Worker's World Today - Issue 50

INSIDE

November 2023

Should I File for Bankruptcy Before or After the Holidays? ...12

Holiday Season Statement from RWDSU ...16

Issue #50

New York’s 20,000 Building Cleaners Ready to Strike for a Fair Contract

Workers Are Fighting for What They Deserve, and They Need More largest real estate companies in Federal Support the city. Their current collective

BY AMIR KHAFAGY DOCUMENTEDNY.COM

bargaining agreement is set to expire on December 31.

On Nov. 9, 32BJ began bargaining with the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations (RAB), an association representing New York City’s major commercial office building owners, managers, and cleaning companies. RAB represents some of the largest property owners in the city such as Vornado Realty Trust, Rubenstein Partner, and Tishman Speyer. The current negotiations are the continuation of a decades-

N

ew York City’s office buildings employ nearly as many cleaning workers as it took to build the Hoover Dam. Like clockwork, the 20,000 office cleaners work day and night to ensure New York’s 1,300 buildings have their trash disposed of and their bathrooms clean.

Now many of those cleaners, members of the labor union Local 32BJ, have vowed to walk off the job on New Year’s Eve if a new and fair contract isn’t reached with some of the

President of 32BJ Manny Pastreich speaking at a rally Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

continued on page 4

Credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Hot Topics and News You Should Know About

What to Do If You're the Victim of a Personal Injury ...10

Why Santos’ Lies Are Even Worse Than the Usual Political Lies ...17

Get More Than Your Asking Price for Your Home ...7

Photo courtesy: UAW

Credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Labor-Related News - Nationally & Locally

Call on Unions to Align Contract Expirations ...5

REI Workers Take Nationwide Legal Action Against Employer ...6

Saying “Yes” to New Zoning, Businesses and Opportunities ...3

Editorial credit: Ringo Chiu / Shutterstock.com

BY BRANDEE MCGEE, CIVILRIGHTS.ORG

A

t the beginning of this summer, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike for higher pay and a fairer pay structure in the wake of the entertainment industry’s shift from television to streaming. Currently, workers do not get residuals for plays on streaming platforms like they do from network television reruns. While executives continued on page 8

5 Signs You're Dating An Unsupportive Man ...15

Gov Hochul Signs Clean Slate Act, Expanding Opportunity ...9

Labor Shortage Can Be Fixed by Letting Asylum Seekers Get Work Permits Sooner, Business Leaders Say

BY ADRIEL OROZCO, IMMIGRATIONIMPACT.COM

W

hen asylum seekers come to the United States, they want to work— but an outdated immigration statute is making that more difficult than it continued on page 11

Brian Figeroux, Esq.

Nov 2023

Workers’ World Today - Nov 2023

www.workersworldtoday.com

NYC Food Delivery Workers’ Rights

If you do restaurant deliveries for an app, you have rights regardless of your immigration status.

Your Rights Free insulated food delivery bag after 6 deliveries Apps must give you a bag. You can decide whether to use it.

More control over your deliveries • You can limit how far you will go from restaurants and pick which bridges or tunnels you will use.

• Apps cannot offer you trips outside the limits you set, and you have the right to change your limits.

No Retaliation It is illegal to punish or deactivate workers for exercising their rights.

Workers should immediately contact DCWP about retaliation.

Advance notice of delivery details Apps must tell you the pickup address, estimated time and distance for trip, tip, and pay before you accept a trip.

File a Complaint The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) enforces the law. For more information or to file a complaint:

Better access to restaurant bathrooms when you pick up orders Exceptions apply. Contact DCWP. More information about your pay Apps that take customer orders directly must tell you how much the customer tips for each delivery and your total pay and tips for the previous day. Exceptions apply.

Contact DCWP. Payment at least once a week Apps cannot charge a fee to process your payment.

Minimum pay rate (Effective 1/1/2023) New York City will set a minimum pay rate and may update it from time to time.

• Visit nyc.gov/DeliveryApps • Email OLPS@dcwp.nyc.gov • Call 311 (212-NEW-YORK outside NYC) and ask for “Delivery Worker” DCWP will not share your identity without your prior consent.

You can also file a case in court.

However, you cannot have a complaint with DCWP and a claim in court at the same time.

This information is brought to your courtesy of THE ASK THE LAWYER Radio Program For a legal consultation on these and other issues, please call 855-768-8845 or schedule an appointment at www.askthelawyer.us

2

Nov 2023

www.workersworldtoday.com

3

In Solidarity

Saying “Yes” to New Zoning, New Businesses, and New Opportunities

BY HON ERIC ADAMS

L Supports Workers’ World Today

R

ecently, I was in Albany fighting and seeking support of A1261/S1947, legislation that will create a clear definition of public work and level the playing field for New York’s contractors.

District Council 9 Painters and Allied Trades Union (DC9), the union for painters, prides itself on being a strong advocate for workers’ rights and safety. We are excited about this new publication, Workers’ World Today, which covers the issues of relevance and concern for all workers.

We are encouraged that all workers: blue and white collar will have a voice and platform.

Congratulations on your inaugural issue. We wish much success to the leaders and team of Workers’ World Today and pledge our support.p Davon Lomax Political Director, DC9

ast month, New York City hit an economic milestone, with more total jobs than ever before in our city’s history. Our administration is proud of the work we have done to ensure our economy has made a full recovery — and we are determined to keep working to create jobs and opportunity for all New Yorkers.

Our “City of Yes for Economic Opportunity” proposal is one of the many ways we are aiming to create new pathways to prosperity. We are seeing transformative changes in how we live and work, and our city’s rules and regulations must adapt to these new realities — especially when it comes to antiquated zoning laws from decades ago. Rules that made sense in the days of the rotary telephone are getting in the way of doing business in the age of the smartphone.

We recently kicked off the public review process for this ambitious proposal to advance 18 essential changes to our citywide zoning code that will boost our economic recovery, help New Yorkers access goods and services in their neighborhood, and make it easier to expand or start new businesses. Over the next several months, all New Yorkers will have the chance to learn about this proposal and make their voices heard.

The “City of Yes for Economic Opportunity” initiative includes plans to foster vibrant neighborhoods with more kinds of businesses in more kinds of places. For example, our plan would allow a suc-

TEAM Publisher Workers’ World Today, Inc Editor-in-Chief Pearl Phillip Contributing Writers Linda Nwoke Victoria Falk Travis Morales Mary Campbell Janet Howard JR Holguin Chris Tobias Erin Telesford Legal Advisor Brian Figeroux, Esq.

Mayor Eric Adams Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

cessful bakery to expand closer to your neighborhood, rather than having to move to a different area zoned for heavy manufacturing and away from customers who would benefit most from having that business nearby.

The plan is also the largest initiative to support industrial jobs and businesses in the history of New York’s zoning, including by making more space available for small-scale clean manufacturing — including designers, retailers, artists, craftspeople, and makers of all kinds — and creating new zoning tools for industrial businesses.

The current zoning was crafted for the industrial businesses that existed 60 years ago, and our proposal will update these rules to allow businesses to grow in New York, providing good-paying jobs for New Yorkers. Our plan will modernize regulations for New Yorkers who want to run a business from their home and set new standards for using existing buildings in new ways, something that is clearly a priority with the rise of remote work.

This plan will also address the ongoing issue of vacant storefronts in our city, getting more of them re-rented and reactivated by loosening rules

Telephone 1-866-435-3286

about which types of businesses can locate where, and by modifying a counterproductive regulation that prevents some storefronts from being reoccupied if they are vacant for more than two years.

We are also upgrading and reforming zoning to support our café and nightlife sector, the life sciences, film production, urban agriculture, and more.

From food to fashion to tech and art, these small and specific changes will have an outsized impact on our economy.

This new way of doing things will create a new and more collaborative culture going forward — one where city government is a partner working to streamline solutions, not an obstacle to be overcome.

That is what being a City of Yes is all about. Yes, to new businesses, new industries, and new ideas. Yes, to new housing and opportunity. Yes, to change and creativity. And yes, to ensuring that New York remains a place where you can put your ideas into action and succeed.p Eric Adams is the 110th mayor of New York City since January 1, 2022.

He served in the New York State Senate from 2006 to 2013, representing the 20th Senate district in Brooklyn.

Email info@workersworldtoday.com Visit us at www.workersworldtoday.com

REAL ESTATE AGENTS WANTED: APPLY NOW! It's time to make a career choice that you will LOVE. Send your resume to info@ equitysmartrealty.com

www.workersworldtoday.com

Nov 2023

4

Workers’ Rights Cleaners Ready to Strike/ continued from page 1 long tug-of-war between the interests of workers and the commercial real estate industry. Cleaning workers last walked off the job during the winter of 1996 when nearly 35,000 workers led a monthlong strike after management demanded that new employees start at a lower salary than current building workers.

Under the current contract, commercial cleaners receive a living wage of $29 an hour, employer-paid family health insurance, paid vacation, paid sick leave, a retirement pension, and access to free legal, education, and training services. These hard-fought victories by the union have made New York unionized commercial cleaners some of the highest-paid office cleaners in the country. Now the workers are fighting not only for salary increases that account for the rise in the cost of living, but also to maintain the benefits they currently enjoy.

In the wake of the pandemic and the rise of remote work, office vacancy rates have nearly doubled from 12.4% to

22.7% and are expected to hover above 20% until at least 2026. Given the current environment, the union anticipates that the RAB will try to force workers to accept significant concessions for the sake of the industry. RAB has not exactly shied away from its desire to seek out a more flexible contract given that Manhattan’s commercial real estate industry has also declined by 26.6% since 2019.

“Without changes to increase flexibility in our [Collective Bargaining Agreement], the future of the industry and our workers is in jeopardy,” said Howard Rothschild, president of RAB in a statement to Documented. “Now is the time for the union and industry to roll up our sleeves and come together to negotiate a contract that will provide for a sustainable future.”

Manny Pastreich, president of 32BJ, disagrees, pointing out that workers have already sacrificed so much during the pandemic when 7,000 of their members were laid off. The union currently has 2,000 fewer members than in 2019 and estimates that at least 50

cleaners died from complications due to COVID-19. Pastreich also argues that inflation has taken a big toll on workers’ wages and decreased their buying power.

“Our members have made big concessions,” Pastreich said.

“They made concessions through the layoffs. They made concessions as essential workers. Now the point is how do they get rewarded for the concessions they have made? How do they continue to keep up with inflation to pay for the rent and for the groceries?”

When it comes to concessions, Yanny Hernandez says she has sacrificed plenty.

At 51, she lost her job cleaning an office building in Midtown Manhattan in March 2020. It was at the height of the pandemic, and the loss of her job added to the atmosphere of uncertainty.

It was a job she held for 17 years through pure discipline and hard work. Hernandez arrived in the U.S. as a single mother from the Dominican Republic 27 years ago. Her job as a union cleaner allowed her to earn a living wage to support her son.

Although she lost her job, she still felt hopeful as management assured her the loss of employment was only temporary. But as the pandemic raged on, her temporary unemployment status grew more indefinite.

“During this time, I was frustrated,” she said. “The company was supposed to call me in six months, then it was nine months, then extended and extended.”

To make ends meet, Hernandez was forced to rely on the gen-

Looking to make extra cash? A side hustle?

We are looking for persons to sell advertisements in our newspapers.

Experience in advertising sales is needed and preferably experience or a sincere interest in marketing.

Interested? Send your resume to info@myiqinc.com

erosity of food banks. But even that was not sufficient enough to live on. Yet, when she went looking for another job, they didn’t come close to paying her the $29.47 an hour she earned as a union cleaner.

“The highest salary I found was a $19 an hour job at LaGuardia cleaning airplanes,” said Hernandez about a Swissport job she ultimately decided against. “It was part-time time, not full-time time, and no benefits. It’s terrible because I’m 51, I need my health care insurance and everything.”

Before being called back to her job in May 2022, Hernandez said she nearly lost hope.

“I cried. I said ‘Oh my God, I just spent a lot of time at my job, and at this moment I can lose everything.’ I was afraid because it’s not easy to start again.”

On Staten Island, 69-year-old Honduran immigrant Perla Canales has spent the last 20 years cleaning the Staten Island Mall. For five days a week, she traverses the massive space, the size of nearly 21 football fields, cleaning every surface with her arthritis-riddled hands.

“It’s a difficult job,” she said.

“My hands hurt every day because I’m cleaning, mopping, cleaning mirrors, cleaning bathrooms.”

With rumors swirling that RAB is planning on cutting wages and benefits, Canales is afraid. At her age, she can’t afford to lose her healthcare.

“I want more money and I want to keep my benefits,” she said. “I want my sick days and my personal days. What I make now is nothing, believe me. You know how much I pay for food? $175 a week not including the little things I have to bring home every day.”

Although Pastreich acknowledges that the current bargaining process will be among the most challenging that the union has faced, they are prepared to stand their ground even if that means a strike is necessary. For over a year, the union has been preparing its members for that possibility and has raised a reserve strike fund of $19 million. For Pastreich, the current labor struggle is ultimately a struggle for the right to the city.

“These are the people who keep the buildings clean, keep them safe,” he said. “Fundamentally, this is about what kind of city we want to have.”p Reprinted with permission.

www.workersworldtoday.com

Nov 2023

5

Union In Action

Auto Workers Call on Unions to Align Contract Expirations

BY DAN DIMAGGIO LABORNOTES.ORG

I

s it time for a big, united strike by millions of union members against the billionaire class?

We get pitched this idea sometimes at Labor Notes.

Usually we dismiss it as coming from starry-eyed dreamers eager to pass over the hard work of organizing and skip ahead to the “general strike.”

But now the call is coming from a major international union: the United Auto Workers, whose new contracts covering 146,000 workers at the Big 3 are strategically set to expire on May 1, 2028. The union wants others in the labor movement to align their own expirations for that date, setting up a battle with some of the country’s biggest corporations in four-and-a-half years.

“If I could have a dream scenario,” UAW President Shawn

Fain told In These Times, “it would be that all of organized labor maps their expiration dates to May 1.”

May Day “May Day was born out of an intense struggle by workers in the United States to win an eight-hour day,” said Fain.

“That’s a struggle that’s just as relevant today as it was in 1889,” when the international labor movement began holding yearly demonstrations for an eight-hour day to commemorate the Haymarket martyrs who lost their lives for their role in big Chicago protests for a shorter workday a few years earlier.

The fight for a shorter workweek could feature in 2028 negotiations. One of the UAW’s public demands in this round of bargaining was for a 32hour week at 40 hours’ pay.

Auto workers are often forced to work mandatory overtime,

Auto Workers President Shawn Fain has called for lining up contract expiration dates across the labor movement. Photo: UAW.

including 60-hour weeks (six 10-hour days).

Although that proposal went nowhere with the companies, raising it broached the topic.

“If there was one good thing that came out of Covid— with all the loss of life and the bad things that went on— it was that working-class people realized that life shouldn’t revolve around working seven days a

week, 12 or 16 hours a day, or working multiple jobs just to survive,” Fain said.

Coordinated Contracts Unions seem to be discovering that engaging in high-profile public fights with employers can be to their benefit. We’ve seen that with the Teamsters at UPS this year, and most recently with the UAW, whose

no-holds-barred campaign against the Big 3 reportedly inspired thousands of auto workers at non-union plants to reach out and ask how to join.

“If we’re going to truly take on the billionaire class and rebuild the economy so that it starts to work for the benefit of the many and not the few,” Fain said on Facebook Live, “then it’s important that we not only strike, but that we strike together.”

So what if a bunch of unions say they’re all going to walk out on May 1, 2028, unless their employers offer record contracts to make up for years of runaway inequality?

What if they align some of their demands—like demands for an end to forced overtime, and for the restoration of the eight-hour day? Or, hell, for workers to share in the gains of productivity with a 32-hour week at 40 hours’ pay. Or for a continued on page 6

www.workersworldtoday.com

Nov 2023

6

Union In Action

REI Workers Take Nationwide Legal Action Against Employer

O

n Wednesday, November 15 unionized REI workers with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), and the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) filed coordinated, nationwide unfair labor practice charges against their employer, Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), over the company’s bad faith bargaining practices and unilateral workplace changes that show a pattern of egregious anti-union behavior, emotional manipulation, and retaliatory actions against workers, such as firings, changes to work schedules, and disciplinary practices. Workers from all eight unionized REI locations filed charges with their regional National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) offices.

“We, the workers of REI Union SoHo, have spent over 18-months pushing for a first

contract," said Graham Gale, Shop Mechanic at the SoHo, NY REI. "The struggle has been difficult, but we’re continuing to fight because we NEED meaningful change in our workplace. REI has targeted us, the first store to organize, from the very beginning, and now in an aggressive move; they hired Amazon’s notorious union busting attorney, Morgan Lewis. This decision made clear that REI is more interested in fighting its own workers than having meaningful negotiations with us. We’ve spent the last six-months in only a handful of sessions, and seeing little agreement, while re-educating the new lawyers on our long-held issues. We join together with all of the unionized stores nationwide today to DEMAND that REI bargain in good faith towards a fair first contract. REI, if you truly believe in the values you

Auto Workers/ continued from page 5

Editorial credit: Jon Rehg / Shutterstock.com

profess, come to the table.

Until then, green vests from coast to coast will continue to build power, numbers, and solidarity; this union is not going anywhere.”

The filings come on the heels of REI worker walkouts at the Chicago, Maple Grove, and Boston locations as well as coordinated actions across eight states with REI workers engaging customers and raising awareness of the company’s

hypocritical mistreatment of its workers.

Despite REI’s concerted, multi-pronged union busting campaign, there has been a wave of unionization efforts by REI workers across the country, with eight stores successfully unionizing in SoHo, NY, Berkeley, CA, Cleveland, OH, Chicago, IL, Boston, MA, Durham, NC, Maple Grove, MN, and Bellingham, WA.p

return to real pensions.

What if newly unionized workers fighting for first contracts join them?

Not only could it push the employers, it would also put some big pressure on politicians, in a presidential election year, to back solutions that help working people.

Sure, it’s hard enough to even get a union to coordinate its contracts with the same employer: the Communications Workers have multiple expiration dates at AT&T; the Food and Commercial Workers have more than 100 different contracts with Kroger that expire at different times; and on and on.

But maybe this bold idea is the push the labor movement needs.p Dan DiMaggio is an assistant editor of Labor Notes. Reprinted with permission.

www.workersworldtoday.com

Nov 2023

7

Be Equity Smart

Four Ways a Real Estate Agent Can Help Ensure Your Home Sells for More Than Your Asking Price ested parties to choose from. Instead of waiting for buyers to come to you, put your home on the market when there will be a lot of people ready to invest.

BY EQUITY SMART REALTY INC

M

ost home sellers are thrilled to get the asking price they're looking for when putting their home up for sale, but many have not thought about the possibility of getting even more! If you're wondering what tricks of the trade your agent can use when it comes to getting a higher offer, you may want to have them test out some of the following tips.

Price It a Little Lower It's generally said that you should price your home at market value so it will not linger on the market, but by having your real estate agent price it slightly lower you may be able to get a lot more people through the door.

Instead of lowering the price of your home, this can work to stimulate a bidding war for those who see the value in your home and are willing to pay more.

Hold Off for the Right Offer The benefit of using a real estate agent

is that they know the market and will be able to determine what amount the offer on your home should be, so make sure you consult with them before saying yes. It's easy to be tempted by the first good offer that's close to your asking price, but it's often worth it to hold out for the amount you really want.

Sell In the Springtime It's possible to get a good price for your home at any time of the year, but Spring is the time that homebuyers like to hit the market and this means that you may have a lot more inter-

Call 888-670-6791 26 Court Street, Suite 701, Downtown Brooklyn

Make It Unique Whether you've recently made some renovations, or your home has several unique features, ensure that these details are being properly promoted in your marketing material and at your open house. Not only can these features add a lot of value to your home, but they can also make potential homebuyers remember it so they'll be willing to negotiate.

Guidance Most home sellers put their home on the market with the hope of getting a certain amount, but by highlighting unique features and holding out for a better offer you can get more than you asked for. If your home is currently on the market, you may want to contact one of our real estate professionals at Equity Smart Realty Inc. Call 888-6706791.p

Call Equity Smart Realty at 888-670-6791 for a consultation.

Minorities continue to be the target of the predatory practices by real estate and mortgage brokers and the man who comes knocking on your door with a bag of cash. To save your home, call us now for a consultation at 855-768-8845.

www.workersworldtoday.com

Nov 2023

8

Workers’ Matters Workers Are Fighting/ continued from page 1 often rake in tens of millions of dollars a year, the majority of entertainment workers live below the poverty line. Soon after, the Screens Actors Guild joined them — the first time SAG has gone on strike in more than 60 years. Other high profile labor efforts include workers at Starbucks, UPS, and Amazon.

This historic, collaborative strike comes after the pandemic shifted the power dynamic of the labor market.

Although union activity had been steadily declining in the United States for decades, COVID-19 demonstrated to workers just how much value they are responsible for producing, how little care corporate executives show for employees’ health and wellbeing in the wake of a deadly virus, and how much more bosses could be paying their workers. The stimulus checks, supplemental unemployment benefits, and expanded child tax credit also proved how well the government could meaningfully provide for the average family. The child tax credit, for example, cut child poverty almost in half until Congress let it expire in 2021.

Despite these direct payment programs, the pandemic still widened the racial wealth gap.

Immigrant and undocumented workers were among the hardest hit: While “69 percent of all immigrant workers and 74 percent of all undocumented workers [were] employed in essential industries” as the virus raged throughout the

country, immigrants also faced higher unemployment rates amidst the layoffs — and “[u]ndocumented immigrants who remained employed in high-risk COVID-19 jobs were paid wages up to twice that of the poverty level — insufficient to meet bills and expenses.” Additionally, the pandemic slowed progress that was made on narrowing the gender wage gap, as women were most likely to leave their jobs to care for sick family members as well as their children as schools shut down.

Although many programs can help to narrow the racial and gender wealth gaps — including a pathway to citizenship, investments in underfunded communities, free public education, affordable childcare, and student loan forgiveness — unionization is one solution that benefits everyone, but especially workers from historically marginalized communities. Black participation in unions has traditionally been higher than for any other racial group since unions began to integrate, but it has dipped at a greater rate recently than for any other group. According to the Urban Institute, “[h]igher union membership also narrows the racial wealth gap by supplying a larger wealth dividend to nonwhite workers than to white workers…That’s why conversations about the importance of unions should be not only class based but racially conscious.”

These labor efforts helped make up the foundation upon which The Leadership Confer-

Detroit, MI, USA - September 15, 2023: Shawn Fain at UAW rally in support of auto workers on strike. Editorial credit: Luigi Morris / Shutterstock.com

ence was built. The coalition’s co-founder, A. Philip Randolph, organized the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, directed the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom to end employment discrimination, and eventually became a vice president for the AFLCIO. Now, The Leadership Conference carries on his legacy by working closely with coalition members to advocate in Congress and with federal agencies for workers’ rights.

Even though the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has been underfunded for years, House Republicans are seeking to further cut NLRB funding by 33 percent. They’ve also proposed cuts to OSHA, the Wage and Hour Division, and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, in addition to elimination of the Women’s Bureau and the Bureau of International Labor Affairs. These cuts would hinder the ability of agencies to enforce civil rights laws and workplace protections.

Senate HELP Committee Chair Bernie Sanders and

House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott recently reintroduced a bill we’ve long endorsed: the Raise the Wage Act, which would increase the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $17 per hour over five years, gradually eliminate the $2.13 tipped subminimum wage over seven years, eliminate the subminimum wage for workers with disabilities over five years (half of workers employed under special certificates from the DOL earn less than $3.50 per hour), and eliminate the $4.25 youth subminimum wage for youth workers over seven years. It would also index the federal minimum wage to median wage growth so that the value of the federal minimum wage does not recede over time. There are also nominees pending before the Senate for federal agencies critical to protecting working people, including the Department of Labor, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the NLRB. We continue to be inspired by striking workers as well as

the public that’s come together to support them during a time when the productivity pay gap has never been higher. When one industry or workplace fights for the wages and benefits they deserve, it helps to empower and inspire all other industries and workers as well.

For more information about how you can organize your workplace or support workers’ rights, visit the AFL-CIO, AFSCME, SEIU, or NELP. You can also contact your senators and urge them to support the Raise the Wage Act and the confirmation of pending nominees — and to oppose the budget cuts proposed in the appropriations bill.p Brandee McGee was a summer 2023 legal intern at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

Party Rentals for All Occasions

lBounce Houses & Slides lFun Food Concessions lGames lPackage Specials lTent, Tables, Chairs & Other Party Essentials

Call

848.999.4928

www.workersworldtoday.com

Nov 2023

9

In The News

Governor Hochul Signs Clean Slate Act, Expanding Economic Opportunity for New Yorkers While Protecting Public Safety

G

overnor Kathy Hochul on November 16 signed the Clean Slate Act, which seals certain criminal records and allows individuals to seek employment, housing, and educational opportunities so they can improve their lives. Records of individuals with eligible misdemeanor convictions will be sealed after three years and those with certain felony convictions after eight years, following their release from incarceration. The Clean Slate Act will not seal the records of individuals convicted of sex crimes, murder or other nondrug Class A felonies, and law enforcement, prosecutors, the NYS Education Department, courts and other groups will continue to have access to all criminal records.

A criminal record can impede an individual’s full participation in their communities after they have served their sentence. This is especially true for individuals from commu-

nities of color, who have been disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system. While New York State has the lowest incarceration rate among states with more than 10 million residents, racial disparities persist. Studies show that without Clean Slate, New York is missing out on $12.6 billion in annual economic activity – the total cost of lost wages each year due to the reduced earnings of individuals with unsealed records.

"The Clean Slate legislation signed today will help uplift thousands of New York families by allowing individuals who have paid their debt to society to become productive members of their communities and help to strengthen our City’s economy,” said NYC Central Labor Council, AFLCIO President Vincent Alvarez. “The NYC Labor Movement strongly supports Clean Slate, and we applaud Governor Hochul along with our State Legislature for bring-

Governor Kathy Hochul Editorial credit: lev radin /

ing it across the finish line.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James said, “The millions of New Yorkers who have paid their dues and are ready to rebuild their lives deserve a second chance. The Clean Slate Act will help ensure our justice system is fairer and more equitable, and help build stronger families and communities by making it easier for formerly incarcerated New Yorkers to find stable

Orientation is Monday, Dec 4, 2023

Join us via Zoom at 6pm

housing, good-paying jobs, and quality education. I want to thank Governor Hochul for signing this critical legislation today, as well as Senator Myrie, Assemblymember Cruz, and all the dedicated advocates who worked for years to make it a reality.”

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Jr. said, “By removing barriers to housing, jobs, and education, the Clean Slate Act makes our communities safer and our legal system fairer. I thank Governor Hochul for signing this critical bill and ensuring that New Yorkers with criminal convictions can rebuild their lives, as well as the many impacted individuals, advocates, and legislators whose work helped make this momentous day a reality.”

The Clean Slate Initiative CEO Sheena Meade said, “After years of sustained advocacy and strong public demand, New York is on the path to ensuring that a past mistake

will not forever foreclose the opportunity for people to build a better life for themselves and their families. Soon, millions of New Yorkers will no longer be defined by their records and will have the opportunity to contribute to their community, have a fair opportunity to work, get an education, and achieve their full potential. This common-sense public policy will help reduce recidivism, increase public safety, and stimulate the state’s economy by expanding the workforce of qualified and skilled workers who have previously been denied opportunities because of a past conviction. We applaud the hundreds of community partners who fought tirelessly to advance this policy, as well as state Senator Zellnor Myrie and Assembly Member Catalina Cruz for their leadership in the state legislature, and Governor Hochul for signing The New York Clean Slate Act into law.”p

www.workersworldtoday.com

Nov 2023

10

Workers’ Safety

What to Do If You're the Victim of a Personal Injury possible witnesses to remember what they may have seen during your accident.

Some additional things to do after a personal injury: •Try to collect evidence, if possible •Refrain from talking to bystanders or anyone else besides the police or an attorney about what happened

BY CHRIS TOBIAS

I

f you live somewhere in the New York and you've suffered a personal injury, you might have no idea what to do. The very first thing is to ensure that you're safe and that you receive the medical attention that you need. Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may need to be transported to the hospital by ambulance, and at that time, this is your priority.

However, once your injuries have been treated and stabilized, here's what you need to do next: Contact the Police If you or someone else has called 911, an ambulance will likely be sent along with the police. Even if you can answer any questions on the scene, you may want to refrain from doing so. You might be better off waiting to find legal counsel before you answer any of

their questions. However, the police will need to complete a basic report, so if you can, you will be required to answer some basic questions. Be careful not to make it appear as if the accident was your fault, even if you believe it might be.

Only an experienced personal injury attorney can definitively make such a determination.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney While there's no guarantee that you'll have a case if you are injured on the grounds of someone's home or business property, it's imperative that you contact a personal injury lawyer right away. The sooner your contact an attorney, the fresher any evidence will be, and the easier it will be for

What Is My Case Worth If you're considering filing a personal injury claim after any kind of accident—from a car crash to a slip and fall— you may be wondering "What is my case worth?" The answer is often dictated by your damages: In law, "damages" refers to all losses associated with your accident, from your medical bills and time missed at work, to your physical and mental "pain and suffering."

Damages are almost always

"compensatory," meaning they compensate for the full spectrum of an injury claimant's losses.

There are several factors that increase personal injury damages, and in turn boost the value of a case.Contact the Personal Injury Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates. Once you make that choice, one of our attorneys will carefully evaluate your situation to determine whether or not you have a case. If it's determined that you do have a case, we will guide you throughout the entire process to recover any money that you might be entitled to.

Guidance The Personal Injury Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates will go after the maximum settlement for you. No Settlement – No Fee! The Lawyer you hire does make a difference! Contact us today. Call 855-768-8845 or visit www.askthelawyer.us to schedule an appointment.p

www.workersworldtoday.com

Nov 2023

11

Old & New Immigrants: Their Rights Labor Shortage continued from page 1 needs to be.

After filing an asylum application, asylum seekers must wait an agonizing six months before they can receive a work permit. This makes their already vulnerable position even worse and prevents them from providing for themselves or their family.

In an effort to bring attention to this problem, the American Immigration Council released a letter on November 16 with more than 100 chambers of commerce, businesses, and trade associations across the country calling on Congress to reduce the time asylum seekers must wait for a work permit from 180 to 30 days.

The business leaders point out that this action will help address the chronic labor shortage across the United States. Signatories include national groups like the American Hotel and Lodging Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, as well as state and local chambers of commerce, many of whom attended the seventh

annual this past October.

Currently, a 1996 statute requires that asylum applicants wait at least 180 days before receiving a work permit. This statute was enacted at a time when the legacy Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), the agency predating the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), had an internal goal of processing asylum applications within 150 days.

Fast forward 27 years and asylum application processing can take nearly a decade. This is the result of various factors, including diverting asylum processing resources to the border while failing to invest in USCIS’ growing humanitarian workload. Right now, more than a million asylum applications await adjudication with USCIS. However, business leaders see this as an opportunity as the U.S. is experiencing a persistent labor shortage. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest estimates indicate that there are 9.6 million job openings while only 6.5 million workers are looking for a job.

This means that, even if every-

one who wants a job got one, over 3 million positions would go unfilled.

Experts predict that this gap is long-term given that the baby boomer generation is entering retirement, birthrates remain low, immigration policy continues to be hyper-politicized, and labor participation rates remain below pre-pandemic levels.

Meanwhile, an able and willing workforce—newly arrived asylum seekers—are prevented by law from meeting the demands of the American economy. For months, mayors and governors have called on the Biden administration to allow migrants to go to work

faster as state and local governments spend millions on food, shelter, and other services.

The Biden administration has taken positive steps, such as promising to process some work permits in 30 days, extending the validity periods for certain work permits from two to five years, and expanding access to work authorization by designating Temporary Protected Status for nationals of some countries impacted by armed conflict and natural disasters.

Despite these administrative efforts, only Congress can change the mandatory waiting period for asylum applicants

and provide more funding to address the work permit backlog at USCIS. There are several standalone proposals pending in the Senate and the House of Representatives that address these issues. All of them would decrease the mandatory waiting period to 30 days for at least some asylum applicants, which would currently benefit as many as 220,000 asylum seekers.

As Congress continues to struggle to find common ground, the recently published letter shows that businesses are seeking solutions now.

And while communities struggle to find workers, a solution lies in plain sight—let asylum seekers get to work faster. p

www.workersworldtoday.com

Nov 2023

12

Money Matters

Should I File for Bankruptcy Before or After the Holidays?

BY JANET HOWARD

B

ankruptcy helps people who can no longer pay their debts get a fresh start by liquidating assets to pay their debts or by creating a repayment plan. Bankruptcy laws also protect financially troubled businesses. Filing bankruptcy can help a person by discarding debt or making a plan to repay debts. A bankruptcy case normally begins when the debtor files a petition with the bankruptcy court. A petition may be filed by an individual, by spouses together, or by a corporation or other entity.

It may seem like there is never a good time to file for bankruptcy, but with the holidays sneaking up on us, it may seem like now is one of the worst times. If you're struggling financially, money can be the last thing you want to think about during a time dedicated to family and celebration.

However, filing for bankruptcy before the holiday can have its perks.

If you're considering waiting to file for bankruptcy until after the holidays are over, here are a few reasons you may want to change your mind.

1. You don't need to worry about overspending.

If you're already struggling with debt, you may want to file for bankruptcy before you do your holiday shopping. By completing the paperwork before you shop, you will be limited on the amount you spend on gifts — preventing you from falling deeper into debt.

Many individuals believe that they will be able to erase their holiday expenses if they wait to file. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case and more often than not you're left paying a credit card bill you can't afford.

Keep yourself — and your spending — in check by filing

for bankruptcy before the holidays begin.

2. You won't stress (about money) while spending time with family.

When spending time with friends and family over the holidays, you don't want your mind to be elsewhere. If you're waiting until after the holidays pass to file for bankruptcy, you may find your mind wandering to what the process will look like, if you'll be able to file, or how much your attorney will cost.

Filing for bankruptcy before the holidays means you can get the process started and your questions answered before your family and friends stop by. When you aren't worrying about the bankruptcy process, you can enjoy your time with the ones that you love.

3. Your gifts and bonuses won't chance your bankruptcy filing.

One of the best parts about the holidays is giving and receiving gifts. You may even be ex-

pecting a large bonus from your employer or a monetary gift from your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or other family members.

Unfortunately, these gifts and bonuses can influence your income, potentially making bankruptcy filing more difficult. Because each chapter of bankruptcy has salary limitations or requirements, a gift or bonus may push you over that amount and you will no longer be able to file for that chapter.

If you file before those gifts or bonuses are given, they will not influence your income.

Filing for bankruptcy can be confusing no matter what the time is. But when it comes to the holidays, you can get it out of the way before your busy schedule begins. If you're debating filing for bankruptcy, you may want to seriously consider finding time to submit the paperwork before the holidays begin.p

Creditors’ Harassments!

Lawsuits! Foreclosures!

Get the legal help you need NOW! Call 718-222-3155!

GET YOUR BANKRUPTCY CONSULTATION Documents Required: Save Your: *Home *Business *Car

*Health *Peace of Mind/Health *Marriage/Relationship

*List of debts *Your most recent tax returns *Correspondence from creditors *Lawsuit documents *Social Security and ID *List of assets

Filing a Chapter 7, 11 or 13 bankruptcy may be your only choice!!!

Call 855-768-8845 for a consultation today!

The Law Offices of Figeroux & Associates, 26 Court Street, Suite 701, Brooklyn, NY. Visit www.askthelawyer.us

www.workersworldtoday.com

Nov 2023

12

Love, Health & Travel

Thanksgiving Sides are Delicious and Can Be Nutritious − Here’s the Biochemistry of How to Maximize the Benefits

BY JULIE POLLOCK THE CONVERSATION

W

hile people usually think first about the turkey or the ham during holiday meals, the sides are what help balance your plate. Colorful vegetables like green beans, collard greens, roasted carrots and mashed sweet potatoes are loaded with important micronutrients. But how you prepare them will help determine whether you get the most nutritional value out of each bite this holiday season.

As a biochemist, I know that food is made up of many chemical substances that are crucial for human growth and function. These chemical substances are called nutrients and can be divided into

Side dishes made with colorful vegetables are a holiday staple for many.

macronutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins, and micronutrients, such as vitamins and minerals.

Vegetables are full of micronutrients that human bodies need for metabolism – or converting food into energy – as well as to form and main-

tain cells and tissues. These micronutrients can be classified into three types: minerals, water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins.

The greens – collard greens, kale, spinach, green beans – on your table are rich sources of the elements magnesium

and calcium. Your body needs these two major minerals for muscle movement and bone health.

Magnesium is essential for many of the enzymes that play important roles in DNA synthesis and repair, as well as protein production and

metabolic function. The cellular processes, especially accurate DNA synthesis, are important in protecting your body from developing diseases such as cancer. Calcium helps regulate the pH in your body, influences your metabolism and strengthens your nerve impulses. Nerve impulses are important for your senses and your memory.

Greens are also a source of iron – you were right, Popeye!

– which is particularly important for the oxygen-binding proteins hemoglobin and myoglobin that transfer and store oxygen in your body, respectively. In addition, human bodies require iron for processes that help generate energy, protect against oxidative damage and make horcontinued on page 14

www.workersworldtoday.com

Nov 2023

14

Love, Health & Travel Delicious & Nutritous Sides continued from page 13 mones.

Orange vegetables – carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and squash – contain some levels of calcium and iron as well as high levels of potassium.

Potassium is important for muscle movement, nerve impulses and maintaining low blood pressure. Although not a colorful vegetable, white potatoes also contain very high levels of potassium.

Water-soluble vitamins Most green and orange vegetables contain high levels of vitamin C. Vitamin C is an important water-soluble vitamin because it acts as an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect your cells against certain types of damage caused by very reactive molecules known as free radicals.

In addition, vitamin C can enhance immune response and is essential for the synthesis of collagen – the major protein in your skin. Although taking large levels of vitamin C will not keep you from ever getting sick, a healthy amount can help your skin stay soft, help you avoid diseases like scurvy and potentially shorten

the length of a cold.

The white potatoes on the table have high levels of vitamin B6, which is a component of enzymes essential for carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. It also helps create healthy blood cells and is important in the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, which both regulate pleasure and happiness.

Fat-soluble vitamins One of the most important vitamins you get from the green vegetables, especially leafy ones like kale, spinach, collards and Brussels sprouts, is vitamin K. Vitamin K is an essential component of enzymes that make proteins in bone and proteins that help clot blood after injuries.

Vitamin A is another important fat-soluble vitamin found in spinach and orange vegetables. The source of vitamin A in vegetables is actually beta carotene, which gets broken into two molecules of active vitamin A after consumption.

Vitamin A is essential to vision as well as cell differentiation, reproduction, bone health and immune system function.

Absorption of micronutrients Consuming vegetables that contain micronutrients is very important, but just as important is your body’s ability to absorb the nutrients and transport them to the cells that need them. Macronutrients like carbohydrates, fats and proteins that primarily make up the food we eat are very efficiently absorbed into your bloodstream.

However, only 3%-10% of some micronutrients actually get distributed throughout your body. Other ingredients and factors in your food can moderate whether you absorb vitamins and minerals.

Therefore, it is important to prepare vegetables in a way that can enhance the body’s ability to absorb their essential vitamins and minerals.

One good example of this is iron – specifically, the iron in the food you consume. Heme iron, which is the form necessary for incorporation into your body, comes only from animal products and is the most easily absorbed.

The plant-based iron contained in green and orange vegetables, on the other hand, is not bound to a heme, and your body can’t absorb it as readily. Consuming vitamin C alongside vegetables can increase the uptake of nonheme iron. So, a squeeze of lemon or orange juice can not only enhance the flavor of your vegetables but the micronutrients you obtain from them.

Fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamin K and vitamin A, are best absorbed when the meal contains some dietary fat, which you can get from oil.

This is particularly important

for vitamin K because green vegetables are its primary dietary source. This is in contrast to the other minerals and vitamins discussed that can also be obtained from animals or legumes that contain some amounts of dietary fat already.

After consumption, vitamin K must be packaged with other fats in structures called micelles or lipoproteins that can move around in the bloodstream. That means that it’s a good idea to prepare your greens with some source of fat – olive oil, avocado oil, butter or even a little bacon grease.

So, if you’re staring at the southern style collard greens on your plate and wondering whether they’re as healthy as eating a raw green leaf, think about it in terms of the biochemistry. While raw greens provide you with plenty of fiber and minerals, they won’t help your vitamin K levels as greens cooked in oil will.

Enjoy your time around the holiday table. Load up your plate with everything you like to eat, and make sure to not go completely fat-free in order to help your body process and use all the micronutrients.p Julie Pollock is an Associate Professor of Chemistry, University of Richmond

www.workersworldtoday.com

Nov 2023

15

Love, Health & Travel

Five Signs You're Dating An Unsupportive Man

BY MARY CAMPBELL

O

ne of the greatest qualities someone you're dating can have is that they are supportive of what you're doing in your life. We all have hopes and dreams and knowing you can count on the person you're romantically involved with is a great thing. Here are four signs that you might be dating a man who is not supportive.

1. His interest in your life is lacking If your boyfriend seems uninterested in hearing about your goals or anything you're working on in your life, this is the sign of an unsupportive man. You should always be able to discuss what's going on in your life with your partner. Sharing hopes and dreams is part of a romantic

relationship. If your boyfriend doesn't seem interested and supportive of your goals in life, he might not be the best choice for you.

2. He doesn't value your time If you are working on achieving a personal or career goal and your boyfriend expects you to drop what you're doing whenever he wants to see you, this could be a sign he's not

supportive of you and your dreams. If your tell your boyfriend that you're working on a project you're really into or an assignment for school, and he gets upset with you for not being there when he's free, this is not supportive behaviour. He might think that you can accomplish your tasks when it's more convenient for him.

855-768-8845

3. He manipulates you into doing what he wants If you're working on something important in your life and your boyfriend makes you feel guilty because you're not giving him as much time as he wants, he is an unsupportive boyfriend. This kind of man will make you feel like you're a bad girlfriend who doesn't love him as much as he loves you. This is a manipulative move that he hopes will make you drop what you're doing and cater to him.

4. You have an overwhelming, overall gut feeling andoften feel negative You cry, complain or feel anxious about some aspect of the relationship or your partner multiple times a week. You don't enjoy spending time with your partner or need alone time more than usual.

5. He suggests alternative goals When you're chasing a dream, there will be difficult times.

You won't always succeed at every step the first time around. It's important that you have a boyfriend who will encourage you to keep going when times get tough. He will offer to help in any way he can.

A man who is unsupportive will say "I told you so" and suggest you give up and try something else. He might try to steer you in a direction he finds more appropriate and suited to his likes and future plans.

Dating a man who is not supportive can make you feel like you don't matter as much as you should. It's important for both partners to take an interest in the other and make an effort to support each other as much as possible.p

www.workersworldtoday.com

Nov 2023

16

Love, Health & Travel

Holiday Season Statement from RWDSU

N

EW YORK, NY: As the holiday shopping season gets underway, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), issued the following statement urging workers be treated with dignity and respect from in-store shopping to e-commerce warehousing, from farm to table and everything in between: “The stress and pressure for retail workers during the holiday season is exacerbated by a continuing rise in incidents of workplace violence. Incidents of harassment, violence and hate are striking fear this holiday season in workers who are already worried about their physical safety and mental health at work every day of the year. Retail workers bear the brunt of shoppers’ frustration when it comes to rising inflation and perpetuating supply chain issues. Workers are not to blame, and stores should provide security, safety protocols and training to handle irate shoppers this season as well as safe staffing levels.

Shoppers need to treat workers with dignity and respect – period.

“In e-commerce, workers often unseen and unheard by the public face inhumane quotas and unsafe working conditions. Every year at this time, Amazon workers across the world are forced to work mandatory overtime at an often-unattainable pace that results in injuries, often causing irreparable damage. Workers at Amazon’s warehouses are pushed to the limits to meet unreasonable quotas from nameless and faceless algorithms and apps on their phones. Amazon must be held accountable. Amazon must recognize the health and safety needs of its employees. Amazon must reduce its unbearable pace of work which has resulted in thousands of documented physical and mental injuries.

And most importantly, Amazon must stop union-busting.

The company has continued to repress workers' voices and prevent their ability to make

effective change at work – which can only happen when workers are able to join together through a union.

“As we sit down to our holiday meals this season, we must recognize the farmworkers who work year-long to make sure we have delicious food on our tables. They too deserve the same rights as other workers, including the right to organize and improve working conditions. They toil in extreme heat and cold to ensure our precious time with

our families builds tasty traditions and that this time of year is truly a season of love and warmth.

“The passage of critical legislation including bills that prevent workplace violence, stop limitless quotas, protect worker health and safety and ensure workers are safe in extreme temperatures can help, but nothing compares to everybody – including both consumers and employers – treating workers with dignity and respect at this time of

year,” said Stuart Appelbaum, President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU)p The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) represents 100,000 members throughout the United States. The RWDSU is affiliated with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW). For more information, please visit our website at www.rwdsu.org, Facebook:/RWDSU.UFCW Twitter:@RWDSU.

COVID or a cold?

You have the right to Safe and Sick Leave

It’s the Law. If you work for a private employer, including as a domestic worker, you can get up to 40 or 56 hours of leave a year to care for yourself or family. For COVID-19 or other health or safety reasons.

GREEN CARD SLAVERY?

Don’t put up with ABUSE anymore! Whether married or not, whether your spouse is a U.S. citizen or Green Card Holder, we can get a Green Card for you and your children PLUS a divorce.

Call 855-768-8845 now for a consultation!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

To learn more or to file a complaint: Visit nyc.gov/workers | Call 311 and say “Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law”

This information is brought to your courtesy of THE ASK THE LAWYER Radio Program. For a legal consultation on these and other issues, please call 855-768-8845 or schedule an appointment at www.askthelawyer.us

www.workersworldtoday.com

Nov 2023

17

Conversations

Why George Santos’ Lies Are Even Worse Than the Usual Political Lies – a Moral Philosopher Explains

BY MICHAEL BLAKE THE CONVERSATION

O

n Nov. 16, 2023, the bipartisan House Committee on Ethics issued a scathing report on the behavior of Rep. George Santos, finding that Santos had engaged in “knowing and willful violations of the Ethics in Government Act.” That committee’s Republican chair later introduced a motion to expel Santos from Congress.

Regardless of the success or failure of that motion, which will be considered after Thanksgiving, Santos himself has announced he will not seek reelection.

These consequences are being brought to bear on Santos in large part because of what the report calls a “constant stream of lies to his constituents, donors, and staff.”

Santos appears to have deceived donors about what their money would be used for. Ostensible campaign donations were redirected for his private use, including purchases of Botox and subscriptions to OnlyFans, an X-rated entertainment service.

What, though, makes Santos’ lies so unusual – and so damning? The idea that politicians are dishonest is, at this point, something of a cliché – although few have taken their dishonesty as far as Santos, who seems to have lied about his education, work history, charitable activity, athletic prowess and even his place of residence.

Santos may be exceptional in how many lies he has told, but politicians seeking election have incentives to tell voters what they want to hear – and

Congressman George Santos Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

there is some empirical evidence that a willingness to lie may be helpful in the process of getting elected. Voters may not appreciate candidates who are unwilling or unable to mislead others from time to time.

As a political philosopher whose work focuses on the moral foundations of democratic politics, I am interested in the moral reasons behind voters’ right to feel resentment

when they discover that their elected representatives have lied to them.

Political philosophers offer four distinct responses to this question – although none of these responses suggests that all lies are necessarily morally wrong.

1. Lying is manipulative The first reason to resent being lied to is that it is a form of disrespect. When you lie to me,

you treat me as a thing to be manipulated and used for your purposes. In the terms used by philosopher Immanuel Kant, when you lie to me, you treat me as a means or a tool, rather than a person with a moral status equal to your own.

Kant himself took this principle as a reason to condemn all lies, however useful – but other philosophers have thought that some lies were so important that they might be compatible with, or even express, respect for citizens.

Plato, notably, argues in “The Republic” that when the public good requires a leader to lie, the citizens should be grateful for the deceptions of their leaders.

Michael Walzer, a modern political philosopher, echoes this idea. Politics requires the continued on page 18

OUR EXPERTISE: •Men & Women Clothing •Pants Hemming •Jacket Alterations •Formal Attire Alterations •Dress & Gown Alterations •Pants, Skirts & Blouse Al‐ terations •Custom Tailoring and more

COMPETENT | RELIABLE | EXPERIENCED Looking for a quality touch for your altered or custom‑made clothing?

CALL US TODAY 347‑837‑0404

Nov 2023

www.workersworldtoday.com

18

Conversations George Santos/ continued from page 17 building of coalitions and the making of deals – which, in a world full of moral compromise, may entail being deceptive about what one is planning and why. As Walzer puts it, no one succeeds in politics without being willing to dirty their hands – and voters should prefer politicians to get their hands dirty if that is the cost of effective political agency.

2. Abuse of trust A second reason to resent lies begins with the idea of predictability. If our candidates lie to us, we cannot know what they really plan to do – and, hence, cannot trust that we are voting for the candidate who will best represent our interests.

Modern political philosopher Eric Beerbohm argues that when politicians speak to us, they invite us to trust them – and a politician who lies to us abuses that trust in a way that we may rightly resent.

These ideas are powerful, but they also seem to have some limits. Voters may not need to believe candidates’ words in order to understand their intentions and thereby come to

accurate beliefs about what they plan to do.

To take one recent example: The majority of those who voted for Donald Trump in 2016, when he was trumpeting the idea of making Mexico pay for a border wall, did not believe that it was actually possible to build a wall that would be paid for by Mexico. They did not take Trump to be describing a literal truth, but expressing an untruth that was indicative of Trump’s overall attitude toward migration and toward Mexico – and voted for him on the basis of that attitude.

3. Electoral mandate The third reason we might resent lies told on the campaign trail stems from the idea of an electoral mandate. Philosopher John Locke, whose writings influenced the Declaration of Independence, regarded political authority as stemming from the consent of the governed; this consent might be illegitimate were it to be obtained by means of deception.

This idea, too, has power – but it also runs up against the sophistication of both modern elections and modern voters.

After all, campaigns do not pretend to give a dispassionate

description of political ideals.

They are closer to rhetorical forms of combat and involve considerable amounts of deliberate ambiguity, rhetorical presentation and self-interested spin.

More to the point, though, voters understand this context and rarely regard any candidate’s presentation as stemming solely from a concern for the unalloyed truth.

4. Unnecessary and disprovable Santos’ lies, however, do seem to have provoked something like resentment and outrage, which suggests that they are somehow unlike the usual forms of deceptive practice undertaken during political campaigns.

Certainly the congressional response to these lies is ex-

traordinary. If Santos is expelled from Congress, he would be only the third member of that body to have been expelled since the Civil War. The rarity of this sanction may reflect a final reason to resent deception, which is that voters especially dislike being lied to unnecessarily – nor about matters subject to easy empirical proof or disproof. It seems clear that voters may sometimes be willing to accept deceptive and dissembling political candidates, given the fact that effective statecraft may involve the use of deceptive means. Santos, however, lied about matters as tangential to politics as his nonexistent history as a star player for Baruch College’s volleyball team.

This lie was unnecessary, given its tenuous relationship

to his candidacy for the House of Representatives, and easily disproved, given the fact that he did not actually attend Baruch. Similarly, the ethics report on Santos emphasized the fact that his expenditures often involved purchases for which there was no plausible relationship to a campaign, including US$6,000 at luxury goods store Ferragamo. The proposition that such a purchase was useful for his election campaign is difficult to defend – or to believe.

I believe voters may have made their peace with some deceptive campaign practices.

If Walzer is right, they should expect that an effective candidate will be imperfectly honest, at best. But candidates who are both liars and bad at lying can find no such justification, since they are unlikely to be believed and thus incapable of achieving those goods that justify their deception.

If voters have made their peace with some degree of lying, in short, they are nonetheless still capable of resenting candidates who are unskilled at the craft of political deception.p This is an updated version of an article originally published on Jan. 20, 2023.

Nov 2023

19 Workers’ World Today -Nov 2023

www.workersworldtoday.com

The lawyer you hire, does make a difference!

Workers’ World Today - Nov 2023