Lots to Say

by Tula Connell, Sep 28, 2006

Catching up with all your comments—and looks like there’s lots to say about a new study on workers’ comp and the need for universal health care and a note that a video clip of “Solidarity Forever” is posted at youtube.com.

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From the Wichita/Hutchinson Labor Federation of Central Kansas, Stuart Elliott informs us of a Sept. 30 contract rally by members of the Machinists who work at Learjet and sends us a link to a new report by the Center for Justice & Democracy. The report finds workers’ comp is a “colossal failure” for workers—and insurance companies are the real winners. The full report is here and Jordan Barab at Confined Space also notes it here.

In St. Louis, Gary Roller agrees with many around the country when he writes:

Universal health care is needed now.

Roller points to a New York Times article on a new Citizens’ Health Care Working Group urging Congress to create an independent “public-private entity” to define a basic set of health care benefits and services for all Americans. (We cover the new group here.)

But Roller is not optimistic about this Congress or president addressing the vital issue of the nation’s failing health care system.

…we all know how the current “no change the course” folks are going to react in Congress. I suspect “number one” would veto such a bill if it passes his desk.

The misery and death of citizens of this land whom die each year due to lack of medical care is multiple 9-11 disasters. Thank you Mr. President, Mr. and Mrs. Congress and statehouse folks for making us a third world country with rationing medical care to the citizens.

Angie Haywood in Warsaw, Ind., lives 12 miles from a new ethanol plant and sees that many such plants are being built—which makes her hope they become good union jobs.

Just got me thinking about the unions start taken a look at these new plants. Good place to organize a union when you think ethanol seems to be a good source of fuel, according to all the experts. Seems to be a good thing for our politicians to always show and give a speech at the new openings of ethanol plants. I know the Governor Mitch Daniels was here back in the summer. I think this plant will employ about 300 people, good source of jobs for Hoosiers. I hope that they will become good union jobs.

In Oxford, Mich., Don Wenzel connects the poor quality of service he’s received from Home Depot to the low wages the company pays its contractors.

I can’t under stand how a company as large as Home Depot can treat customers so poorly….Home Depot has now installed three roofs on my house and are getting ready to install the fourth one. They pay their contractors as little as possible and that is why they get poor quality contractors. Home Depot does not return phone calls, e-mails or letters for weeks or never. When you see my web page [http://www.freewebs.com/myroof] you can see the destruction they do to peoples lives and property. When you search the Internet for “poor customer service from home depot” you can read for days. How do they get away with this?

Steve Dawes ends us with this note on a video clip of “Solidarity Forever” by Pete Seeger and the Weavers posted here at the popular video-posting site, youtubecom.

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