April 2011 - P2P-Foundation - lists.ourproject.org

Fwd: a society with no cash
by Michel Bauwens 16 Apr '11

16 Apr '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Mark Petz <ravenwyn(a)gmail.com> Date: Wed, Apr 13, 2011 at 8:56 PM Subject: a society with no cash To: Franz Nahrada <f.nahrada(a)reflex.at>, Michel Bauwens < michelsub2004(a)gmail.com>, Dante-Gabryell Monson <dante.monson(a)gmail.com> http://www.verkkouutiset.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52… *Örebro, Sweden on Friday celebrated a very unusual day.* *The first city in the country Örebro try to survive the whole day without cash.* Campaigns have included banks, shops, police, city and Crime Prevention Council. Today's intention is to eliminate crime, but also affects the environment. - When you deleted the local ability to pay in cash, bus drivers against robberies came to an end, *Dan Hjertestrand* Örebro police said *Nerikes Allehanda* newspaper<http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sl=fi&tl=…>example of an idea to organize a day without cash. He also pointed out that the other person against robberies have decreased as the cash on hand has decreased. Crime Prevention Council *Sören Svensson* also other arguments in favor of the project to reduce the use of cash in society. - About two-thirds of cash in a black money. There is talk of some 60 billion crowns. And everything should be lawful money, "he says. Invented in turn, is involved in rapture to create safer working environments for their employees. - Operators must be attractive for both customers and workers alike. Without the cash does not have a functioning business in the looting, trade representative *Pernilla Seger* says. Bank in the world while it is estimated that hundred printing runs an average of 10 000 miles to the bank, the wallet, and trade between the Deposit and aiehuttaa therefore be approximately 500 kg of carbon dioxide a year. Ympäristösyytkin therefore in favor of days without any cash. Swedbank's local *manager, Anne-Lie Carlos* does not believe in completely free cash to be reached, but the aim is that 85-90 percent of all purchases take place in the near future cards. -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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Fwd: Europe steps closer to real powers to ban GM crops ( Greenpeace - Press Release )
by Michel Bauwens 16 Apr '11

16 Apr '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Dante-Gabryell Monson <dante.monson(a)gmail.com> Date: Thu, Apr 14, 2011 at 2:37 AM Subject: Europe steps closer to real powers to ban GM crops ( Greenpeace - Press Release ) To: econowmix(a)googlegroups.com, hc_ecology(a)yahoogroups.com, sustainable_solidarity(a)yahoogroups.com http://www.greenpeace.org/eu-unit/en/News/2011/Europe-steps-closer-to-real-… Europe steps closer to real powers to ban GM crops Press release - April 12, 2011 Brussels, 12 April 2011 - A weak proposal to give European countries the right to ban the cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops was strengthened today by the leading European Parliament committee. **The European Commission is willing to give countries the right to ban GM crops only if these bans are based on a limited number of reasons. These include cultural and moral arguments, which EU lawyers argue are too weak to be legally robust. Today, the environment committee voted to include grounds related to potential environmental impacts of GM crops. Greenpeace argues that these grounds are crucial if national bans are to be legally robust. *Greenpeace EU agriculture policy adviser Stefanie Hundsdorfer said: **“**The voice of reason prevailed today in parliament’s environment committee. Environmental impacts are a major danger of GM crops and i**ncluding these into law will help governments ban them from Europe's fields. Without these grounds, national bans would be in danger of being overturned by biotech companies in court.”* The committee also voted: • As a priority, the Commission and EU countries must implement the conclusions adopted by all environment ministers in 2008 on strengthening the EU's authorisation procedure for GM crops • To have all countries take mandatory measures against GM contamination. In the event these measures fail, the committee voted in favour of having governments ensure that those responsible for the contamination pay damages. • That biotech companies have to give access to the material necessary for independent research into GM risks. • To change the legal basis of the draft law, from being rooted in internal market principles to environment ones. • Against seed labelling proposals that could open the door to seed contamination. Parliament is due to vote on the GM law in plenary on 7 June. -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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Fwd: Michael Ostrolenk shared a link on your Wall.
by Michel Bauwens 16 Apr '11

16 Apr '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Facebook <notifications+pjiidwm(a)facebookmail.com> Date: Fri, Apr 15, 2011 at 10:44 PM Subject: Michael Ostrolenk shared a link on your Wall. To: Michel Bauwens <michelsub2004(a)gmail.com> facebook Michael shared a link on your Wall.might be of interest Michel- http://epic.org/2011/06/21st-annual-computers-freedom.html http://epic.org/2011/06/21st-annual-computers-freedom.html<http://www.facebook.com/l/5fbc9uZVso28otiPJHdT_ZhRItw/epic.org/2011/06/21st…>EPIC - 21st Annual Computers Freedom and Privacy Conference21st Annual Computers Freedom and Privacy Conference “The Future is Now” Lillie Coney, EPIC Associate Director Co-Chair CFP 2011 Georgetown Law Center Washington, DC June 14-16, 2011...To see your Wall or to write on Michael's Wall, follow the link below: http://www.facebook.com/n/?mbauwens%2Fposts%2F168066883246733&mid=41264f9G1…, The Facebook TeamThe message was sent to michelsub2004(a)gmail.com. If you don't want to receive these emails from Facebook in the future or have your email address used for friend suggestions, you can unsubscribe<http://www.facebook.com/o.php?k=c05bf5&u=528245547&mid=41264f9G1f7c632bGe52…>. Facebook, Inc. P.O. Box 10005, Palo Alto, CA 94303 -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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Fwd: May 13th Furtherfield Panel- it's happening!
by Michel Bauwens 16 Apr '11

16 Apr '11

Hi Chris, can you post-date this, perhaps twice, on our regular blog, say April 23 and May 1 ? many thanks!! ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Ruth Catlow <ruth.catlow(a)furtherfield.org> Date: Sat, Apr 16, 2011 at 1:44 AM Subject: May 13th Furtherfield Panel- it's happening! To: Michel Bauwens <michelsub2004(a)gmail.com>, Catherine Bottrill < catherineb(a)juliesbicycle.com>, TOM CORBY <tom.corby(a)btinternet.com>, johntonta(a)googlemail.com Cc: Ale <ale(a)furtherfield.org>, "marc.garrett" < marc.garrett(a)furtherfield.org>, Pollie Barden <pollie.barden(a)gmail.com>, Olga <olga(a)furtherfield.org> Hello all, It's really happening. and here is the proof. http://www.furtherfield.org/event/re-rooting-digital-culture-media-art-ecol… : ) Please do spread amongst your networks- I think it should be a great evening. There are only places for 60 people so make sure that anyone you know who really wants to come books a place. I am away on hols for a couple of weeks now but will attempt to check mail every couple of days. If there is anything urgent to convey to the Furtherfield gang please email ale(a)furtherfield.org she will know what to do. Really looking forward to the 13th May. Wishing you all well, respect! : ) Ruth www.furtherfield.org art, technology, social change ======================================= A Furtherfield Unconference event. TO BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW please email ale[at]furtherfield[dot]org Over the last decade the awareness of anthropogenic climate change has emerged in parallel with global digital communication networks. In the context of environmental and economic collapse people around the world are seeking alternative visions of prosperity and sustainable ways of living. While the legacy of the carbon fuelled Industrial Revolution plays itself out, we find ourselves grappling with questions about the future implications of fast-evolving global digital infrastructure. By their very nature the new tools, networks and behaviours of productivity, exchange and cooperation between humans and machines grow and develop at an accelerated rate. The ideas for this trans-disciplinary panel have grown out of Furtherfield's Media Art Ecologies programme and will explore the impact of digital culture on climate change, developing themes adopted in grass-roots, emerging and established practices in art, design and science. http://www.furtherfield.org/event/re-rooting-digital-culture-media-art-ecol… Chair: John Hartley Speakers: - Michel Bauwens - On how Peer to Peer thought and technology point towards alternative production methods and a sustainable future. http://p2pfoundation.net/ Catherine Bottrill - On working with producers and consumers to consider the environmental long-tail of digital culture.http://www3.surrey.ac.uk/resolve/view_profiles.php?teamMember_ID=22 Ruth Catlow - On ecological approaches to tools, networks and behaviours in a digital art community. http://www.furtherfield.org/user/ruth-catlow The discussion will inform a second event in September at ISEA 2011 where we will be joined by artists Tom Corby http://tinyurl.com/6fblopc and Helen Varley Jamieson http://www.creative-catalyst.com/. Who this is for: any interested members of the public, cross-disciplinary (science, art, technology) practitioners, academics, students, researchers with an interest in digital culture, technology, sustainability. TO BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW please email ale[at]furtherfield[dot]org Where: CREAM (Centre for Research in Education Art and Media), University of Westminster Building: 309 Regent Street Campus Room: RS 152 Cayley Room Date/ Time: Friday May 13, 2011 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm Maximum Seats: 60 Re-rooting digital culture is part of Furtherfield's Media Art Ecologies Programme http://www.furtherfield.org/programmes/media-art-ecologies. This unconference event is partnered by CREAM (Centre for Research in Education Art and Media) http://www.wmin.ac.uk/mad/page-569 _______________________________________________ NetBehaviour mailing [email protected]://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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Fwd: Decision making for an open enterprise ([email protected])
by Michel Bauwens 16 Apr '11

16 Apr '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: <tiberius.brastaviceanu(a)gmail.com> Date: Sat, Apr 16, 2011 at 7:00 AM Subject: Decision making for an open enterprise (michelsub2004(a)gmail.com) To: michelsub2004(a)gmail.com I've shared Decision making for an open enterprise<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ukADSYqMntWLAi4Q1tmrccNtFQcP8DT8xL0aoum…> Message from tiberius.brastaviceanu(a)gmail.com: Invite to a document about Decision Making in an open and decentralized value network. Click to open: - Decision making for an open enterprise<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ukADSYqMntWLAi4Q1tmrccNtFQcP8DT8xL0aoum…> Google Docs makes it easy to create, store and share online documents, spreadsheets and presentations. [image: Logo for Google Docs] <http://docs.google.com> -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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Reuters: Capitalism is failing US middle Class
by Kevin Flanagan 15 Apr '11

15 Apr '11

The article mentions the role of the technological revolution in increasing productivity for the benefit of the upper class http://blogs.reuters.com/chrystia-freeland/2011/04/15/capitalism-is-failing…

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Fwd: [Commoning] ICAPE Conference
by Michel Bauwens 15 Apr '11

15 Apr '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Wolfgang Hoeschele <whoesch(a)truman.edu> Date: Fri, Apr 15, 2011 at 2:00 AM Subject: [Commoning] ICAPE Conference To: commoning(a)lists.wissensallmende.de Dear Commoners: Through the US Solidarity Economy Network (of which I am a member), I was alerted yesterday to a conference that is going to be held in November in Amherst, Massachusetts - the announcement for which is appended below. I plan to be involved in one panel that focuses on ideas of the solidarity economy, but in addition I want to explore whether there's interest in organizing a session which would focus on the commons (and where I would also be part of that). Please let me know if you are interested in taking part in this! Regards, Wolfgang Greetings colleague, We would be pleased if you would consider submitting a proposal for a paper, session of papers, or roundtable for ICAPE's 3rd international research conference, * "Rethinking economics in a time of economic distress."*Founded in 1993, the International Confederation of Associations for Pluralism in Economics (ICAPE)<http://www.icape.org/>is an association of associations committed to promoting healthy diversity in approaches to producing economic knowledge. For the upcoming conference, to be held at U.Mass.-Amherst on Nov. 11-13, 2011, we invite proposals for papers or sessions from any strand of interested scholarship, examining topics of cross-cutting interest for creating a more robust, socially-valuable body of economic knowledge. Potential topics could include (but are not limited to): * Re-thinking macro models via complex-systems: Path dependencies, endogenous cycles, emergent properties * Minskian analyses of financial fragility & implications for financial policy * Is fiscal policy different in the 21st century? Deficits & global bond markets * Stresses and strains in the international financial system: Currencies, governance, emerging powers * Enriching economics through perspectives of race, gender, ethnicity, and class * Ecological sustainability as a central concern in economic analysis * Measuring economic performance differently: Alternatives to GDP * Human-capabilities and development practice * Bringing the state back in to economic development * Social and behavioral approaches to individual economic behavior: Is homo economicus dead? * Grass-roots economic change: Community economies, local currencies, living wages, urban farming * The economics of war and peace * Heterodox economics and social provisioning * Alternative theories of business cycles: Austrian, Post-Keynesian, Marxian, Schumpeterian * Profits, factor shares, and financialized capitalism; varieties of capitalism(s) * Ethics and the economics profession * Economic education after the financial crisis: What needs to change? * Practices of economic research: journals, research evaluation, interdisplinarity, underrepresented groups in the economics profession * Changes in empirical methods: Has the ‘con’ gone out of econometrics? Are experiments the only right way to study individual economic behavior? * Pluralism as a strategy for building a more robust economic knowledge * Innovations in all strands of unconventional economic theory: Evolutionary, ecological, complexity, institutional, feminist, Austrian, Marxian, Post-Keynesian, behavioral/psychological, social, radical political economy, critical realism, general heterodox The deadline for submitting proposals is April 30, 2011. We welcome proposals for individual papers, full sessions, and roundtables. To submit proposals, please go to: https://editorialexpress.com/conference/ICAPE2011, and follow the instructions given there. For individual papers, please include: Your name, your title and affiliation, an abstract of 300 words or less, 3 keywords, and contact information (address, phone, email). For full sessions of papers, panels, and other formats, please include the above for each contribution, as well as a title for the session, chair, discussants, and the name and contact information of the session organizer. *Please alert promising graduate students to this opportunity to present their work, get new ideas, begin to make connections, etc. *Information on plenary speakers, travel logistics, etc. will be posted soon on the ICAPE website: www.icape.org. For further information or questions, please contact one of the co-chairs of the organizing committee: Martha Starr, mstarr(a)american.edu, or Erik Olsen, olsenek(a)umkc.edu. Organizing committee: Martha Starr, Erik Olsen, Ioana Negru, Giuseppe Fontana, Mwangi wa Githinji,Andrew Mearman, Bruce Pietrykowski Virgil Storr Advisory committee: Gerald Epstein, David Colander, John Davis, Edward Fullbrooke, Rob Garnett, Stephanie Seguino _______________________________________________ Commoning mailing list Commoning(a)lists.wissensallmende.de http://lists.wissensallmende.de/mailman/listinfo/commoning -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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design for sharing
by Michel Bauwens 15 Apr '11

15 Apr '11

Dear Massimo, i think this is very important: http://www.shareable.net/blog/should-products-be-designed-for-sharing could you perhaps present this article with some comment to our p2p audience as well? see http://www.shareable.net/blog/should-products-be-designed-for-sharing Michel -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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debate in dublin on may 8: is peer production sustainable
by Michel Bauwens 15 Apr '11

15 Apr '11

this is ain addition to my participation in the Mindfield festival, organized by Kevin Flanagan this is interesting as a dialogue with peak oilers / transition people: 5. Sunday, May 8th, Central Hotel, Dublin (afternoon and evening) An Introduction to peer-to-peer Wikipedia and Linux are impressive examples of intellectual labour created on and through the internet but they don't fit conventional economic theory as the people who developed and refined them did not charge for their work and there is no charge for their use. No corporation organised their creation and claimed ownership rights. Are these examples of a new type of economy which has a lot further to go? Will open source product design underpin a new type of creative economy in which some things will be available in abundance mostly for free? Are we witnessing the birth of a digital commons where intellectual property rights like copyright and patents are standing in the way of human progress? Theorist Michel Bauwens and the P2P foundation believes so. In his view we are entering an economic era as profoundly different as feudalism was from the Roman Empire, and industrial capitalism was from feudalism. But is the future he envisa ges compatible with the ecological limits that humanity is encountering in almost every field? ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Kevin Flanagan <kev.flanagan(a)gmail.com> Date: Fri, Apr 15, 2011 at 5:34 AM Subject: Fwd: For your diary; 5 upcoming Events To: Michael Bauwen <michelsub2004(a)gmail.com> I see you got something sorted with Feasta ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Feasta News <website(a)feasta.org> Date: Thursday, 14 April 2011 Subject: For your diary; 5 upcoming Events To: Feasta News Subscriber <kev.flanagan(a)gmail.com> (Mailing list information, including unsubscription instructions, is located at the end of this message.) Upcoming Feasta and related Events 1. Thursday April 28th to Sunday May 1st, Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary The Feasta Climate Group's Annual weekend Members from Britain and Ireland meet to discuss current thinking on the climate crisis and draw up the group's programme of work for the next year. Attendance is limited to 20 and only two or three places are still available. Cost is €150 including three nights' B&B, lunches and evening meals, plus minibus transport from Dublin after the public lectures in Dublin mentioned here below. Programme details can be downloaded from http://www.feasta.org/events/general/2011_04_climate_weekend.php Book via info(a)feasta.org. 2. Thursday, April 28th, Central Hotel, Exchequer St, Dublin 2, 11.00 – 15.30 Low External Input Agriculture – the only road to a sustainable food supply (two public lectures hosted by the Carbon Cycles and Sinks Network) Session 1 (11.00 - 13.00): Organic farming's role in improving food security and combatting climate change. Speaker: Gundula Azeez, former policy manager of the Soil Association Session 2 (14.00 - 15.30): Biochar's role in increasing fertility and reducing fertiliser use. Speakers: Dr. Witold Kwapinski (University of Limerick) on biochar research in Ireland and documentary film-maker David Friese-Greene on using biochar on small farms in rural India. Admission: €10 per session or €15 for both. For more details go to http://www.feasta.org/events/general/2011_04_scad.php 3. Thursday, April 28th, The Methodist Hall, Cloughjordan, 19.30 to 21.30 Public meeting: The Climate Crisis: What Next? The international negotiations on a global climate treaty seem to be making very little progress. After a review of the current situation and the reasons for it, the meeting will explore alternative proposals for dealing with the situation which do not simply involve restricting fossil fuel use. Speakers will include David Healy, a former ministerial policy adviser, Richard Douthwaite and Brian Davey of Feasta, and Gundula Azeez, a former policy adviser to the Soil Association. Admission: €5 Enquiries to info(a)feasta.org or to 086 364 2728 4. Saturday, April 30th, The Methodist Hall, Cloughjordan, 18.30 - 21.00 Public meeting: What organic and low-input has to offer growers, their customers and the planet Speakers will include Gundula Azeez, a former policy adviser to the Soil Association, Martin Peck, who raises sheep organically in Wales, and Joe Condon, who raises cattle organically in South Tipperary, selling the beef direct to the public. The evening has been planned to suit people who are already farming organically or who are thinking of doing so. There will be plenty of opportunities for questions and discussion. Admission €10. Enquiries to info(a)feasta.org or to 086 364 2728 5. Sunday, May 8th, Central Hotel, Dublin (afternoon and evening) An Introduction to peer-to-peer Wikipedia and Linux are impressive examples of intellectual labour created on and through the internet but they don't fit conventional economic theory as the people who developed and refined them did not charge for their work and there is no charge for their use. No corporation organised their creation and claimed ownership rights. Are these examples of a new type of economy which has a lot further to go? Will open source product design underpin a new type of creative economy in which some things will be available in abundance mostly for free? Are we witnessing the birth of a digital commons where intellectual property rights like copyright and patents are standing in the way of human progress? Theorist Michel Bauwens and the P2P foundation believes so. In his view we are entering an economic era as profoundly different as feudalism was from the Roman Empire, and industrial capitalism was from feudalism. But is the future he envisa ges compatible with the ecological limits that humanity is encountering in almost every field? 14.00 – 17.00 Workshop on peer-to-peer with Michel Bauwens. Attendance will be limited to 15. Admission €10. Booking is essential. 19.00 – 21.00 Public lecture on peer-to-peer with Michel Bauwens followed by discussion. Admission €5 and booking for this is not necessary. More information from http://www.feasta.org/events/general/2011_04_p2p.php 6. Monday, May 9th Croke Park Conference Centre, 09.00 – 16.00 Lessons from the Crisis: Money, Taxes and Saving in a Changing World Conference co-hosted by the Smart Taxes Network and TASC Admission: free but booking is required (via contact(a)tascnet.ie) More information from http://smarttaxes.org/ The following information is a reminder of your current mailing list subscription: You are subscribed to the following list: Feasta News using the following email: kev.flanagan(a)gmail.com You may automatically unsubscribe from this list at any time by visiting the following URL: http://www.feasta.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/feasta_news/ If the above URL is inoperable, make sure that you have copied the entire address. Some mail readers will wrap a long URL and thus break this automatic unsubscribe mechanism. You may also change your subscription by visiting this list's main screen: http://www.feasta.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/list/feasta_news If you're still having trouble, please contact the list owner at: website(a)feasta.org <website(a)feasta.org> The following physical address is associated with this mailing list: FEASTA The Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability, Main Street, Cloughjordan, Co.Tipperary, Ireland Mailing List Powered by Dada Mail <http://www.feasta.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/what_is_dada_mail/> Powered by Dada Mail 4.0.2 <http://dadamailproject.com> Copyright © 1999-2009, Simoni Creative <http://dadamailproject.com/justin>. -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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Fwd: L.A. Times : "Ikea's U.S. factory churns out unhappy workers"
by Michel Bauwens 15 Apr '11

15 Apr '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Dante-Gabryell Monson <dante.monson(a)gmail.com> Date: Fri, Apr 15, 2011 at 7:03 AM Subject: L.A. Times : "Ikea's U.S. factory churns out unhappy workers" To: econowmix(a)googlegroups.com http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ikea-union-20110410,0,5341610.story Ikea's U.S. factory churns out unhappy workers A union-organizing battle hangs over the Ikea plant in Virginia. Workers complain of eliminated raises, a frenzied pace, mandatory overtime and racial discrimination. excerpts : "Some of the Virginia plant's 335 workers are trying to form a union. The International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers said a majority of eligible employees had signed cards expressing interest. In response, the factory — part of Ikea's manufacturing subsidiary, Swedwood — hired the law firm Jackson Lewis, which has made its reputation keeping unions out of companies. " "Laborers in Swedwood plants in Sweden produce bookcases and tables similar to those manufactured in Danville. The big difference is that the Europeans enjoy a minimum wage of about $19 an hour and a government-mandated five weeks of paid vacation. Full-time employees in Danville start at $8 an hour with 12 vacation days — eight of them on dates determined by the company. What's more, as many as one-third of the workers at the Danville plant have been drawn from local temporary-staffing agencies. These workers receive even lower wages and no benefits, employees said." -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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