Charlie Rose Science Series
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The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How The War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals
by Jane Mayer
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by Jane Mayer
Buy it
06/21/2007
Andy Stern
A conversation with Andy Stern
A conversation with Andy Stern, President of the Service Employees International Union. Stern discusses China, Walmart, labor laws, wages and his book "A Country That Works: Getting America Back on Track".
DVD
Charlie Rose DVDs on Amazon.
Charlie Rose DVDs on Amazon.
Audio
Audio available through Audible.com.
Audio available through Audible.com.
Transcripts
Transcripts available through Voxant.
Transcripts available through Voxant.
Did it never occur to Mr. Stern to inquire as to how the ACFTU could possibly succeed in organizing China's Wal Mart stores in a year when American unions can't make a dent here after a decade of effort? Could it possibly be because what the Chinese Communist Party wants the Communist Party gets? As all serious commentators on China understand, of course, the ACFTU is hardly a union - it is the state's representative inside the Chinese working class, watching and controlling Chinese workers so that China can continue its role as cheap labor provider to the world's multinationals.
What a wonderful show. I do find it disapointing that it wasn't for an hour. I hope the show continues to show things like this. Mr. Stearns was very polite. Republicans, the Bush Administration and selfish Americans are to blame. A smart, kind guy like Sterns is so hopeful!
When people discuss immigration from Latin America, no mentions the pressures their birthrates create. It is unlikely that any policies here or in those countries will work if it does not address the expanding numbers of new workers who will need jobs somewhere in the the near future because of birthrates.
Excellent discussion. Globalism is more meaningful and humane because of Mr. Stern's vision and hard work and it's great that Charlie Rose.com is expanding the reach of his often ignored point of view. There are more fundamental global links to be forged through globalization of labor, however -- the Iraqi oil workers union, for example, opposes the Hydrocarbon bill (vetted by the Vice President's office) which would privatize most of Iraq's national oil fields. Where is the international union support and solidarity for these Iraqi workers who wish to protect their national resources for the Iraqi people? This program is another example of television at its best. Thank you.
I enjoyed Mr. Sterns commentary, especially as it related to the insular and unrealistic perspective of our Congress, in general. Moreover the economic projections he cited for the future of America were alarming but quite believable. I only wish that he had cited the sources of these prognostications, so that I might gain further insight. Generally I am a pro-union "liberal" independent. I have a sister who is a nurse in Chicago who tells me of her frustration regarding the inept service provided by unionized low-level healthcare technicians there. To hear her speak of the lack of professionalism they display or the lack disciplinary action from management, it would seem that unionization alone will not provide for better healthcare or service. Managerial freedom from constraint imposed by the capitalistic profit based approach to healthcare overall, one that requires low-level employees to suffer under a system that won't compensate workers adequately or yield access to the same quality of care the are expected to provide is the larger issue. Apparently the move Sicko is an attempt to popularize this debate. I love living a country that claims to be the best at everything while placing 38th in healthcare... don't you!