Apr 15, 2014
As millions of Americans pay income taxes today, Bay Area security officers and community supporters called on Apple Inc. to pay taxes on some of an estimated $102 billion the company is holding overseas. Activists gathered outside a San Francisco Apple store and encouraged customers to participate in a mock $15 billion “mail-in rebate” to highlight how the company’s unpaid…
Apr 15, 2014
Santa Clara Co. Board of Supervisors 1. Janitorial Services: worker retention and living wage The County is cutting down on the number of companies it had janitorial contracts with from 6 to 2. The new contracts with Pride Industries and Universal Janitorial for janitorial services at county offices include requirements to retain workers from the old contractor and make sure…
Apr 14, 2014
When I filed a complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission and the San Jose Ethics Commission against mayoral candidate Sam Liccardo, I did so because I take laws seriously. Liccardo has cheated his way through the early part of the campaign to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars, and he shouldn’t get away with it. Tweet
Apr 11, 2014
Ironically, the dirtiest campaign so far this election season may be the one run by law enforcement officers. Today’s complaint to the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) about the campaign to elect Kevin Jensen Sheriff raises serious questions about legality of Jensen’s campaign activities and the campaign activities of his two sponsors, the Deputy Sheriffs Association (DSA) and the Correctional…
Apr 9, 2014
Mozilla’s selection of Brendan Eich for CEO on March 24 prompted widespread outrage because of a $1,000 donation he made to the anti-gay marriage Prop 8 campaign in 2008. Eich resigned ten days after his promotion. Conor Friedersdorf and Andrew Sullivan are two of the most prominent pro-gay rights writers to denounce Eich’s “forced resignation.” Friedersdorf worries that the anti-Eich…
Apr 8, 2014
California made front-page headlines recently for passing some of the most progressive laws in the country on issues involving reproductive rights and health. And, it’s true, we did pass a groundbreaking law that increases access to abortion services by expanding the types of clinicians who can provide them as well as passing laws to increase the medical privacy protections for…
Apr 7, 2014
Joe had worked at a local restaurant for two years for just $7 an hour, with no overtime pay and forced to work off the clock after his shift with only a 10 minute lunch break. The last straw came when three paychecks bounced. When he asked for his pay, he was immediately fired. The good news – he filed…
Apr 2, 2014
A few days before what would’ve been Cesar Chavez’s 87th birthday, a biographic film of his life was released in major theaters. The film chronicles the birth of the American labor movement and tells the story of how Chavez used his platform of nonviolence to combat the gross violation of farm workers’ rights. Chavez ignited a civil and human rights…
Mar 28, 2014
On Friday, March 28, the movie about the iconic labor leader Cesar Chavez and the farm worker movement will be released nationwide. The reason I will be viewing it several times is: it is a family affair and it’s personal. This is why the movie, “Cesar Chavez” matters. As an organizer for the CWA Local 9423, the challenges to organizing…
Mar 27, 2014
The Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, is doing something for women you may not be familiar with, but you should be. The ACA does a lot to address what’s wrong with our system of health care in America, and one of the most important ways in which it does that is a huge victory for women’s health. While Obamacare will…