In a capitalist system, “normal” means worker mistreatment and exploitation, and this disproportionately impacts already marginalized groups. By Princess Avianne Charles “Normal” was considered many things but it certainly was not good enough. For many, what was considered normal was mentally and physically draining, it revoked them of their access to basic necessities and it...
Tag: workers rights
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I Helped Get My Toxic Boss to Resign: Here Is How You Can Hold Your Employers Accountable
Accountability is much more than getting one person removed from their position of power. It requires rooting out systemic oppression from the workplace. By Rachel Jones As the movement for racial justice sparked by the killing of George Floyd continues, many companies are being held accountable to back up their performative #BLM statements with real...
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As Fashion Lines Are Praised for Making Face Masks, Don’t Ignore Garment Workers
While fashion designers and brands continue to grab headlines and praise for their “heroism,” garment workers are fundraising for basic needs. This article was originally published at Truthout By Minh-Ha T. Pham Fashion labels from Christian Siriano, H&M and Zara to luxury firms like LVMH, Kering and Prada have recently pledged to redirect their resources...
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In the Fight to Diversify Hollywood, We Need to Stop Ignoring Assistants
The entertainment industry thrives on unpaid and underpaid workers using the law of supply and demand to justify unfair compensation. By Adriana Gomez-Weston David Rensin’s “The Mailroom: Hollywood History From the Bottom Up” is considered the Bible of entry-level Hollywood, its message is peddled as the gospel for anyone who wants to break into the...
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When Incarcerated People Strike, The World Should Listen And Respond
Without mass actions like the current nationwide prison strike, which bring direct awareness to the issue, these stories go largely underreported. Note: Due to the safety of the incarcerated individuals, some names were changed to allow anonymity. We speak carefully on the phone, fully aware that anything said can become grounds to get him sent...
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Working in Retail as a Marginalized Person is a Constant Exercise of Emotional Labor
The overwhelming amount of emotional labor that is involved in working within retail or service industry positions is magnified for marginalized workers. By Crissonna Tennison Anyone who has ever worked in retail has at least one Bad Customer story. Mine occurred about one hour before the end of what had been a pretty good day....
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What The Shut Down of Gothamist And DNAinfo Means For Journalism And Workers’ Rights
It cannot be erased that the Gothamist and DNAinfo shut-down was an intentional, retributive attempt to thwart socialist empowerment of the people and reinforce capitalist exploitation. On Nov. 2, users attempting to access news websites Gothamist and DNAinfo, were met with this shut down note, including employees who had no advance notice of the shutdown. The...
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Crazy Talk: Do I Disclose My Mental Illness to My Boss?
Welcome to Crazy Talk: a mental health advice column written by yours truly, a mentally ill and queer writer reclaiming his “crazy” to educate and empower. In a world that tries to push us to the margins, I’m all about getting loud and kicking the stigma where it hurts. In this column, we explore what...
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You Don’t Support Immigrants When You Say This
If you support workers’ rights, that means supporting all labor, including the undocumented people who make your clothes and pick your strawberries. Today, people all over the U.S. are striking in support of “A Day Without Immigrants.” As we now exist under the Trump regime, where talk of a Mexican border wall and a Muslim Ban isn’t...