Aug 9 Economy “Bloody Harlan” Revisited: Blackjewel Miners Draw On Labor History While Facing Uncertain Future Curtis Cress sat in the gravel beside a railroad track in Harlan County, Kentucky. Tall and thin with a long, black beard, Cress is every bit a coal miner, or, he was until a month ago. “It’s part of my heritage, you know? My dad and papaws had always done it,” he said. “And I’m […] By Sydney Boles Aug 9 Economy “Bloody Harlan” Revisited: Blackjewel Miners Draw On Labor History While Facing Uncertain Future Sydney Boles
Mar 8 Economy Automation For The People? Ohio Valley At High Risk For Job Losses Amazon employee Andre Woodson made his way among yellow bins traveling through a vast warehouse filled with boxes and envelopes to be packed, sorted and shipped. In Amazon-speak, this is a “fulfillment center.” “Our Jeffersonville, Indiana, fulfillment center is about 1.2 million square feet, which is equivalent to about 28 football fields,” Woodson explained. About […] By Becca Schimmel Mar 8 Economy Automation For The People? Ohio Valley At High Risk For Job Losses Becca Schimmel
Apr 13 Economy Teachable Moment: What Teacher Protests Portend For Schools, Labor And Elections When Oklahoma teacher Sally Salmons saw momentum building toward teacher protests in her state, she immediately reached out to family ties and educators in West Virginia. She said teacher walkouts in the Mountain State provided her and colleagues across the state with the courage they needed to take a stand. “We looked at West Virginia […] By Glynis Board Apr 13 Economy Teachable Moment: What Teacher Protests Portend For Schools, Labor And Elections Glynis Board
Oct 18 Agriculture On Strike: Migrant Workers On Visa Program Claim Unfair Pay Workers on a tobacco farm in Garrard County, Kentucky, are entering the third week of a strike over claims that they have not received the pay guaranteed by a federal work visa program. The strike is part of a movement across the South and Midwest to organize migrant laborers who enter the country legally to […] By Benny Becker Oct 18 Agriculture On Strike: Migrant Workers On Visa Program Claim Unfair Pay Benny Becker
Jun 30 Economy Working With Addiction: A Popsicle Plant Helps To Lick The Opioid Crisis If you’ve ever enjoyed a Budget Saver twin popsicle on a hot summer day, you can thank the employees of the Ziegenfelder frozen treat factory in Wheeling, West Virginia. Floor operator Sonny Baxter keeps the line of popsicles going in the cherry-scented worksite. “You have to have a comprehension of how the line works, how […] By Aaron Payne Jun 30 Economy Working With Addiction: A Popsicle Plant Helps To Lick The Opioid Crisis Aaron Payne
Apr 21 Economy Mind The Gap: Why The ‘Wage Gap’ Still Divides Us On Payday McKenzie Cantrell is an employment lawyer affiliated with the Maxwell Street Legal Clinic, in Lexington, Kentucky, where she works with low-income refugees and immigrants to uncover instances of wage theft and income disparities. Cantrell, who is also a state representative for part of Jefferson County, travels and gives presentations about employment law, wage theft and what […] By Becca Schimmel Apr 21 Economy Mind The Gap: Why The ‘Wage Gap’ Still Divides Us On Payday Becca Schimmel
Feb 17 Economy Labor Movement: Will ‘Right-To-Work’ States Attract More Businesses? The Ohio Valley region once helped give rise to the labor movement. Now it’s shifting toward what’s known as right-to-work law. West Virginia and Kentucky have passed right-to-work laws and Ohio is considering a similar bill. One of the big selling points for right-to-work proponents is that the law can attract new businesses. But opponents […] By Becca Schimmel Feb 17 Economy Labor Movement: Will ‘Right-To-Work’ States Attract More Businesses? Becca Schimmel
Feb 17 Economy Right to Work in the United States By Alexandra Kanik Feb 17 Economy Right to Work in the United States Alexandra Kanik
Dec 2 Agriculture Growing Concerns: Trump’s Immigration Rhetoric Sows Anxiety In Agriculture On Nelson Key Road in Murray, Kentucky, lies a 30-acre tobacco farm and there sits the road’s namesake, Nelson Key himself. He’s just at the end of this year’s harvest, which was brought in with the help of migrant workers. “I used American workers up until 1991 then I went to the migrant workers and […] By Nicole Erwin Dec 2 Agriculture Growing Concerns: Trump’s Immigration Rhetoric Sows Anxiety In Agriculture Nicole Erwin