘safety net’ issues” via Pew Research Center
"Stronger Unions Are the Way to Rebalance Our Economy” by Dorian Warren via Newsweek
"Walmart Threatens City Council For Considering Minimum Wage Increase” at ThinkProgress
"How One City Is Making Sure Bosses Comply With Wage Theft and Paid Sick Leave Laws” at In These Times
"Truth Needle: Is $15 wage dooming Seattle restaurants? Owners say no” at The Seattle Times
"'Do unions still matter?' 5 answers I've offered to my father-in-law when he asks that question.”
Written by BOTL social media/activism director Katie Klabusich

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
Thanks for listening!
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