Where The Hell Is OSHA?

"In my opinion the Broadstone project at 1st Street and Beaudry in downtown Los Angeles is the most dangerous construction project in town." Safety seems to be ignored for the purpose of completing the project before the fall 2007 deadline.

Be careful if you find yourself working on this construction site. Workers regularly throw heavy objects from up high and materials have been seen stacked in the street blocking easy exit. Trucks pull out of the driveway at a high rate of speed without flag persons and temporary cords are strewn throughout the job at shin level. Some balconies do not have handrails at this stage of the job. Also watch for improper use of barricade tape warning of hazards as they may be using "caution tape" where "danger tape" would be more appropriate. If this job gets completed without a major accident it will be close to a miracle in my opinion.

Just because OSHA has been rendered impotent by the Bush Administration doesn't mean you shouldn't register a complaint. It's still a good idea to document safety violations by filling out an OSHA Complaint Form. At some point even OSHA will have to pay the contractor a visit. Let's hope OSHA visits this jobsite before a major accident occurs. Please take a moment to watch this short video.

Did Wal-Mart Rip-Off Union Slogan?

This week Wal-Mart rolled out its new marketing slogan after 19 years of the infamous “Always Low Prices, Always” campaign. Their “Save Money, Live Better” slogan seems like a rip-off of the Labor movement’s “Live Better, Work Union” motto which has been used on everything from bumper stickers to
t-shirts and banners for as long as I can remember.

What will the company come up with next? The slogan “Union Yes” bastardized to say “Wal-Mart Yes?” I can see it now; red, white and blue with a checkmark in a box. Let's be glad they didn’t go with “Live Better, Work Wal-Mart” though no one would buy that garbage. I suppose they could have tossed around the idea of a jingle, instead of "Look for the Union Label" it would be "Look for the Wal-Mart Label."

If it wasn’t so blatant it would be funny and yet I didn’t hear one reporter mention it on the news this week. The media wouldn’t risk losing precious advertising dollars from the World’s largest retailer.

It seems to me that Wal-Mart tried to save a few bucks on their own advertising budget. Replacing the tired “Always Low Prices, Always” slogan after 19 years was probably a good idea, since everyone equates low prices with cheap labor and dead-end jobs. The idea of cheap imported goods lost some appeal with pets being poisoned and kids being endangered by lead paint and loose magnets. Even the free-trade crowd lost a little fervor over these latest incidents. Child labor and sweatshop conditions, they could live with as long as it took place overseas, but poison their cat and things have finally gone too far.

How blatant can you get though? Whose idea was it to take half a slogan from the most vocal group to speak out against the corporate giant and then make it theirs? It’s mind boggling! I’d be willing to bet some marketing geek stuck in traffic saw a “Live Better, Work Union” bumper sticker and said, “I’ve got it!"

The fact is people shop at Wal-Mart because they have to. It’s not about living better. No one wants to shop at Wal-Mart. People end up in Wal-Mart because they have cheap crap for less money. It’s not about living better. It’s about scraping by. That’s why I predict this latest strategy of Wal-Mart’s will fail.

What do you think? Did Wal-Mart rip-off the slogan? How long do you think this new campaign will last?

Labor Day Solidarity Parade

Marchers in this year’s Labor Day Parade learned just how hot it can get in Wilmington. Temperatures reached 105 degrees along the parade route causing many spectators to seek shelter in the shade. Some parade goers even watched from the comfort of their air conditioned cars. The event attracted unions from throughout Southern California and included marching bands, floats, classic cars and proud union members walking with their families. The parade route traveled along Avalon Blvd. through a working class neighborhood to Banning Park and culminated in a picnic and rally. The Labor Solidarity March is a fun filled annual event that gets little attention from the news media.

Company Helps Identify Market Share

Dr. Stephen T. Staneff, President of Construction Data and Research, Inc. recently gave a presentation in Las Vegas, Nevada where he described the service that CDR provides. The experts at CDR perform analysis of the electrical construction industry to identify opportunities for growth. The information they provide can be used by union organizers to track market trends and competitors in their areas. Check out their website at: http://www.constructiondatares.com/

Veteran Trade Unionist Retires

Cecil Wynn was honored at the Luxor Hotel and Casino on August 25, 2007 for his hard work and dedication to the organized labor movement. Over a hundred guests attended a banquet celebrating Wynn’s career, with several prominent speakers sharing stories of his courage and enthusiasm. The former Local 357 Business Manager went on to work as an International Representative for many years and helped pioneer union organizing as it is today.

Bad Bosses Beware!

There are some great websites dedicated to bad bosses and they’ve been getting a lot of press lately. Take for instance the AFL-CIO’s Bad Boss Contest where workers are encouraged to tell their horror stories. Participants win trips and other great prizes, but more importantly empower themselves by sharing their stories. Do you have a bad boss? Go ahead and tell your story. It may make you feel better.

BBQ at LA Fed Delegate Meeting

On Tuesday the LA Federation of Labor Monthly Delegate Meeting was held at the Professional Musicians Local and featured a barbeque for all in attendance. Over a dozen volunteers from the electricians union helped prepare and serve the food. Maria Elena Durazo, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the LA County Federation of Labor was there as well as approximately 120 delegates.