This week in OtherWords, we’ve got an early Labor Day special for you as we cap off a “Hot Labor Summer” — a term Farrah Hassen gives a double meaning for as she explains how workers are organizing to protect themselves from extreme heat. The government, she argues, needs to follow.
Meanwhile, former Lowe’s worker Felix Allen cites some astounding new data on just how much money corporations are plowing into their own stock instead of hiring or paying workers. Felix can tell you what that looks like on the floor — frustrated customers and overworked employees struggling just to get by. And my colleague Olivia Alperstein marks the progress made for workers with disabilities since the pandemic.
Also this week, as we near the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington and Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, Dedrick Asante-Muhammad and Chuck Collins share their stark finding that racial economic inequality has barely budged since then — and then show how to close that centuries-old gap in a generation.
Rounding us out, attorney Mitchell Zimmerman says former President Trump should face the same criminal justice system everyone else does. Jim Hightower shares good news (for once!) about local newspapers. And cartoonist Khalil Bendib offers a decidedly sacrilegious take on Trump’s indictments.
Our office will be closed so next week, so hopefully this extra large batch will tide you over till we’re back.
New This Week…
Don’t Blame Workers for Poor Service — Blame Our CEOs | Felix Allen
New data shows big retailers have the cash to hire more workers and pay them well. They just spend it on stocks and CEOs instead.
We Still Have a Dream | Dedrick Asante-Muhammad and Chuck Collins
Sixty years after Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, our racial economic divide is vast as ever. But it can still be closed.
A Crossroads for Workers With Disabilities | Olivia Alperstein
Pandemic-era gains have transformed the job market for disabled workers — and everyone else. Let’s protect that progress.
A Hot Labor Summer — in More Ways Than One | Farrah Hassen
Governments are failing to protect workers from extreme heat, so it’s no surprise labor actions have been heating up too.
Trump Isn’t Too Big to Jail | Mitchell Zimmerman
Applying a different standard to a powerful person reflects only contempt for the rule of law.
Good News About the News | Jim Hightower
Community-minded nonprofits are rescuing local papers from predatory corporate owners.
Cartoon: The MAGA Messiah | Khalil Bendib
Now accepting indulgences.
In Case You Missed It…
Anxious About the Climate? There’s a Solution. | Fatima Gutierrez
Mental health challenges are rising alongside temperatures. Research suggests that taking action can help.
Democracy Needs Healthy Debates About War and Peace | Jyotsna Naidu
Congress spent the last “military spending” debate rehashing the culture wars — not the nearly $1 trillion Pentagon budget itself.
Another Chance to Reduce Child Poverty | Kassidy Jacobs
My story is proof that public programs can help kids escape poverty. Now lawmakers have a chance to help more kids get out.
Sorry, But Barbie Is Still a Problem | Sonali Kolhatkar
The highly anticipated “Barbie” movie is really just an expensive ad campaign for an outdated doll.
