WORTHLESS PROMISES IN SILICON VALLEY

Photo by David Bacon  Children of Versatronex workers on the picket line. In the valley’s remaining factories, labor contractors have become the formal employers, relieving the big brands of any responsibility for the workers who make the products bearing their labels.

David Bacon reports on labor conditions in wealthy Silicon Valley:

“Today Silicon Valley remains the fortress of the country’s most anti-union industry.  High tech industry dominates every aspect of life.  Its voice is largely unchallenged on public policy, because the workers who have created the valley’s fabulous wealth have no voice of their own.  Corporations like IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Intel and National Semiconductor told their workers and communities for years that healthy bottom lines would guarantee rising living standards and secure jobs.  Economists still paint a picture of the industry as a massive industrial engine fueling economic growth, benefiting workers and communities alike.”

International Union Rights, V. 25, N. 3, 2018

KJ