More labor unrest in France

Amid plant closings and layoffs, some French workers have occupied their workplace, took a boss as a hostage while others took to the streets to display the anger with the current economic situation, according to reports (see, for instance, this).

The anti-labor agenda of the plutocracy party

The GOP struggles to restore indentured servitude and chattel slavery

Trapper John of Daily KOS describes the scene:

Tim Geithner has been confirmed as Treasury Secretary, despite his failure to pay taxes on substantial income while employed by the IMF. Tom Daschle probably would have been confirmed at HHS had he not withdrawn from the process — Senate Democrats and most Senate Republicans appeared ready to overlook both his serious tax delinquencies and his financial ties to the health care industry. Eric Holder was easily confirmed as Attorney General, despite a lot of chest-thumping from Senate Republicans over his role in the Marc Rich pardon.

But Hilda Solis — the California Congresswoman appointed by President Obama to head the Labor Department — remains in limbo, unable to get a committee referral vote until today, and likely doomed to remain in a holding pattern for some time thereafter due to the imminent threat of a GOP "hold" on a full confirmation vote.

What did Solis do to earn this opposition to her nomination? What monstrous crime or scandal was she involved in that furnishes Republican Senators with the moral authority to delay her from attending to the serious work at the Department of Labor? Could it be misogyny, or bias against Latinas, or against lowly House members?

Well, there's no crime or scandal. And there's no evidence that Solis is being discriminated against on the basis of her sex or ethnicity (though there's little doubt that she'd be confirmed by now if she were a member of the United States Senate Racquet and Social Club rather than the House). No, the Senate Republicans have a simple reason for trying to torpedo Solis's nomination: the nominee for Secretary of Labor favors labor law reform supported by a majority of Americans — the Employee Free Choice Act.

Surprise, surprise, surprise

Obama caught turning his back on labor

How so? He is making his betrayal by quietly abandoning his once strong support for the Employee Free Choice Act (see also this), according to Steve Early. The rest of the Democratic Party can be expected to follow the President's lead.

The Act means to facilitate union formation by enabling certified representatives to negotiate the new local's initial collective bargaining agreement.

The first factory occupation of the current crisis

Some of the laid-off workers at a Republic Windows and Doors factory in Chicago, IL have occupied the now closed facility, according to the Chicago Tribune. The United Electrical Workers (UE) represent those working at the plant. The relevant UE Political Action Update contends that operations at Republic Windows and Doors have been hindered by Bank of America's refusal to lend money to the company, an assertion confirmed by an Agence France-Presse report. Bank of America's refusal is noteworthy because the bank has already received federal bailout money.

The workers have demanded severance and vacation pay from Republic.

Labor protests the Plan

The New York City Labor Council sponsored a protest at Broad Street and Exchange Place in lower Manhattan today. According to a Reuters report (thanks to an email from Robert B), both Jesse Jackson and John Sweeny spoke at the event. The NYCLC statement may be downloaded here.