By Harry Kelber

Labor Unveils Its Prescription To Heal Our Wounded Economy

Dissatisfied with both Republican and Democratic economic stimulus proposals, the AFL-CIO is offering its own “Blueprint for Economic Recovery” in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks. The labor federation calls for direct financial assistance to the hundreds of thousands of laid-off workers who still have not received any federal aid; broader eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits so that temporary and part-time workers are included; extending the 26-week benefit period to 52 weeks, and raising benefits that vary from state to state but now average $250 a week.

The AFL-CIO also proposes that the federal government pick up the cost of health insurance coverage for workers who have lost their jobs or been forced to work reduced hours. It requests full funding for job training and retraining, as well as the restoration of cuts in food stamps, child-care, federal housing assistance and other programs. Over the long term, labor wants the federal government to invest in better public health facilities, modernize the public school system, upgrade mass transportation and assist small businesses.

National Security

In the McCarthy era, Gordon Kahn wrote a book titled Hollywood On Trial: The story of the ten who were indicted. Assuming that most of my readers know what and maybe even who the ten were, they will also find the forward to the book interesting in light of present events. Author Thomas Mann wrote: “I have the honor to expose myself as a hostile witness. I testify that I am very much interested in the moving picture industry and that, since my arrival in the United States nine years ago, I’ve seen a great many Hollywood films. If Communist propaganda had been smuggled into any of them, it must have been most thoroughly hidden. I, for one, never noticed anything of the sort.... I testify, moreover, that to my mind the ignorant and superstitious persecution of the believers in a political and economic doctrine which is, after all, the creation of great minds and great thinkers.... is not only degrading for the persecutors themselves but also very harmful to the cultural reputation of this country. As an American citizen of German birth, I finally testify that I am painfully familiar with certain political trends. Spiritual intolerance, political inquisitions, and declining legal security, and all this in the name of an alleged ‘state of emergency’. That is how it started in Germany. What followed was fascism and what followed fascism was war.”

EU enforces worker approval

By Shirin Wheeler, BBC/Strasbourg

New rules forcing businesses to inform and consult their workers about company developments have been approved by the European Parliament. The approvals come despite attempts by the British and Irish governments to block the proposals, on the grounds that they are too inflexible. MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) hope the legislation will get final approval from member states by the end of the year, but (some) are pushing for even tougher extra measures. Common rules: The plans are an attempt to create common rules as more companies in the EU set up operations across national borders. A French court has now ruled that the British company, Marks & Spencer, broke French labour law when it failed to consult workers before deciding to close its stores in mainland Europe last spring.

Who’s better off this Labor Day? Numbers tell

By Derrick Z. Jackson, Globe Staff

To know whose labor was actually being honored on Labor Day, consider the following facts, drawn from recent data from the Institute for Policy Studies and United for a Fair Economy, the Economic Policy Institute, the American Sociological Review, and the new book Raise the Floor, published by the Ms. Foundation for Women. If the minimum wage had risen at the same pace as American productivity since 1968, it would be $13.80 an hour. If the minimum wage had risen at the same pace as domestic profits since 1968, it would be $13.02. If the minimum wage had risen at the same pace as profits in the retail industry, it would be $20.46.

Nearly half of the workers in the retail industry make less than $8 an hour. While 16.9 percent of America’s work force is in the retail industry, 35 percent of America’s workers who make less than $8 an hour are in the retail industry. If the minimum wage had risen at the same pace as executive pay since 1990, it would be $25.50 an hour, not $5.15. If the average pay for production workers had risen at the same level as CEO pay since 1990, the annual salary would be $120,491, not $24,668.

Twenty-nine percent of American families make less than what the Economic Policy Institute estimates is needed to meet basic needs—a national median of $33,551.

You cannot tell that children are our most precious resource by how we pay child-care workers. The median wage of child-care workers is $6.91 an hour. The median wage of parking lot attendants is $6.89. Preschool teachers average $9.43. Animal trainers average $12.39. Women make up 28 percent of the work force in durable manufacturing but are 46 percent of workers in that industry who make less than $8 an hour. Women make up 41 percent of the work force in communications but are 58 percent of workers in that industry who make less than $8 an hour.

In 1978, 70 percent of workers in the private sector were covered by employer-provided health insurance. By 1998, the figure had dropped to 62.9 percent. In 1979, 40.7 percent of the lowest-income workers in the private sector were covered by employer-provided health insurance. By 1998, the figure had dropped to 29.6 percent. In 1979, 60.9 percent of Latinos in the private sector were covered by employer-provided health insurance. By 1998, the figure had dropped to 44.6 percent.

The average compensation for the top health care executives at the top 10 managed health care companies, not including unexercised stock options, is $11.7 million per year. African-American men in the highly paid professions of securities and financial sales earned only 72 cents for every dollar earned by white colleagues. African-American lawyers earned 79 cents for every dollar earned by white male lawyers. African American doctors and dentists earned 80 cents for every dollar earned by white male doctors and dentists.

Derrick Z. Jackson’s e-mail address is jackson@globe.com.