Summary: Building Power for Worker Rights by MFlowers On the day after May Day, we focus on the current situation for workers and how they are building power to lift up wages and worker rights. We speak with Professor Richard Wolff of Democracy at Work and Mike Somers, President of CWA Local 2100. Nearly 40,000 CWA members have been on strike against Verizon since April 13. They are calling for a national day of action on May 5. Relevant articles and websites: Economic Update: Poverty and the US Economy by Richard Wolff Democracy at Work Stand Up To Verizon – Join the National Day of Action on May 5 and sign the petition. Verizon Greed CWA Local 2100 Guests: Richard D. Wolff is the co-founder of Democracy at Work. He is professor of economics emeritus at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he taught economics from 1973 to 2008. He is currently a visiting professor in the Graduate Program in International Affairs of the New School University, New York City. He also teaches classes regularly at the Brecht Forum in Manhattan. Earlier he taught economics at Yale University (1967-1969) and at the City College of the City University of New York (1969-1973). In 1994, he was a visiting professor of economics at the University of Paris (France), I (Sorbonne). His work is available atrdwolff.com and at democracyatwork.info. A lifelong professor of economics, Prof. Wolff is a well-known critic of contemporary capitalism and the leading proponent of an alternative economic system based on WSDEs. He has been interviewed on several popular television programs that include: Real Time with Bill Maher, Bill Moyers’ Moyers & Company, The Charlie Rose Show, and Up with Chris Hayes, among others. Prof. Wolff’s publications include articles in Truthout.org, The Guardian, Common Dreams, as well as his recent books: Capitalism Hits the Fan and Democracy at Work: A Cure for Capitalism. Mike Somers is the president of Communications Workers of America Local 2100 in Chase, MD.
