Professor of Labor, UC Berkeley
Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, specializing in labor and the global economy
PROFILE
Harley Shaiken
Guest
FROM Harley Shaiken
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
California court decision could change future of independent contractors More than 12 million Americans work in the gig economy, including Uber drivers and freelance writers. California’s highest court on Monday issued a unanimous decision that says if those workers are at the core of a business, they must have standard worker protections, such as a minimum wage.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Why the Focus on Factory Jobs? We hear a lot of political rhetoric touting good middle-class manufacturing jobs. But what's so great about factory jobs? How many people do they still employ? Is this the economic future we should be shooting for? We talk to someone who can put the political emphasis on factory jobs into focus.
Which Way, L.A.?
Will Congress Save Detroit? Today's Los Angeles Times carried a full page ad by the General Motors Acceptance Corporation headlined "The Auto Industry Matters," and warning about the ripple effects if plants close and laid off workers can't feed their families or pay taxes.
To the Point
Will Congress Save Detroit? The CEO's of the Big Three are putting the pressure on Democrats and Republicans. GMAC is running full-page newspaper ads headlining "The Auto Industry Matters" and warning about the ripple effects if plants close and laid off workers can't feed their families or pay taxes.
To the Point
Fixing the American Auto Industry Sales at Ford Motor Company dropped 18% last month, and Toyota outsold Ford by 35,000 vehicles—many of which were Made in America. Meantime, workers at General Motors are voting on a contract some say will save the company—and maybe Ford and Chrysler , as well, although skeptics say the union didn't give up enough.
Recommended
News Special Programming
Best of KCRW Podcasts: Origin Stories A selection of two of the best KCRW podcast episodes about origin stories
Zócalo's Connecting California
Throw caution to the wind Zocalo commentator Joe Mathews has some advice for incoming California Gavin Newsom: don’t follow in the footsteps of Jerry Brown.
KCRW Features
What are LA parents doing with their kids during the strike? During the teacher strike, a lot of students are not going to class. According to the district’s tally, about 163,000 turned up for school Tuesday, out of a total of about half a million. Some are spending their time on the picket line. Older students might go study at Starbucks or play hooky. But the parents of younger children in L.A.
To the Point
Politics, the World Order and Donald Trump’s New Year Newly divided government could mean change in this new year… or not. House Democrats don’t always stick together--and presidential campaigns could get in the way. The GOP might not heed Mitt Romney’s call for respectability. Meantime, will America’s allies unify to sustain world order without America’s leadership?