Assembly Democrats Put Up a Budget Worth Fighting For
By Angie WeiCalifornia Labor Federation
Finally, there’s a budget proposal worth fighting for, and it couldn’t have come at a more critical time.
On Tuesday, Assembly Democrats, led by new Speaker of the Assembly John Pérez, proposed an innovative budget plan that closes the nearly $18 billion budget gap while focusing on jobs, as an alternative to Gov. Schwarzenegger’s job killing, all-cuts budget.
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Valero (VLO) Bankrolling Effort to Kill AB 32, Also Has Long Anti-Union History
By Steve MaviglioAs if Valero Energy's disastrous environmental record wasn't bad enough (including being ranked the 12th most toxic polluter in the U.S. in a study by the University of Massachusetts), it turns out the company also has a long history of opposing organized labor. A new research report shows the company has thwarted organizing efforts at its refineries, recently reversed a policy of hiring union-only contractors, and aligned itself with anti-union political allies in Texas and California.
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Holding Banks Responsible By Community Organizing
By Anuja SeithNew America Media
Last Friday, when the Bank of America opened a new branch on King Road in East San Jose, protestors holding white flowers in their hands gathered outside the building. The flowers, organizers said, symbolized the community’s loss of faith with the bank.
East San Jose is at the epicenter of the foreclosure crisis in the Bay Area.
People Acting in Community Together (PACT), an affiliate of the People Improving Communities through Organizing- (PICO) National Network, organized the event, and brought about a dozen people together who planned to divest from the Bank of America. While PACT is focusing on San Jose, PICO, a national network of faith-based community organizations, is taking initiatives in other parts of the country. Vice Mayor Judy Chirco and candidates running for district 5 City Council attended the event.
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The Economic Consequences of Proposed California Budget Cuts
By Ken JacobsUC Berkeley Labor Center
When it comes to jobs and the economy, not all solutions to the state’s budget shortfall are equal. Most measures designed by well-meaning state leaders to reduce the deficit also will depress employment and economic growth in California. But the magnitude of those impacts will vary significantly – depending on what measures are enacted – and the worst effects can be avoided.
That’s why it’s so important to pay close attention to the different budget proposals being put forward. We’ll all pay a high price if we don’t.
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