Friends,
The Jewish Journal this week pasted the word “Success” over a photo of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on its cover this week. This was a rebuke to LA Magazine, which put the word “Failure” (and a less flattering photo of the mayor) on its cover story in its current issue. You can read my Jewish Journal article, “Judging Mr. Mayor” and compare it with the LA Magazine piece, “Dear Mr. Mayor.”
If you watch the NBA finals on TV tonight, you might not hear the sounds of human rights and labor protesters outside the Amway Arena in Orlando, where the Lakers play the Magic. But they will be there, and they’ll be outside Staples Center on Tuesday night if a 6th game is necessary. I just posted a piece on the HuffingtonPost website about the protest, because I doubt the mainstream media, including NBC, will cover the demonstrations.
United Students Against Sweatshops is targeting the NBA for its $125 million contract with Russell Athletics, a clothing company that produces much of its apparel in Honduran sweatshops and has an outrageous track record of anti-union harassment and intimidation of
workers. It wants a meeting with NBA Commissioner David Stern to discuss Russell’s labor abuses. Last month 65 members of Congress signed a letter to Russell complaining about the company’s labor practices in Honduras. Russell is owned by Berkshire Hathaway, run by Warren
Buffett. My article has a link to websites where you can learn more about this issue and send a letter to Stern voicing your concern. It also reports that over 70 universities have cut their ties to Russell to protest the company’s abuses.
Peter Dreier
Tags: david stern, nba, sweatshops, villaraigosa
