Citations Needed - Newsletter 6.7.22

Hi all --

We hope you are having a good summer! Below is this fortnight's newsletter. As always we are extremely grateful for your patronage and support. 

-- Florence, Adam, Nima, Marco, and Julianne

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How Amazon and Starbucks Workers Are Upending the Organizing Rules Chris Brooks, In These Times (May 31, 2022)

Union organizers taking big actions during organization drives has been a new development this year, with workers risking their jobs to bring attention to the campaign. This has been a shakeup in traditional labor strategy and may show a new approach could work.

Mining Companies Strike Gold by Destroying Public Lands Stephanie Woodard, In These Times (June 2, 2022)

Hardrock mines can lead to toxic substances entering public lands and rivers, much to the objection of local tribe leaders. Tribes have had to fight local governments and companies that are abusing loopholes to mine in their sacred lands.

Biden Is Locking Up Thousands of Immigrants in For-Profit Detention Centers Finlay Adamson, Jacobin (June 3, 2022)

While the DOJ was directed to not contract with for-profit prisons, ICE has been the exception and the agency continues to use for-profit prisons. Immigration detention is largely carried out through private prisons and ICE continues to sign new contracts.

Moms for Liberty Has Created Nightmares for Schools Across the Country Laura Jedeed, The New Republic (May 31, 2022)

Moms for Liberty, a conservative group trying to control curricula and books selections in public schools receive corporate funding to be used as a tool for Republicans winning control of the midterms. This group specifically targets books that challenge the narrow worldview conservative parents have.

They Pick Food All Day, But Many Farmworkers Go to Sleep Hungry Astra Lincoln, In These Times (May 28, 2022)

Migrant farmworkers pick the food that Americans eat, but their low pay forces many to go hungry. Options such as mutual aid or food banks are not enough to deal with the issue of hunger.

What’s Stopping Chesa Boudin Akela Lacy, The Intercept (June 3, 2022)

Reformist San Francisco DA is facing a perilous recall vote with critics saying that crime is surging despite evidence to the contrary. Powerful San Francisco forces have spent big money to influence the results of the election.

Democrats Press Amazon on Legality of Worker Chat App Ken Klippenstein, The Intercept (June 2, 2022)

After a report of Amazon censoring union organizing on a worker chat app. Members of Congress are requesting to look into the matter. These members of Congress are questioning the legality of an app that restricts several key words from being used in the chat.

How Los Angeles Created the Playbook for a Nationwide War on the Unhoused Jonny Coleman, The Appeal (May 26, 2022)

As jurisdictions look to justify homeless encampment sweeps, they are turning to Los Angeles for inspiration. Los Angeles created a playbook where the city argues the sweeps are compassionate, that the encampments are dens for mental illness and that nonprofits looking to uphold a status quo can work with the homeless.

Media Fail to Raise Alarm Over Deadly Lack of Booster Shots in Elderly Dorothee Benz, FAIR (June 4, 2022)

As stories have been published about continuing deaths of vaccinated Americans from COVID-19, the evidence suggests elderly Americans without boosters are major contributors to the statistics. However, the media has done little to highlight the failing booster campaign for the elderly.