wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

I.Newman #5,
It's not just health care. It's all benefits including pensions. If all they wanted to do was avoid benefits or overtime rules they would hire the regular workers for fewer than 40 hours a week. But if they are temporary they can be fired very easily. If they don't need the worker on a particular day, the worker is unhired for that day. Also, if they pay workers as contractors they don't hvae to pay unemployment insurance, Social Security or Medicare taxes on them.

Mario is a fantastic host! Please have him back.

I particularly enjoyed this discussion and topic. I wish that Andrew had answered the question more head on about alternatives to capitalism. Yes, the neo-liberal model of capitalism is especially devastating to workers, but isn't capitalism in general an unsustainable model? Shouldn't we be having this discussion more in depth?

Thanks again for having Mario on.

In addition to the freedom of speech and
the freedom of religion, one of the glories
of the United States of America is the
freedom of capitalism. The American capitalist
system has faltered more than once but it is
self-healing. It has brought prosperity to
this country and to the world and it will continue to do so.

I listen to WNYC because of the stimilating
conversation. I try to pry my mind open as I
listen to speaker with whom I disagree. This morning your guest simply made me feel angry.

Well said Mr. Ross. What is occurring in globalization is "glocalization" where local adoption of certain global strains are adapted for that area, culture, country, etc. For instance, there are different forms of global capitalism on display: neoliberalism, social democratic economies, state corporate capitalism, etc.

As a freelance editor, I get frustrated about taxes. Freelance and contract workers have to pay taxes for services that are unavailable to them, like unemployment benefits. Do you see this as adapting to the way things are now?

I would like to hear what the speaker has to say about the new model of internships. As a recent college graduate I have been forced to take unpaid internships to get entry into the field I am interested in working in. During this time, I have seen several institutions use unpaid interns where at one time they would have had paid assistants. At some places, rather than hiring the intern at the end of their time, they institutions simply gets another intern. People are basically being trained to work for free.

Isn't the issue more about healthcare? Employers duck hiring fulltime workers to avoid high healthcare costs. Isn't it simple as this?

"NYU as regular part time NYU profs. NYU slashed pay."

more info -- slashed to around 150 per class, no benefits, incl mtgs, prep, transport etc

How interesting -- in fact 2 artists, a photographer and a painter I know, both w 2 decades of experience as celebrated artists and beloved teachers -- both had to quit NYU as regular part time NYU profs. NYU slashed pay.

Ironically they told me this while I was visiting their homes near Washington Square Park, which seems to have been purchased entirely by NYU.

In a few years, NYU students will never know the inferior education they are receiving and why many sane successful artists steer away.

This discussion reminds me of another book by NYTimes reporter, Louis Uchitelle called "The Disposable American - Layoffs and Their Consequences". Very sad environment for workers for years now.

How does the US rate with others when it comes to workers rights and how does the rise in corporate power affect this trend? Is the US the most corporate friendly country in the industrialized world?

thanks.