Home, International Program for Labor, Climate and Environment

10 Ideas to Rethink in Light of Climate Change

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By Laura McClure

I have a feeling that our children and grandchildren will look back on this as the era of mass denial — a strange period when almost everybody in the U.S. knew that catastrophic climate change was upon us, but for some weird reason, just went about their lives pretending it wasn’t. It’s a kind of insanity, because by our inaction, we’re creating a world of trouble for ourselves and those who will come after.

A quick review of the facts: scientists tell us that climate change is proceeding more quickly than they had predicted, and that human civilization is in danger. (If you think I’m exaggerating, please see the latest report by the International Panel on Climate Change.) There is no quick fix in the works. Continue reading 10 Ideas to Rethink in Light of Climate Change →

Home, Labor Studies

Summer Graduate Class: Queering Labor

The Labor Studies Program invites you to enroll in our summer graduate class: Queering Labor

June 8 to July 24, T&Th, 6:15-8:45pm

Facilitated by Colin Patrick Ashley

Queering Labor will address the role of economic structures and the question of labor in relationship to sexual identities and sexual desire.  This course will cover the impact of societal divisions of labor and modes of production on the emergence of sexual identity categories. In doing so, we will look at capitalism as an economic system that changed both family structure and urban ways of being and enacting desire. This course will also address the spaces of intersection between the LGBTQ liberation movement and various struggles for economic justice and labor rights.  Special concentration will be placed on how LGBTQ individuals experience the workplace including the multiple forms of inequality they face.  Specifically we will cover the forms of precarity faced by the most marginal members of the LGBTQ community.  Students will analyze how unions have historically addressed the issue of sexual identity and sexual desire as well as theorize the future possibilities of increasing LGBTQ rights alongside economic rights and labor justice.  For information about registration, please contact Irene.Garcia-Mathes@cuny.edu
Colin Patrick Ashley is a PhD candidate in the Sociology Program at the Graduate Center of CUNY and is a member of the Africana Studies, Women’s Studies, and LGBT/Queer Studies Certificate/Concentration programs. As well as being a student leader he is also a community activist and organizer. His research interests include race, sexuality, queer theory, affect, aesthetics, and space. His dissertation examines the relationship between spatial production (its affects, aesthetics, and neoliberal conflicts) and conceptualizations of communal identity for queer youth of color.

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News Round-Up

President Obama announces that a January drone strike killed 2 hostages, another black man dies in police custody, and the DEA chief announces she’ll be stepping down, inviting optimism amongst those fighting to end the so-called War on Drugs. And in labor and community news…

  • NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration released OneNYC, an update to predecessor Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s sustainability and resilience plan, PlaNYC. De Blasio’s additions claim to account for poverty and income inequality.
  • On a related note,over at Labor Press, James Parrott explains the recent growth in wages in NYC — but cautions that most of the increases are going to those who are already relatively well-compensated.
  • The Machinists union has withdrawn a petition to hold a union vote to organize Boeing workers in South Carolina due to what it’s calling “a toxic atmosphere and political interference” — including two organizers being held at gunpoint. (via KomoNews)
  • In an instance of nationwide backlash against Putin’s economic policies, wildcat strikes took hold across Russia this past week. (via NYTimes)
  • The  Illinois Tollway board just did away with a 20-year-old agreement requiring contractors “to use union workers on construction projects in exchange for assurances against strikes, slowdowns or walkouts.” (via Chicago Tribune)
  • In an article by Nathan Schneider over at the Nation highlighting the battle over unpredictable scheduling and insufficient hours, the Retail Action Project’s efforts get some attention.
  • Getting amped for May Day next week? CultureStrike, in partnership with Mobilize the Immigrant Vote (MIV), has released an art-making kit to help you make “stencils, banners and other art projects for your future events, marches and actions.” Check it out.
  • We’ve got a screening of The Hand That Feeds coming up on May 8th. Join us!

Photo via flickr (CC-BY-NC-ND).

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News Round-Up

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:

Photo by thierry ehrmann via flickr (CC-BY).

Home, Murphy News

Basil Smikle Jr. Named Executive Director of State Democratic Party

Last week, long-time Murphy Institute Adjunct Professor Basil Smikle Jr. was named Executive Director of the New York State Democratic Party. From the New York Observer:

“Basil is a national-caliber political operative and we are lucky to have him leading day-to-day operations for the State Democratic Party,” [Former Gov. David] Paterson said. “Basil combines a mastery of public policy with an inherent feel for communities throughout New York State.”

Mr. Paterson said that Mr. Smikle, a PhD candidate at Columbia University’s Teachers College, will play a “key role” in the 2016 election cycle, though he did not say specifically this would include returning Democrats to the majority in the State Senate.

Congratulations, Basil!

Read more here.

Home, Labor Studies, Murphy News, Urban Studies

NYC: EEOC Rules in Favor of Underpaid Minority, Female Employees

Yesterday, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a federal commission on fair employment practices, ruled that New York City has underpaid its female and minority employees, engaging in a broad pattern of discrimination that could cost the City hundreds of millions of dollars. From the New York Times:

The ruling comes in response to a complaint brought against the administraton of former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg on behalf of more than 1,000 administrative managers employed by the city and represented by Local 1180 of the Communications Workers of America.

Specifically, the commission found that “structural and historic problems” have resulted in the pay of minorities and women being suppressed.

“This rate of pay is much less than their white male counterparts’ in similarly situated jobs and titles,” according to the commission’s findings. Continue reading NYC: EEOC Rules in Favor of Underpaid Minority, Female Employees →

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