Spring is officially upon us. We saw it in the Fight for 15 protests, bringing workers and activists to the streets in cities across the country. We see it in the upcoming days of action for climate justice. Possibility is in the air. How will you help fight for the world we want to see? Some updates from the week:
- On Wednesday, workers in 200 cities walked out of work and took to the streets to fight for a $15 minimum wage. Was it the “largest protest by low-wage workers in US history”? It very well might have been.
- An independent investigation revealed that NYU labor guidelines have failed to ensure 10,000 workers in Abu Dhabi the fair wages, hours and living conditions otherwise accorded to NYU workers.
- Republican and Democratic lawmakers came to a deal on something! Unfortunately, it’s an agreement to give Pres. Obama fast-track authority on the Trans Pacific Partnership — meaning it will be negotiated in secret, and presented to congress for a yes-or-no vote, with no amendments allowed.
- Nathan Schneider wrote an excellent story for VICE on Catalan bank robber and activist Enric Duran and the Catalan Integral Cooperative, an organizing initiative and network of cooperatives with potentially transformative political, social and economic implications. A must-read.
- Gawker Media employees are making moves to unionize. Gawker CEO Nick Denton says he’s “intensely relaxed” citing journalism’s strong “anarcho-syndicalist tradition”.
- The Intercept published a video from Federal Prison Industries calling prison labor the “best kept secret in outsourcing” — what with prisoners being available for as little as 23 cents an hour. Charming stuff.
- Denver cab drivers have started building a worker cooperative — an Uber-like service that’s worker-owned. (via Yes! Magazine)
- Murphy Professor Frances Fox Piven was interviewed by Alexandros Orphanides for In These Times about Syriza, Greece and the battle against austerity.
- Last weekend, Murphy served as a sponsor for the annual Organizing 2.0 Digital Boots conference. Lots of mingling, workshops, and conspiring. ‘Til next year!
