Another Periodic Update

Foster Farms workers walked out (downed tools? downed feathers?) yesterday over unfair labor practices by the poultry producer.

At this point, most readers have probably seen this article on Wal-Mart's benefits memo, which proposes to cut employee benefits even further. While admitting that 46% of Wal-Mart associates' offspring are uninsured, they suggest ways of hiring younger, more physically able employees in order to save on health insurance costs. Presumably they are not hoping that Wal-Mart employees' kids will ever work at Wal-Mart.

The Archive of Internal Medicine is reporting that workers who have justice at work have a reduced risk of coronary disease. So while having a union might give an employer a heart attack, its safe for workers!

It's not so good for your health to be a labor leader in the Philippines, though. Ricardo Ramos, a labor leader in the Philippines, was murdered yesterday, just one day after left-wing activist in that country was also murdered.