Monday, July 29, 2013

What Is a Living Wage?

Today many fast food workers across the country are striking for a "living wage" even though they earn the minimum w    wage of $7.25 per hour.  To many pao  people this looks like nothing more than Greed.

But it's not that simple.  First, fast food tends to employ a lot of part time workers so they don't have to offer benefits.  Second, if you earn $72  $7.25 per hour and are p paid on a debot card which charges you a $% $5 fee every time you use it, to buy groceries, gas, etcc. that chops wages to sub-minimum.

I cannot do any of the things suggested in the email below.  Hell, Blogger has become so inaccessible I can't Even correct my own spelling mistakes!  I am sorry and because I'm very tired today I know there are a lot of mistakes.

But take a look at this suggested "budget" by McDonalds, including a 75 hour work week, if I read the following email right.

McDonald’s is STILL trying to convince workers to accept their wages in the form
of ridiculously exploitative Visa debit cards. These cards
charge employees huge fees every time they want to access their own money
, but they save McDonald’s a bundle on the administrative cost of cutting checks.
 Now we’ve got an idea
 to show McDonald’s that customers won't let it scam its workers.
McDonald’s is in the middle of its summer Monopoly promotion, and it actually staged
this photo-op, unintentionally showcasing its 1% bona-fides. We couldn’t resist putting
our own spin on it. Now, to get McDonald’s attention,
we want to take over its promotional hashtag #McDMonopoly
. And since McDonald's doesn't let anyone write on its Facebook page (we wonder why),
make sure to tag it by including @McDonald's
 in your own comment.
Click here to share this image on Facebook -- and don't forget to add #McDMonopoly and @McDonalds to your comment to make sure McDonald's notices
Turn on images to see McDonald's unintentionally hilarious photo-op
And if you're on Twitter, click here to help us take over McDonald's hashtag there, too.
McDonald's is pushing these cards on the same website that hosts the totally out-of-touch
McBudget, complete with a 75-hour work week and magical free heat. That budget was
bad, but these cards might be even worse.
One McDonald’s franchise tried to force workers to accept the cards
 and backed down when workers sued. But the corporation is still pushing the cards,
and there may still be stores forcing workers to take them. We need to act now to
stop McDonald's from scaling up this scheme ripping off its employees.
Luckily, we've got momentum on our side. In recent weeks, McDonald’s has gotten tons
of negative publicity for its ham-fisted attempts to disguise the way it cheats its
workers. Let's let McDonald's know that consumers are still angry about the ways
it exploits workers, and that if it wants to be left alone, it can stop charging
employees to access their own money.
Thanks,
Rob and the team at SumOfUs
 P.S. If you want to learn more about this debit card scheme,
check out this video
. And don't forget to share it with your friends!
 SumOfUs is a world-wide movement of people like you, working together to hold corporations
accountable for their actions and forge a new, sustainable path for our global economy.
You can follow us on
Twitter
, and like us on
Facebook
.
Was this email forwarded to you?
Click here
 to add yourself to SumOfUs.
If you don't want to receive emails from us anymore, you can remove yourself xmeybrlz@att.net
from our list by clicking
here
. But just know, we'll miss you! Teresa
McDonald’s is STILL trying to convince workers to accept their wages in the form
of ridiculously exploitative Visa debit cards. These cards
charge employees huge fees every time they want to access their own money
, but they save McDonald’s a bundle on the administrative cost of cutting checks.
 Now we’ve got an idea
 to show McDonald’s that customers won't let it scam its workers.
McDonald’s is in the middle of its summer Monopoly promotion, and it actually staged
this photo-op, unintentionally showcasing its 1% bona-fides. We couldn’t resist putting
our own spin on it. Now, to get McDonald’s attention,
we want to take over its promotional hashtag #McDMonopoly
. And since McDonald's doesn't let anyone write on its Facebook page (we wonder why),
make sure to tag it by including @McDonald's
 in your own comment.
Click here to share this image on Facebook -- and don't forget to add #McDMonopoly and @McDonalds to your comment to make sure McDonald's notices
Turn on images to see McDonald's unintentionally hilarious photo-op
And if you're on Twitter, click here to help us take over McDonald's hashtag there, too.
McDonald's is pushing these cards on the same website that hosts the totally out-of-touch
McBudget, complete with a 75-hour work week and magical free heat. That budget was
bad, but these cards might be even worse.
One McDonald’s franchise tried to force workers to accept the cards
 and backed down when workers sued. But the corporation is still pushing the cards,
and there may still be stores forcing workers to take them. We need to act now to
stop McDonald's from scaling up this scheme ripping off its employees.
Luckily, we've got momentum on our side. In recent weeks, McDonald’s has gotten tons
of negative publicity for its ham-fisted attempts to disguise the way it cheats its
workers. Let's let McDonald's know that consumers are still angry about the ways
it exploits workers, and that if it wants to be left alone, it can stop charging
employees to access their own money.
Thanks,
Rob and the team at SumOfUs
 P.S. If you want to learn more about this debit card scheme,
check out this video
. And don't forget to share it with your friends!
 SumOfUs is a world-wide movement of people like you, working together to hold corporations
accountable for their actions and forge a new, sustainable path for our global economy.
You can follow us on
Twitter
, and like us on
Facebook

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Hope I haven't already Posted, but it's Past Time



I'm checking out this blog.

 Outrage over the Zimmerman verdict has sparked a true movement moment—as hundreds
of thousands of MoveOn members have spoken out for justice and a more equitable and
progressive America.
You can capture the energy of this moment to bring change to your community. Start
a campaign today using MoveOn's petition platform.
Start Your Campaign
Dear MoveOn member,
In the wake of the George Zimmerman trial verdict, the past 10 days have been incredible—
a true movement moment.
It started in the immediate aftermath of the decision. Within minutes,
the NAACP launched a petition calling on the Department of Justice to open a civil
rights case against Zimmerman
. To date, more than 600,000 MoveOn members have signed, despite the largest attack
ever on our website by malicious hackers. With those signatures and others gathered
by the NAACP, more than 1 million people have added their names.
But that was just a preview of the action that was coming.
Last Tuesday,
a youth-led activist group known as the Dream Defenders began a peaceful occupation
of the Florida Capitol, what they called "Takeover Tuesday."
 They're
still
 in the Capitol today, demanding that the governor call a special legislative session
to pass "Trayvon's Law," which would address
"stand your ground" vigilantism, racial profiling, and the school-to-prison pipeline.
28,000 MoveOn members have joined in calling for the law, and some have even joined
the occupation.
This was all happening on the ground in Florida, the birthplace of the
deadly legislation known as "stand your ground"—or, more accurately, "shoot first."
But
on the Internet, a larger conversation was brewing about race in America
, after a couple of friends started a blog called WeAreNotTrayvon that went viral.
They provided a space for thousands of people to share their personal stories of
race, privilege, and struggle. And when responses to the blog became so overwhelming
that two people couldn't possibly keep up, a group of MoveOn volunteers helped keep
the momentum growing.
Then, this past Saturday, a massive day of rallies and vigils was orchestrated by
the National Action Network and supported by MoveOn members. From New York to Los
Angeles, and from Miami to Detroit,
more than 7,500 MoveOn members joined tens of thousands of other progressives
 and faith leaders—and even BeyoncĂ© and Jay-Z—in support of Trayvon Martin's family,
and in a resounding call for justice.
Click here to get a glimpse of some of this past weekend's rallies.
Coming just weeks after the Supreme Court dealt a serious blow to voting rights,
and as the Republican House threatens the potential for immigration reform, this
moment gave glimpses of a new civil rights movement.
But we've been around long enough to know that this energy could disappear with the
next big media story—before we've even had a chance to take on the laws, policies,
and mindsets that brought us here. Challenging those three things is something that
has to happen at every level of government and society.
That's why right now is the time to launch a campaign in your community or state
about a progressive issue that matters to you.
Chances are high that you live in a state that is either actively considering or
has already enacted a "shoot first" law that needs to be overturned.
1
 Maybe you're ready to launch a statewide campaign, knowing that other MoveOn members
will be here to support you. Or maybe the threat of austerity and slashing budgets
is putting your local school district in jeopardy, and you need a base of fellow
residents to help show your outrage and disapproval.
If there's one thing this past week displayed, it is that millions of MoveOn members
are as devoted as ever to the fight for justice. And that members are ready to help
each other when it's time to campaign for a progressive future.
Click here to start your campaign today and work with other MoveOn members who'll help you win.
Thanks for all you do.
–Anna, Susannah, Stefanie, Justin, and the rest of the team
P.S. Our friends at Color of Change have started an effort to put an end to "Stand
your Ground" laws in the 26 states that have them. Click here to sign:
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=291882&id=71894-9089709-XtnqMnx&t=4
And here is a look at some of the photos from this past Saturday's rallies.
Click here to view more.
Sources:
1. "Does Your State Have A Shoot First Law?" Second Chance on Shoot First, accessed
July 24, 2013
http://secondchancecampaign.org/laws/
Want to support our work?
 MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 8 million members—no corporate contributions,
no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a
long way.
Chip in here.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Caught in the Middle

I buy used clothing.  I only buy clothes when mine get too h  filled with holes and/or stains to be worn outside the house.  Then they become scrub rags and later tomato ties.

When I buy clothing I look first at the DAV Store.  But if they don't have what I need I have two choices.  I can go to a thrift shop which employs no people with disabilities or to Good Will.  The following petition is important to me.  What do you think?  As stated in an earlier post, the situation is complicated.
Change.org
I worked at Goodwill until they cut my pay so drastically that I was forced to quit. Join me in asking Goodwill to pay disabled workers like me and my husband a living wage.
wf/click?upn=L4wUyO6b13sjdmUXmXaF3ImVTD6G6GFyhYT-2F9kLEoC8oge47MBnGChWd7j6VUqkFaLmMt1I1-2FxLFgGePREqaj46Jid1eN3XQlmR1zFL5d35OEX9wcawsaKTzweZJibLnWbb9jfmzFOy527P1jok8DSnYGn6-2FI2MMC7bK5SIYbjPs-2BtGGBpQ7sBigNCvM5-2BF-2BzUcF7S1v1v4wdJG3tGtQ2MHcyI2Wq5al9Kl-2BnArvk941MoRHo9H8a6CDabKNHe5-2BwtSbX2ag7Rob6WChULgrVA-3D-3D_M97dK4ppjqAUhQa03OdsxnXFjwvZVp-2BcPZpDEKfq2Ds60Pfo03Nj9IryL-2FsRbqMQGxBA6h6n3AUJjoLmIjK-2BM2R3uffSPg1-2BIxqCGYpigXqjwrtAuR8H14VJRKavvsmiBxF0Aa4gZeeXqJNga4orIBsArhLbhbRcHIFJBiE6TR2sANtM4CF2zMxM6oLhq-2F75Vfc6cv-2FvDesj3Knsmd88aflFK4h-2Bry1sLVJoam1LLwcm2yDD-2BJrGxS6pw-2BzVvzJi
Sign the Petition
My husband and I are both blind. We've struggled for years to find consistent employment,
even though we both have college degrees. We finally took jobs hanging clothes at
Goodwill for only $3.50 an hour: barely enough to live on, less than minimum wage,
and less than our non-disabled co-workers got paid.
After I had knee surgery last summer I returned to my job to find out my wage had
been lowered to $2.75 an hour.
Working for this little money barely covered my cost of getting to work. I wasn't
making enough money and eventually was forced to quit.
I was shocked to find out that Goodwill exploits a 75-year-old legal loophole to
pay disabled workers like me far less than the minimum wage -- some make as little
as .22 cents an hour.
 I want to be paid a living wage for meaningful work, and other workers like me deserve
the same.
My friends at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network started a petition on Change.org asking Goodwill to pay disabled workers like me a living wage. Click here to sign the petition.
Goodwill determines how much they pay disabled workers using "time studies" where
an employee uses a stopwatch to time how long it takes to complete a certain task
and compares it to a non-disabled worker. Time studies were the most stressful part
of my job because I never knew what the task would be and how they would turn out.
My husband even had his wages lowered because of a time study, and they could cut
it again.
My husband and I feel trapped by Goodwill. They know they can pay disabled workers
like us less and less because we have fewer places to go.
Goodwill recently came under scrutiny for this practice of paying disabled people
pennies for their labor, and defended it.
 I know they are vulnerable right now and could be pressured to change this practice
if enough people join me in speaking out.
Click here now to sign a petition demanding that Goodwill stop exploiting disabled workers and pay a fair wage.
Thank you for your support.
Sheila Leighland
Great Falls, Montana
Sign the Petition
Mailing Address: Change.org · 216 W 104th St., #130 · New York, NY 10025

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Finally

FINALLY

I am So Disgusted about So many things, I've been Wondering when a backlash Against Tea Party "ethics" would take place.  I pray it Can be Nonviolent, and that the change saying We have Had Enough is finally beginning.  I'm going to check out this blog.



Outrage over the Zimmerman verdict has sparked a true movement moment—as hundreds
of thousands of MoveOn members have spoken out for justice and a more equitable and
progressive America.
You can capture the energy of this moment to bring change to your community. Start
a campaign today using MoveOn's petition platform.
Start Your Campaign
Dear MoveOn member,
In the wake of the George Zimmerman trial verdict, the past 10 days have been incredible—
a true movement moment.
It started in the immediate aftermath of the decision. Within minutes,
the NAACP launched a petition calling on the Department of Justice to open a civil
rights case against Zimmerman
. To date, more than 600,000 MoveOn members have signed, despite the largest attack
ever on our website by malicious hackers. With those signatures and others gathered
by the NAACP, more than 1 million people have added their names.
But that was just a preview of the action that was coming.
Last Tuesday,
a youth-led activist group known as the Dream Defenders began a peaceful occupation
of the Florida Capitol, what they called "Takeover Tuesday."
 They're
still
 in the Capitol today, demanding that the governor call a special legislative session
to pass "Trayvon's Law," which would address
"stand your ground" vigilantism, racial profiling, and the school-to-prison pipeline.
28,000 MoveOn members have joined in calling for the law, and some have even joined
the occupation.
This was all happening on the ground in Florida, the birthplace of the
deadly legislation known as "stand your ground"—or, more accurately, "shoot first."
But
on the Internet, a larger conversation was brewing about race in America
, after a couple of friends started a blog called WeAreNotTrayvon that went viral.
They provided a space for thousands of people to share their personal stories of
race, privilege, and struggle. And when responses to the blog became so overwhelming
that two people couldn't possibly keep up, a group of MoveOn volunteers helped keep
the momentum growing.
Then, this past Saturday, a massive day of rallies and vigils was orchestrated by
the National Action Network and supported by MoveOn members. From New York to Los
Angeles, and from Miami to Detroit,
more than 7,500 MoveOn members joined tens of thousands of other progressives
 and faith leaders—and even BeyoncĂ© and Jay-Z—in support of Trayvon Martin's family,
and in a resounding call for justice.
Click here to get a glimpse of some of this past weekend's rallies.
Coming just weeks after the Supreme Court dealt a serious blow to voting rights,
and as the Republican House threatens the potential for immigration reform, this
moment gave glimpses of a new civil rights movement.
But we've been around long enough to know that this energy could disappear with the
next big media story—before we've even had a chance to take on the laws, policies,
and mindsets that brought us here. Challenging those three things is something that
has to happen at every level of government and society.
That's why right now is the time to launch a campaign in your community or state
about a progressive issue that matters to you.
Chances are high that you live in a state that is either actively considering or
has already enacted a "shoot first" law that needs to be overturned.
1
 Maybe you're ready to launch a statewide campaign, knowing that other MoveOn members
will be here to support you. Or maybe the threat of austerity and slashing budgets
is putting your local school district in jeopardy, and you need a base of fellow
residents to help show your outrage and disapproval.
If there's one thing this past week displayed, it is that millions of MoveOn members
are as devoted as ever to the fight for justice. And that members are ready to help
each other when it's time to campaign for a progressive future.
Click here to start your campaign today and work with other MoveOn members who'll help you win.
Thanks for all you do.
–Anna, Susannah, Stefanie, Justin, and the rest of the team
P.S. Our friends at Color of Change have started an effort to put an end to "Stand
your Ground" laws in the 26 states that have them. Click here to sign:
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=291882&id=71894-9089709-XtnqMnx&t=4
And here is a look at some of the photos from this past Saturday's rallies.
Click here to view more.
Sources:
1. "Does Your State Have A Shoot First Law?" Second Chance on Shoot First, accessed
July 24, 2013
http://secondchancecampaign.org/laws/
Want to support our work?
 MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 8 million members—no corporate contributions,
no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a
long way.
Chip in here.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Two Things Which Must be Changed

Don't the big banks Already have enough money?  This looks to me like an attempt to Control poor workers.

And Is this Truly the "age of color blindness?"  I never thought so.
Two Situations Which Must Be Remedied

This is the age of color blindness?
Change.org
wf/click?upn=1mmeex-2FjZn-2FwcNsRwSa6VYoFB62phX1wASdBX2-2BsR6urnJ-2Fma-2BmS8lGYBYNbSr61stXkY-2BBvo5vALu1R-2FYxwBhpasdh59Fx9aon80eu7UZgp27eFvL01nGcNmN0DsLHehkKbtXrX54e-2Bb09sCX6h2d6LxwGEu70D77YkJyUzKhManX9-2FfmJB06IlclOLlnJRzwqfKA1K04J7fXr6FkaxGjJuGCwH5oq8Umpp46y92Q8ttZ-2FkZ99hIhsGDHVg3bd9I0AKer5EzXLBay1J-2FuIdDb6syqqO1i24KhbFKdwtj1pULjUyvF9f7-2BFWeKWfksil0Ccf2olo9YEEbVIrk5P42Q-3D-3D_M97dK4ppjqAUhQa03OdsxnXFjwvZVp-2BcPZpDEKfq2Ds60Pfo03Nj9IryL-2FsRbqMQ8qv-2BrdfZU1n1OefhQ-2BNzy7IUgw4EREBW9dza8qRrosGL5lesVxOyeUuvXbIeG4xiHRwQhnCqoY3aUsUlzBaH1gByCjPymkVm7euag2h-2BE-2FP7VNTp-2BHbLNGbtxnzFYeeVB-2FVXj3MQJ6fSk15bz-2FhMcpgJuEu1MJC87eRGLa7JkfxBLkHQCPnjzh-2FsM0cKbPO5
NYC Chancellor Dennis Walcott: Help Us Terminate Principal Minerva Zanca of Pan American International High School
By BK Nation
Sign the Petition
Two teachers that were preparing for tenure this year were denied and subsequently
fired by a principal that referred to them as “having big lips” and “nappy hair.”
John Flanagan, a Spanish Language teacher, and Heather Hightower, an ESL-Science
teacher, were the targets of these remarks by Minerva Zanca, principal of Pan American
International High School in Elmhurst, Queens, New York.
These two teachers, as well as tenured Theatre teacher Lisa-Erika James, have filed
a discrimination claim against Principal Minerva Zanca within the Department of Education—Office
of Equal Opportunity—for poor performance ratings and undue budget cuts that they
feel were racially motivated.
Assistant Principal Anthony Riccardo, who is also filing a harassment claim against
Ms. Zanca, uncovered these comments in a written statement that discloses, in vivid
detail, the targeting of these three teachers over the course of the 2012-2013 school
year. In Post-Observation Conferences with Mr. Riccardo, Zanca states that Ms. Hightower
“looked like a gorilla in a sweater with nappy hair” and asked, “Did you see his
big lips quivering?” in reference to Mr. Flanagan.
"It is not only important to have high standards for our public school teachers,”
says Kevin Powell, President of BK Nation. “But we must also support the good ones,
like these teachers, who are completely dedicated to their young people. I find it
unacceptable that a principal can engage in this kind of conduct without any repercussions.
We are not going to stop until due justice and process is served here. We are calling
on the school district and the DOE to review this matter thoroughly, to deal with
the facts fairly, and to make it clear that racial bias and mistreatment of teachers
in any form is not tolerated in New York City.
The New York City Department of Education’s Chancellor's Regulation A830 is a strict
antidiscrimination policy that protects its employees from discrimination based on
race/color/ethnicity/gender and sexual orientation. The three teachers feel their
Civil Rights have been violated and in return are pursuing their complaint in the
hopes of getting their jobs back. Ms. James is asking that Ms. Zanca be held fully
accountable in compliance with the Chancellor’s Regulations. Ms. James states “It
is deeply disappointing that Ms. Zanca has made such hurtful racial epithets and
is allowed to run a school where many of the children are of Afro-Latino descent.”
There are currently no African American teachers left at the school.
Sign the Petition
The person (or organization) who started this petition is not affiliated with Change.org.
Change.org did not create this petition and is not responsible for the petition content.
Mailing Address: Change.org · 216 W 104th St., #130 · New York, NY 10025

Change.org

McDonald's: Stop paying employees with debit cards loaded with fees
By Natalie Gunshannon
Dallas, Pennsylvania
Sign Natalie's Petition
I was looking forward to my new job when I started working at a McDonald’s location
in Pennsylvania in April, but
I was disappointed to find out that in order to be paid, I would have to activate
a JP Morgan Chase debit card with heavy fees attached.
I’m a young single mom. When I started my job at McDonald’s, I knew that I would
only be making slightly more than minimum wage. I didn’t expect that the only way
I would be paid would be on a debit card that would dock pay that I earned through
lots of different fees. When I asked if McDonald’s could pay me through direct deposit
to my local credit union, which doesn’t charge withdrawal fees, I was told that the
debit card was the only option.
These cards come with a lot of fees: from fees for cash withdrawals to balance inquiries
to lost or stolen cards to overdrafts and even inactivity fees. The federal government
has helped reduce fees on credit and debit cards that most consumers use, but those
protections don’t apply to the kinds of cards companies like McDonald's are using
to pay employees. In the end, I feared that
once all of the fees from getting my own hard-earned wages through this card were
taken out, my pay would go below minimum wage.
I decided to leave my job at McDonald’s not because I didn't like the people, but
because I think it's only fair that I get paid for all of my work there. Since I
quit, I’ve found out that paying employees through these cards with fees attached
is a growing trend among dozens of major employers. The New York Times reported that
last year roughly 4.6 million active payroll cards were issued by companies like
McDonald’s.
Like millions of other workers, I deserve to get fairly paid for my work. When I
stood up and spoke out against the lack of choices for employees, the local franchise
in Pennsylvania that I worked for announced that it would offer employees more options
for payment. But I’ve seen that
 employees at other McDonald’s franchises as far away as Milwaukee are still dealing
with the same problems and that's not fair.
I think everyone should be given the choice of what they want to do with their hard-earned
money.
I think
McDonald’s should be a leader nationwide in ensuring that employees get to keep their
own wages
 in full and I'm concerned for other McDonald's employees who don't have that option.
Will you join me in calling on McDonald’s to ensure that all employees nationwide
can keep their wages and chose to say no to fee-heavy cards?
Sign Natalie's Petition
The person (or organization) who started this petition is not affiliated with Change.org.
Change.org did not create this petition and is not responsible for the petition content.
Mailing Address: Change.org · 216 W 104th St., #130 · New York, NY 10025

Friday, July 19, 2013

Can't Put it in Title

This Stinks!

Change.org
McDonald's: Stop paying employees with debit cards loaded with fees
By Natalie Gunshannon
Dallas, Pennsylvania
Sign Natalie's Petition
I was looking forward to my new job when I started working at a McDonald’s location
in Pennsylvania in April, but
I was disappointed to find out that in order to be paid, I would have to activate
a JP Morgan Chase debit card with heavy fees attached.
I’m a young single mom. When I started my job at McDonald’s, I knew that I would
only be making slightly more than minimum wage. I didn’t expect that the only way
I would be paid would be on a debit card that would dock pay that I earned through
lots of different fees. When I asked if McDonald’s could pay me through direct deposit
to my local credit union, which doesn’t charge withdrawal fees, I was told that the
debit card was the only option.
These cards come with a lot of fees: from fees for cash withdrawals to balance inquiries
to lost or stolen cards to overdrafts and even inactivity fees. The federal government
has helped reduce fees on credit and debit cards that most consumers use, but those
protections don’t apply to the kinds of cards companies like McDonald's are using
to pay employees. In the end, I feared that
once all of the fees from getting my own hard-earned wages through this card were
taken out, my pay would go below minimum wage.
I decided to leave my job at McDonald’s not because I didn't like the people, but
because I think it's only fair that I get paid for all of my work there. Since I
quit, I’ve found out that paying employees through these cards with fees attached
is a growing trend among dozens of major employers. The New York Times reported that
last year roughly 4.6 million active payroll cards were issued by companies like
McDonald’s.
Like millions of other workers, I deserve to get fairly paid for my work. When I
stood up and spoke out against the lack of choices for employees, the local franchise
in Pennsylvania that I worked for announced that it would offer employees more options
for payment. But I’ve seen that
 employees at other McDonald’s franchises as far away as Milwaukee are still dealing
with the same problems and that's not fair.
I think everyone should be given the choice of what they want to do with their hard-earned
money.
I think
McDonald’s should be a leader nationwide in ensuring that employees get to keep their
own wages
 in full and I'm concerned for other McDonald's employees who don't have that option.
Will you join me in calling on McDonald’s to ensure that all employees nationwide
can keep their wages and chose to say no to fee-heavy cards?
Sign Natalie's Petition
The person (or organization) who started this petition is not affiliated with Change.org.
Change.org did not create this petition and is not responsible for the petition content.
Mailing Address: Change.org · 216 W 104th St., #130 · New York, NY 10025

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Please Read This

Please Read This.

This is a Very complex issue.  I don't like "non-profit" CEO's making megabucks and ripping off their disabled workers. 

Another thing which bothers me is disabled workers being paid according to a time study.  That time study is Never compared with the time taken by Non-disabled workers to do the same jobs.  What I suspect is that the performance of Non-disabled workers varies a lot.  Does the "able-bodied" worker have a headache?  Does he/she have to go to the bathroom?  Is she having "morning sickness" accompanying pregnancy?  Is that worker lacking sleep due to not having air conditioning, heat, or proper nutrition?  Is the worker distracted by a serious family problem, fight, or illness?  If so, the able-bodied worker's pay Is Not Cut due to one time study result.  His/her pay isn't Constantly jumping up and down, Preventing budgeting. But that is Exactly the situation disabled workers in this article are subjected to.  And they may have all of the Same issues and More effecting their job performances. 

  These two things are clear in my mind and both of them suck.

What is complicated is that some people with disabilities cannot do the work of others with disabilities.  Some people need and/or like the sheltered workshop at which they work.  As for protection at such work places, sometimes it happens and at other times employers or other workers are abusive in various ways. This has been documented.   

So, should workers who cannot perform at the level of those said to be "normal" in body and mind be paid minimum wage?  I'm not certain.

What I Do think is that, including any SSI (Supplemental Security Income) they receive, these workers Should be paid enough money to live on and this usually doesn't happen.  The same is true of workers who receive SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) because they were able to work in the past.

And What constitutes "enough to live on?"  The Buddha said people need food, shelter, medicine, and clothing.  But many disabled And Non-disabled people lack these four basics.  I think it also helps to have enough money to be able to make some choices.  An occasional change in diet, a monthly ice cream break or meal out, some small treat, ($15 or less) even these things can keep being poor from being Totally Borring.  Others would label me a "liberal spender" for adding these treats to break up the monotony.  How much money is enough to live on?
Disabled workers paid just pennies an hour – and it's legal
By Anna Schecter, Producer, NBC News
One of the nation's best-known charities is paying disabled workers as little as
22 cents an hour, thanks to a 75-year-old legal loophole that critics say needs to
be closed.
Goodwill Industries, a multibillion-dollar company whose executives make six-figure
salaries, is among the nonprofit groups permitted to pay thousands of disabled workers
far less than minimum wage because of a federal law known as Section 14 (c). Labor
Department records show that some Goodwill workers in Pennsylvania earned wages as
low as 22, 38 and 41 cents per hour in 2011.
"If they really do pay the CEO of Goodwill three-quarters of a million dollars, they
certainly can pay me more than they're paying," said Harold Leigland, who is legally
blind and hangs clothes at a Goodwill in Great Falls, Montana for less than minimum
wage.
"It's a question of civil rights," added his wife, Sheila, blind from birth, who
quit her job at the same Goodwill store when her already low wage was cut further.
"I feel like a second-class citizen. And I hate it."
Section 14 (c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which was passed in 1938, allows
employers to obtain special minimum wage certificates from the Department of Labor.
The certificates give employers the right to pay disabled workers according to their
abilities, with no bottom limit to the wage.
Most, but not all, special wage certificates are held by nonprofit organizations
like Goodwill that then set up their own so-called "sheltered workshops" for disabled
employees, where employees typically perform manual tasks like hanging clothes.
The non-profit certificate holders can also place employees in outside, for-profit
workplaces including restaurants, retail stores, hospitals and even Internal Revenue
Service centers. Between the sheltered workshops and the outside businesses, more
than 216,000 workers are eligible to earn less than minimum wage because of Section
14 (c), though many end up earning the full federal minimum wage of $7.25.
Harold Leigland, who is blind, with his guide dog on the bus during his morning commute
to the Goodwill facility in Great Falls, Montana, where he works hanging clothing.
When a non-profit provides Section 14 (c) workers to an outside business, it sets
the salary and pays the wages. For example, the Helen Keller National Center, a New
York school for the blind and deaf, has a special wage certificate and has placed
students in a Westbury, N.Y., Applebee's franchise. The employees' pay ranged from
$3.97 per hour to $5.96 per hour in 2010. The franchise told NBC News it has also
hired workers at minimum wage from Helen Keller. A spokesperson for Applebee's declined
to comment on Section 14 (c).
Helen Keller also placed several students at a Barnes & Noble bookstore in Manhasset,
N.Y., in 2010, where they earned $3.80 and $4.85 an hour. A Barnes & Noble spokeswoman
defended the Section 14 (c) program as providing jobs to "people who would otherwise
not have [the opportunity to work]."
Most Section 14 (c) workers are employed directly by nonprofits. In 2001, the most
recent year for which numbers are available, the GAO estimated that more than 90
percent of Section 14 (c) workers were employed at nonprofit work centers.
Critics of Section 14 (c) have focused much of their ire on the nonprofits, where
wages can be just pennies an hour even as some of the groups receive funding from
the government. At one workplace in Florida run by a nonprofit, some employees earned
one cent per hour in 2011.
"People are profiting from exploiting disabled workers," said Ari Ne'eman, president
of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. "It is clearly and unquestionably exploitation."
Defenders of Section 14 (c) say that without it, disabled workers would have few
options. A Department of Labor spokesperson said in a statement to NBC News that
Section 14 (c) "provides workers with disabilities the opportunity to be given meaningful
work and receive an income."
Terry Farmer, CEO of ACCSES, a trade group that calls itself the "voice of disability
service providers," said scrapping the provision could "force [disabled workers]
to stay at home," enter rehabilitation, "or otherwise engage in unproductive and
unsatisfactory activities."
Harold Leigland, however, said he feels that Goodwill can pay him a low wage because
the company knows he has few other places to go. "We are trapped," he said. "Everybody
who works at Goodwill is trapped."
Leigland, a 66-year-old former massage therapist with a college degree, currently
earns $5.46 per hour in Great Falls.
His wages have risen and fallen based on "time studies," the method nonprofits use
to calculate the salaries of Section 14 (c) workers. Staff members use a stopwatch
to determine how long it takes a disabled worker to complete a task. That time is
compared with how long it would take a person without a disability to do the same
task. The nonprofit then uses a formula to calculate a salary, which may be equal
to or less than minimum wage. The tests are repeated every six months.
Harold Leigland works at the Goodwill facility in Great Falls, Montana, where he
earns $5.46 an hour.
Leigland's pay has been higher than $5.46, but it has also dropped down to $4.37
per hour, based on the time-study results.
He said he believes Goodwill makes the time studies harder when they want his wage
to be lower.
"Sometimes the test is easier than others. It depends on if, as near as I can figure,
they want your wage to go up or down. It's that simple," he said.
His wife, Sheila, 58, spent four years hanging clothes at the Great Falls Goodwill
for about $3.50 an hour. She said the time study was one of the most degrading and
stressful parts about her job. "You never know how it's going to come out. It stressed
me out a lot," she said.
She quit last summer when she returned to work after knee surgery and found that
her wage had been lowered to $2.75 per hour, a training rate.
"At $2.75 it would barely cover my cost of getting to work. I wouldn't make any money,"
she said.
Harold said he believes Goodwill can afford to pay him minimum wage, based on the
salaries paid to Goodwill executives. While according to the company's own figures
about 4,000 of the 30,000 disabled workers Goodwill employs at 69 franchises are
currently paid below minimum wage, salaries for the CEOs of those franchises that
hold special minimum wage certificates totaled almost $20 million in 2011.
In 2011 the CEO of Goodwill Industries of Southern California took home $1.1 million
in salary and deferred compensation. His counterpart in Portland, Oregon, made more
than $500,000. Salaries for CEOs of the roughly 150 Goodwill franchises across America
total more than $30 million.
Goodwill International CEO Jim Gibbons, who was awarded $729,000 in salary and deferred
compensation in 2011, defended the executive pay.
"These leaders are having a great impact in terms of new solutions, in terms of innovation,
and in terms of job creation," he said.
Gibbons also defended time studies, and the whole Section 14 (c) approach. He said
that for many people who make less than minimum wage, the experience of work is more
important than the pay.
"It's typically not about their livelihood. It's about their fulfillment. It's about
being a part of something. And it's probably a small part of their overall program,"
he said.
And Goodwill and the organizations that run the sheltered workshops are not alone
in their support for Section 14 (c). In many cases, the families of the workers who
have severe disabilities say their loved ones enjoy the work experience, enjoy getting
a paycheck, and the amount is of no consequence.
Sheila Leigland, who is blind, with her guide dog. She quit her job at Goodwill in
Great Falls, Montana, after her hourly wage was lowered to $2.75.
"I feel really good about it. I don't have to worry so much about him," said Fran
Davidson, whose son Jeremy has worked at Goodwill in Great Falls, Montana, for more
than a decade. "I know he's not getting picked on, and he's in a safe place. He enjoys
what he's doing, and he's happy, and that's what we like for our kids." Jeremy started
out working for a sub-minimum wage but did well on his last time study and is currently
earning $7.80 an hour, Montana's minimum wage.
But foes of Section 14 (c) have hopes for a new bill that's now before Congress that
would repeal Section 14 (c) and make sub-minimum wages illegal across the board.
"Meaningful work deserves fair pay," the sponsor of the bill, Rep. Gregg Harper,
R.-Miss., told NBC News. "This dated provision unjustly prohibits workers with disabilities
from reaching their full potential."
The bill is opposed by trade associations for the employers of the disabled, and
past attempts to change the law have failed. But Marc Maurer, president of the National
Federation of the Blind and a foe of the sheltered workshop system, is cautiously
optimistic that this time the bill will pass, and end what he called a "two-tiered
system."
That system, explained Maurer, says "'Americans who have disabilities aren't as valuable
as other people,' and that's wrong. These folks have value. We should recognize that
value."
Monica Alba contributed to this report.
--

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Did Your Bread Die? Monster High, and Going Away Honey?

Did your Bread  Die? Monster High, and Going Away, Honey?


Heard a report on NPR about a wheat field in Oregon.  It was planted with non-GMO wheat.  But there was one plant of GMO wheat created by Monsanto in that field and no one can figure out where it came from.

All the Rest of the wheat in that field Died.  The GMO wheat Killed the non-GMO wheat.  I don't want wheat from That field, do you?

Dolls, can you Believe it?

Another report said Monster High dolls are outselling Barbies.  Only complaint, too scrawny.  Evidently girls 6 to 12 years identify and so do some of us grown ups.  Question:  How could one family Afford Thirty of them?

Going Away, Honey?

Bees are dying. It's up to us to save them.
Last month, 50,000 dead bees were discovered littering a parking lot in Oregon. Then
last week, a shocking 37 million bees were reported dead across a single farm in
Ontario.
After years of research, scientists have finally figured out what’s causing the massive
bee die-offs all around the world, from China to the UK: It’s a class of dangerous
pesticides called neonics. And here’s the wildest thing --
even though we know they’re killing the bees, in most parts of the world, neonics
are still in widespread use.
Independent American garden store owners are critical to the fight to stop neonics
and save the bees. If you live in the US, your local garden store owner down the
street probably sells neonics to your neighbors, who are in turn spraying them on
their flowers and poisoning bees all around you. Collectively,
these independent garden stores are the largest single group of commercial pesticide
distributors in the world.
That’s why Bonide, one of the largest corporate producers of neonics, is spending
a pile of cash to try to buy the trust of these small business people.
 This August, Bonide is sponsoring the largest gathering of independent garden store
owners in the world: The Independent Garden Center Show in Chicago. Bonide’s name
-- and their spin -- will be everywhere: From the conference program to the exhibit
hall.
We can’t allow the pesticide industry to have the only voice there. So we came up
with a crazy plan:
We want to fly in activist beekeepers who’ve been watching their bees die for years,
and buy them tickets to the conference. They’ll take their case directly to the garden
center owners
 -- talking to them at their booths, distributing scientific research, holding press
conferences and more. They’ll get the convention buzzing about the dangers of neonics,
and convert garden center owners to the side of science, the bees, and our environment.
Will you chip in $4 today to fly beekeepers to Chicago, to fight back against pesticide industry spin at the largest annual gathering of independent garden store owners in the world?
The corporations that make neonics, like Bonide and Bayer, are on the defensive.
Thanks in part to intense grassroots activism, the EU just implemented a trial ban
against neonics for the next two years. But we have to keep up the momentum
 if we want to save bees worldwide -- and the US is the next key battleground.
The global pesticide industry will do anything to protect its profits -- and as usual,
the US is ground zero for corporations trying to ward off regulation at any cost.
Neonics corporations are following the playbook written by Big Tobacco regarding
lung cancer and Big Oil on climate change
 -- pouring millions into lobbying and fake science to stop decision-makers from
taking action. They’re pumping out their own industry-backed studies to undermine
the work of legitimate scientists, then claiming that there isn’t enough conclusive
evidence to make a decision -- that we should continue to wait, for years, while
the bees die off.
And Big Pesticide is also taking its spin straight to America’s independent garden
store owners -- because the prospect of these small business owners turning against
them is terrifying. That’s why Bonide is sponsoring the conference in Chicago --
and it’s why we have to make sure the bees’ interests are represented in full force.
The best people to speak for the bees are beekeepers themselves.
 If together we can raise at least $30,000, we can bus in a swarm of friendly beekeepers
from across the region, buy them conference tickets, put them up in nearby hotels,
print flyers and banners for them, and hold a huge press conference. If we raise
enough money, we will even be able to fly in activists from Oregon that helped pass
the neonics ban there.
As the garden store owners pour into the convention hall, we want them to be met
by
this swarm of friendly beekeepers telling their stories.
 Once they return home, they’ll be as fired up as we are, and will sow the seeds
of a national movement to get neonics off the market for good.
If independent garden stores stopped selling the bee-killing pesticides, it would
be a huge blow to the neonics industry
 and create massive additional momentum for legislation to save the bees. And the
best part of all: Once independent garden stores begin banning neonics, the pressure
will double down on major retailers like Home Depot and Lowe’s to follow suit.
Can you donate $4 today to bring the bees’ plight to the attention of the small business people who are selling neonics in local communities?
The bee die-offs in Oregon and Ontario aren’t flukes. This winter, the British Beekeepers
Association recorded its worst loss in its history. In China, the situation has gotten
so bad that farmers are forced to hand-pollinate their trees.
In the biggest kill yet, a large commercial beekeeper in the United States watched
in helpless horror as a mind-boggling 500 million of his bees died “like crazy” --
80% of his entire total.
Neonics are made to be water-soluble, so the vast majority is washed off the seeds
in the first rainstorm. Over 90% of the pesticide washes away, to end up in the soil
and groundwater, where they will persist for years -- the pesticides break down incredibly
slowly, so that every year the crops are sprayed again, 80% of the pesticide from
the previous year is still in the soil. Over the years, the surrounding ground and
water continues to get more and more toxic, to the point that the pesticide is working
its way up the food chain and killing off birds.
We are reaching the point where our global ecosystem is straining, and the threat
to the bees is becoming a threat to all of us.
 As bees die off, up to a third of the food we consume is threatened, and food prices
are already being affected around the world. That’s why we have to step up now to
get out the truth. Big pesticide companies may be trying to rewrite the record, but
together the SumOfUs community can help cut through the noise and ensure the safety
of our ecosystem for future generations.
Click here to join with SumOfUs members all over the world to crowdfund a swarm of activist beekeepers to take on the pesticide industry in Chicago.
Thank you for fighting for the bees,
Kaytee, Claiborne, Taren, and the rest of us
**********
More information:
The New York Times:
Mystery Malady Kills More Bees; Heightening Worry on Farms
, 28 March, 2013
The New York Times:
2 Studies Point to Common Pesticide as a Culprit in Declining Bee Colonies
, 29 March 2012
 SumOfUs is a world-wide movement of people like you, working together to hold corporations
accountable for their actions and forge a new, sustainable path for our global economy.
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