An L.A. Story: Unions Show Signs of Life

https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/06/in-los-angeles-unions-show-signs-of-life

Tina Rosenberg

The New York Times

6 November 2014

Text / 1500-3000 Words

The minimum wage issue has been debated endlessly, with arguments both for and against its effectiveness. An increase, tested in some states and enacted in others, immeasurably betters the quality of life for low-income families.

Beyond the Business Suit

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/28/beyond-the-business-suit

David Bornstein

The New York Times

28 January 2011

Text / 800-1500 Words

For young people, learning the social norms of the office is crucial for survival in the new economy. Year Up is an organization that is unusually successful at preparing young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds for jobs in big companies.

A Town Where a School Bus Is More Than a Bus

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/27/a-town-where-a-school-bus-is-more-than-a-bus

Sam Chaltain

The New York Times

27 February 2015

Text / 1500-3000 Words

There are many other adults beyond teachers who regularly interact with children — and who are often overlooked as potential contributors to the educational mission. Hartsville, South Carolina, uses school bus drivers as a resource and extra set of eyes to observe how students are doing.

Cultivating a New Immigrant Narrative

https://medium.com/bright/cultivating-a-new-immigrant-narrative-8273de03537d

Diana Prichard

Bright Magazine

27 April 2015

Text / 1500-3000 Words

Half of U.S. farm workers are Hispanic, but few make it to leadership positions. A historically white non-profit, FFA, is creating equal education programs in California to increase leadership opportunities for minorities in agriculture.

From Our Prison to Your Dinner Table

http://www.psmag.com/business-economics/from-our-prison-to-your-dinner-table

Graeme Wood

Pacific Standard

3 March 2015

Text / 1500-3000 Words

In prison, most inmates are alienated from social practices and can be a tax burden for the states. The Colorado Correctional Industries is a program that positions inmates in different forms of labor such as making stuffed toys, farming fish, picking fruit, tending livestock, and creating crafts to be sold at grocery stores. The program makes inmates into taxpayers instead of tax burdens and offers skills that are useful for future employment once they leave prison.

Health Care for a Changing Work Force

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/01/health-care-for-a-changing-work-force

David Bornstein

The New York Times

1 December 2011

Text / 1500-3000 Words

America’s system of health care is based on an old industrial-era model, without taking into account a decentralized, mobile, independent workforce that remains largely unprotected without health and unemployment insurance. The Freelancers Insurance Company, based in New York State, offers competitive premiums by having their executives receive salaries at low wages. The model keeps costs under control, which in turn makes health care more accessible to independent workers.

Keeping the Water Flowing in Rural Villages

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/08/keeping-the-water-flowing-in-rural-villages

Tina Rosenberg

The New York Times

8 December 2011

Text / 800-1500 Words

In Tanzania, mapping of water points showed that nationally, less than half the existing rural water points were working—of water points that were less than two years old, a quarter had already stopped functioning. British charity WaterAid sets up workshops in poor countries like Tanzania and India to train mechanics in order to have a local fix for these problems. The mechanic position offers employment opportunities for women, fixes pumps for an average of 100 rupees (roughly $2.00), and repaired more than 1,100 pumps in the first 14 months.

Most Bangladeshi garment workers are women, but their union leaders weren't. Until now.

http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-09-16/most-bangladeshi-garment-workers-are-women-their-union-leaders-werent-until-now

Bruce Wallace

Public Radio International (PRI)

16 September 2015

Radio / 5-15 Minutes

After years of banning labor unions in Bangladesh, garment workers unionized to fight for higher wages and safer working conditions. For women, this isn't traditionally a space they were welcomed in, but now they’re holding their own meetings to ensure women’s safety is ensured on the job.

Open Access: How a Nonprofit is Giving Techies Without Tuition Their Shot

http://www.fastcompany.com/3048166/tech-forecast/open-access-how-a-non-profit-is-giving-techies-without-tuition-their-shot

Neal Ungerleider

FastCompany

23 July 2015

Text / 800-1500 Words

Access Code is a nonprofit in New York that gives young adults, particularly those from minority groups, instruction and resources to learn coding. This education promotes greater access to lucrative careers in the world of technology.

Bangladesh's Chance to Get It Right

https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/23/bangladeshs-chance-to-get-it-right

Amy Yee

The New York Times

23 April 2014

Text / 1500-3000 Words

Bangladesh has often struggled maintaining safety in the workplace. But a new effort ensures that Bangladeshi workers are trained about how to better follow security and safety restrictions to create a safer working environment.