WHAV (https://whav.net/category/daily-column/page/4/)
Tom Perez was elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee. By Doug Cunningham
Former Obama Labor Secretary Tom Perez was elected over the weekend to chair the Democratic National Committee. He’s vowing to rebuild the Democratic Party while changing the culture of the DNC. “Where do we go from here? Because right now we have to face the facts.
Vernon Louis “Lefty” Gomez’s 1933 Goudey baseball card. I was organizing notes when I came across a recent Super Bowl LI article on Tom Brady. It reminded me about his multi record setting performance leading the New England Patriots to their fifth Super Bowl win. With this win he is arguably the greatest quarterback ever in National Football League (NFL) history and may be forever. It also brought to mind a similar record setting athlete Lefty Gomez and his famous quote, “I’d rather be lucky than good.”
Vernon Louis “Lefty” Gomez was a left (obviously) handed pitcher with the New York Yankees in the 1930s.
Santander Bank, Summer Street, Boston. (Creative Commons.)
By Doug Cunningham
Santander Bank’s 15,000 U.S. workers Tuesday declared their intentions to form a union. The Committee for Better Banks and the Communications Workers of America are involved in organizing efforts to help workers organize a union at the Spain-based bank. The workers want higher wages and a greater share of bank profits along with stable full-time jobs. Median bank teller wages in 2015 were just $26, 410.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates. (Creative Commons.)
By Doug Cunningham
In an interview with Quartz, Microsoft founder Bill Gates says if robots replace workers, they should be taxed like workers. Gates says the money could be used to transition workers who lose jobs to robots into other jobs. He added, companies that replace human workers with robots should have to pay the equivalent of workers’ income taxes on those robots. Healthy California Act Would Create Universal Health Care Coverage
On Wednesday, the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United and other supporters join two state senators celebrating the introduction of a Medicare-for-all-style bill for Californians.
More than 2000 years ago Confucius said, “To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.”
Many people have a hard time letting go of the negatives in their life. We know we’re supposed to suck it up, persevere and get back in the game in the face of adversity and failure. But getting up when we think we have been wronged or even just moving forward when we feel discouraged and inadequate is a whole lot easier said than done. So, why is getting back up so difficult? Why is throwing in the towel so much easier?
747 Dreamliner at North Charleston, S.C. (Creative Commons.)
By Doug Cunningham
South Carolina Boeing workers are voting Wednesday yes or no on whether they want to be represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. IAM Boeing Washington state workers, doing the same work as the South Carolina workers, used a video message to urge a yes vote for the IAM. “Being part of a union gives you a voice. I get to make the same amount of money as the guy standing next to me. We have one of the best medical plans in the state.
Tom Brady. (George J. Abraham photograph.)
“Toss to White…HE’SSSSSSSSSS IN! Patriots win the Super Bowl!”
That’s Fox sportscaster Joe Buck’s call of New England Patriots running back James White’s overtime touchdown run. With this run on Sunday the New England Patriots did what no team in 50 previous Super Bowls was able to accomplish. They came back from the largest point deficit any team ever faced in the Super Bowl (down 28-3 in the third quarter) to tie the game in regulation.
If you live in Massachusetts, a number of laws have been enacted and are enforced that benefit workers. Workers are fortunate that unions here have lead the way in securing a decent minimum wage, over time provisions, holidays, occupational safety laws and many more. Unions have been the reason why companies have had to include above average wage rates for members’ jobs, rewards for their years of service in the form of seniority, paid benefits like health insurance, paid family leave, retirement plans and generous vacations. However, it is extremely difficult to get union representation in a workplace. In non-union workplaces, employees have had their hours cut back, pay raises denied or been terminated without cause because of their support of potential union representation.