Travis Waldron on how the next two World cups could be accomplished under horrendous labor conditions. Check out the cool things Qatar’s slaves will build for the World Cup. Qatar council rejects changes to employment laws, calls for more study. Nelufar Hedayat on how developing nations are dependent on sweatshop wages (and a response). All your clothes are made with exploited labor: Patagonia tried to stop human trafficking in its supply chain, but, as recently as 2011, internal audits found continuing abuses — is the problem too massive for companies to solve? Erik Loomis on how we can hold American companies that use sweatshop labor accountable. Anu Muhammad (Jahangirnagar): Workers' Lives, Walmart’s Pocket: Garments’ Global Chain, from Savar to New York. Can Walmart become an agent for social change? Shawn Henfling wants to know. Ryan Cooper writes in defense of Walmart: Why corporations shouldn’t be responsible for preventing poverty. What if Walmart raised its minimum wage to $70,000 a year? Some companies can raise worker salaries dramatically — others have too many who make too little to do so. Walmart raised wages in April — it’s already seeing the benefits. Teresa Tritch on a starting wage of $15 an hour: The new normal?
A poll surveys Americans’ views on income inequality and workers’ rights. Jacob Silverman on how Uber might finally have to do what some of its critics have begged all along: Own up to its sprawling force of underpaid workers. To overcome rising inequality, workers need more bargaining power. Good wages are not enough: Saki Knafo on how employees need more respect and responsibilities. Dan Kauffman on Scott Walker and the fate of the union: In Wisconsin, where the labor movement took root a century ago, a campaign by the governor has broken its power — his political allies hope he can take a similar campaign nationwide. Now interns are unionizing, too: With victories at Gawker and the fight for $15, labor picks up steam among the youths (and more). Lydia DePillis on why labor groups genuinely believe they can unionize McDonald’s one day. Charlie Post on the new militant minority: Despite significant changes in the economy, mass worker organizing is still possible. Matt Bruenig on why we have labor protection. Samantha Winslow on how unions are preparing for public sector right-to-work threat. Who’s speaking up for the American worker? Beth Macy want to know. How to make sense of Obama’s big changes to overtime policy: The adjustment would make millions more low-level managers eligible for time-and-a-half, though employers warn that workers wouldn’t benefit (and more and more).
