19 minute read
Union Matters
Trader Joe’s does away with Two Buck Chuck
By KAREN JUANITA CARRILLO
Special to the AmNews
Trader Joe’s only wine store in New York City closed abruptly on Thursday, Aug. 11.
After having been open at 138 East 14th St. in Union Square for 15 years, managers at Trader Joe’s Wine Shop, store #541, sent out an email to store employees— its “Crew Members”—to say that the space they had been operating in was too small, and that management had decided to “optimize the potential of our one and only license to sell wine in the state of New York” by moving the wine shop to another location.
Management promises that employees will be paid their regular salaries through Aug. 28, based on the days they were scheduled to work: “During this time, we will be working with the Mates, Merchant, and the Crew, and will talk individually with each of you about the opportunity to transfer to another Trader Joe’s store in New York City,” management’s email stated. “We will be getting in touch with each of you soon, but if you have questions, please feel free to contact [us].”
Questions are still swirling about whether the wine shop’s closing was in response to any unionization attempts among employees.
One Trader Joe’s employee claims Crew Members were on the verge of asking for a vote to unionize. But since the store had already become less profitable since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and was having to regulate the sale of its alcohol because it was in a building owned by New York University (which has underage college students they didn’t want frequenting the wine store), the TJ’s employee claims management jumped at the opportunity to quickly close the store and move its wine operations to another space.
“They claimed it was because the wine store has been losing money since the pandemic started,” another Trader Joe’s employee told the AmNews.
“Either way, it’s an example of the company not even considering the employees in their decisions because they were not warned until 12:01 midnight.”
The midnight emailing of management’s announcement that the store was closing took both patrons and employees by surprise: some employees had not checked their email before showing up for work the next day and only found out about the situation when they arrived to start their shift.
Trader Joe’s Wine Shop email to store employees—its “Crew Members”—arrived at 12 in the morning, on the day the store was set to close.
OSHA investigates deaths of Amazon workers in New Jersey
Amazon Fulfillment Center (Photo courtesy of jetcityimage via iStock)
By HALELUYA HADERO
AP Business Writer
Federal work-safety investigators are looking into the death of an Amazon worker and an injury that potentially led to the death of another employee, adding to a probe already underway following a third fatality during the company's annual Prime Day shopping event in mid-July.
All three Amazon workers died within the past month and were employed at company facilities in New Jersey.
The new Occupational Health and Safety Administration investigations are putting fresh scrutiny on Amazon’s injury rates and workplace-safety procedures, which have long been criticized by labor and safety advocates as inadequate.
Department of Labor spokesperson Denisha Braxton confirmed Thursday that the most-recent fatality took place Aug. 4 at an Amazon facility in Monroe Township, about 20 miles (35 kilometers) northeast of Trenton. The second probe is looking into a July 24 accident at an Amazon facility in Robbinsville. The worker involved in that accident died three days later, according to Braxton.
In a statement, Robbinsville Police Chief Michael Polaski said police responded to the warehouse, called PNE5, on July 24 after receiving a report that a worker fell from a three-foot (onemeter) ladder and struck his head.
Polaski said the worker was conscious and alert when police arrived. But police were told CPR was conducted on the person by other workers prior to their arrival, he said. The person was transported to a hospital and OSHA was notified of the incident on the same day, he added.
Police in Monroe Township didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment on the incident there.
The two most recent deaths were first reported by the USA Today Network.
OSHA officials declined to provide additional information about any of the deaths, citing the open investigations. The agency has up to six month to complete each probe.
Sam Stephenson, a spokesperson for Seattle-based Amazon, said in a statement the company was “deeply saddened by the passing of our colleagues and offer our condolences to their family and friends.”
“Our investigations are ongoing and we’re cooperating with OSHA, which is conducting its own reviews of the events, as it often does in these situations,” Stephenson said.
Last month, OSHA launched another investigation into a worker fatality at an Amazon warehouse in the New Jersey town of Carteret during the company’s Prime Day shopping event, which turned out to be the biggest in the company’s history. Federal officials haven’t released additional details about the death, but news reports have identified the worker as 42-year-old Rafael Reynaldo Mota Frias.
A spokesperson for Amazon said the company’s internal investigation into the Carteret death shows it “was not a work-related incident, and instead was related to a personal medical condition.”
“OSHA is currently investigating the incident, and, based upon the evidence currently available to us, we fully expect that it will reach the same conclusion,” the spokesperson said.
News of the deaths comes amid broader scrutiny into the company’s operations. In late July, OSHA officials inspected Amazon facilities in New York, Illinois and Florida after receiving referrals alleging health and safety violations from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. The civil division of the U.S. attorney’s office is also investigating safety hazards at Amazon warehouses and “fraudulent conduct designed to hide injuries from OSHA and others,” according to a spokesperson for the office.
By REV. RUBEN DIAZ
You should know that Mayor Eric Adams has been very upset lately with the governor of Texas, Greg Abbott. Gov. Abbott continues to bus illegal immigrants to New York City, and this is making Mayor Adams quite uncomfortable, and he does not like it one bit.
Mayor Adams is so angry, he issued Gov. Abbott a threat. He has threatened to bus New Yorkers to Texas with the purpose of interfering with the Texas gubernatorial elections. According to Mayor Adams’ threat, he will bus these New Yorkers to Texas for the sole purpose of campaigning (knocking on doors) on behalf of Gov. Abbott’s opponent, Beto O’Rourke. This action is mean-spirited, purposeful, and intended to disrupt the Texan elections by outsiders. Gov. Abbott responded, “Bring it on, Make My Day.”
The question we as New Yorkers must ask is, what is eating Eric Adams? Why is he so upset with the governor of Texas, instead of being angry at Joe Biden and the Biden administration? Afterall it was the Biden administration that has created the chaos at the border.
We must remind the mayor that it was Joe Biden who, during the presidential campaign, extended an open invitation saying all who wanted to come to America will be welcomed. Biden made and kept his promise when he flung open our borders and when he immediately stopped building border safeguards. Recently Biden suspended President Trump’s “Stay In Mexico Policy” which is geared to keep immigrants in Mexico until they have been processed for asylum. This will now increase illegal crossings. So why is Mayor Adams directing his ire at Gov. Abbott?
Mayor Adams must also be reminded that the Biden administration has been flying and bussing migrants into Westchester County, New York, way before Gov. Abbott began bussing them into NYC. Mayor Adams’ and the Democrats’ silence on that has been deafening. You should also know that Gov. Abbott had reached out to the Biden administration numerous times during these past two years requesting help to deal with the increase of migrants. His requests have fallen on deaf ears. He requested that President Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris visit the border to see for themselves the chaos and the enormity of the problem and huge numbers of migrants arriving daily. But the governor and the state of Texas have been ignored. Gov. Abbott has depleted his state’s resources, manpower, and has had to deal with the rise in crime while dealing with the thousands of illegal migrants. As a result, Gov. Abbott has been left with no other recourse than to bus these migrants to “Sanctuary Cities” run by Democrats. The Democrats created “Sanctuary Cities” for this very purpose. “Sanctuary Cities” now have the obligation to provide illegal migrants with the “sanctuary” they were promised. So, what’s eating Mayor Eric Adams?
My dear reader please know that Gov. Abbott invited our mayor to visit the Texan border to assess and see for himself the immensity of the problem firsthand. I imagine that Gov. Abbott extended this invitation hoping that both he and Mayor Adams would work collaboratively to pressure the Biden administration for help and bring about workable solutions to deal with this grave problem. But instead, Mayor Adams has pushed back with insults, mockery, and threats.
Eric Adams’ response to Gov. Abbott’s invitation is unfortunate, and very disappointing. Adams’ response to Gov. Abbott is that he has no need to go to the border for a “photo op.” Yet he didn’t mind photo ops at celebrity events and when getting pedicures. Instead, Adams launches threats at another state, and its governor. It makes one wonder where the mayor’s priorities are. So, what’s eating Mayor Eric Adams?
I can only imagine that Mayor Adams, like President Joe Biden, fails to see that Gov. Abbott and the people of Texas are our fellow Americans. They fail to see that the problems at our country’s border, which has enabled human trafficking, sex trafficking, the sexual abuse of women and children, drug trafficking and overall chaos in our country, is not a Republican or Democratic issue. Securing America and its people requires bipartisan leadership with both Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and Conservatives working together to keep us, we the people, SAFE! That would be a photo op that our dear Mayor Adams, could be proud of.
I am Rev. Ruben Diaz and this is“What You Should Know.”
Voting: Health, the homeless and community By ALLYSHA BRYANT
The countdown is on, as we wind down to the Primary Election in NYC––to be held on Aug. 23––with early voting taking place from Aug. 13 through Aug. 21. Individuals across the city will be heading to the polls in their respective communities to vote for their U.S. House of Representatives and state senators.
But for homeless individuals, exercising their right to vote isn’t as simple as heading down to the polls and casting a ballot.
The state requires that individuals register to vote in the district where they have invested interest such as property rights, an established residence, where they work, or attend school. This poses a problem for homeless individuals who may have been displaced from their communities. As a result, many homeless individuals may opt out of voting because they don’t think they meet the requirements. The problem with this is that in a city like New York where one in every 106 individuals are homeless, a disproportionate number of our population goes underrepresented. Individuals can have a profound effect on the community in which they live by actively participating in government. Constituents can influence policies that determine minimum wage, work conditions, and social services programs. They can also voice their opinions on budgetary decisions that provide additional resources to education, housing, and social services. As of late, voting has been categorized as a healthy habit, creating a reciprocal relationship between overall health and civic activities. The reason for this is that individuals who vote often report feeling a greater sense of agency—that is, not feeling victimized by their cir-
Biden’s IRA boosts legacy
“You can’t always get what you want…But if you try sometime you’ll find, you get what you need,” are words from a Rolling Stones song that might be appropriate for President Biden since he signed into law the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act).
He certainly didn’t get all he wanted but he got some of things Americans desperately need, and should shout a collective appreciation for. Rev. Ruben Diaz is a former NYC Councilman.
No act of this size and consequence—bringing down the cost of prescription drugs, seriously combating cumstances. Individuals who vote climate change, and punish- can develop stronger connections ing fossil fuel companies for to their communities which can their methane excesses—can combat social isolation, thus crecome without some conces- ating a better quality of life. sions, some give and take. For homeless individuals, con-
It’s unfortunate that Biden necting with neighbors, talking to didn’t achieve the nuts and bolts elected officials, and engaging civof his Build Back Better, but sub- ically, can make them more visible stantial gains were made after and less stigmatized. “There are so an interminably long and ex- many people who are homeless hausting fight with the GOP— and when you speak to them, you don’t know,” says a community member from Flatbush, Brooklyn. “Connecting with the individual puts their humanness front and center, you no longer see someone who is homeless.” Civic engagement enables us to unite for a common goal which encourages trust, empathy, human connection, and a foundation for problem solving within communities. These “protective factors” also pose as a buffer against the stress of homelessness; it builds resil-
and a couple of Dems—to get EDITORIAL this monumental act into law. Sure, the working people in this country could have used a bit more heft to their incomes, particularly given the escalating cost of living, but Biden can take a victory lap across the sands of Kiawah Island in South Carolina, where First Lady Jill Biden is recovering from COVID-19. It’s a fresh opportunity for them to take a break, get rejuvenated, and get ready for a full throttle run into the upcoming primaries. Biden has a number of things he can crow about, from the increase in the number of jobs to bolstering the semiconductor bill, and the DNC should aid and abet such a campaign. Nope—not the Jordan Peele movie—you can’t always get what you want but Biden has delivered one of the most consequential pieces of law since the Affordable Care Act and pretty much put a garland around his legacy.
Elinor R. Tatum: Publisher and Editor in Chief
Member Kristin Fayne-Mulroy: Managing Editor
Nayaba Arinde: Editor Cyril Josh Barker: Digital Editor
Alliance for Damaso Reyes: Investigative Editor Audited Media Siobhan "Sam" Bennett:
Chief Revenue Officer and Head of Advertising Wilbert A. Tatum (1984-2009): Chairman of the Board, CEO and Publisher Emeritus See VOTING on page 27
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not represent those of the New York Amsterdam News. We continue to publish a variety of viewpoints so that we may know the opinions of others that may differ from our own.
ARMSTRONG WILLIAMS
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi strutted and clucked during her trip to Taiwan, insinuating the United States would come to their (Taiwan’s) rescue if China attacked, which would be a stupendous, irresponsible blunder. Moreover, it gratuitously compounded the risk of a catastrophic United States war with China. Alternatively, the House speaker’s triumphal words might provoke a Chinese attack on Taiwan from which the United States has to avoid the risk of nuclear extinction, leaving Taiwan in the lurch.
Pelosi’s “in-your-face” visit to Taiwan was reminiscent of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s conquistador-like war against Libya in 2011 that turned a nation that had renounced WMD into a wilderness and its leader Muammar Gaddafi into a corpse. Clinton engineered a so-called “pivot to Asia” to encircle China and assert domination in the South China Sea and China’s traditional sphere of influence corresponding to the twocenturies-old Monroe Doctrine that asserts a United States sphere of interest over the Caribbean and South America.
Contrary to Pelosi, the United States has no national security interest in defending Taiwan from an attack by China. Indeed, that is why the Taiwan Defense Treaty was revoked in 1980, diplomatic relations with Taiwan were severed in 1979, and the United States acquiesced in the expulsion of Taiwan from the United Nations Security and General Assembly in 1971. Moreover, for more than 40 years since the termination of the Treaty, neither the president nor Congress has ever championed its rebirth.
China is not an existential threat to the United States, with or without Taiwan. Its military strengths are anemic compared to America’s multi-trilliondollar military-industrial security state.
Their aircraft carriers are emblematic compared to the United States, which has 11 in active service. China has 2 inferior carriers to the American variety. China has not triumphed in international warfare for more than a century. It was smartly defeated in its border war with Vietnam in 1979. The United States has encircled China with the Quad: Japan, Australia, India, and The United States. That de facto alliance against China would be the equivalent of a Chinese alliance against the United States featuring Mexico, Canada, and Cuba. The latter would assuredly provoke a sequel to the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Notwithstanding the House speaker’s juvenile bravado and President Joe Biden’s unconstitutional pronouncements that he would defend Taiwan against Chinese aggression, the United States will balk and betray the Taiwanese. Again, the light of experience is evident.
In 1956, the United States fomented a Hungarian rebellion against the Soviet Union. When Soviet forces invaded, the United States stood idly by like a spectator. The price Hungarians paid for our reckless encouragement was 2,500 dead and 20,000 wounded. The United States, under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, a military hero, would not risk war with the Soviet Union to deliver Hungary from its Communist yolk.
After the first Persian Gulf War, President George H.W. Bush exhorted Marsh Arabs to revolt against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. They did and were slaughtered and pauperized. Some 30,00060,000 died, and their lands were decimated. The United States did nothing to interfere with the Iraqi dictator’s massacre.
Furthermore, contrary to President Biden and Speaker Pelosi, section 3 (c) of the Taiwan Relations Act entrusts Congress with the responsibility of deciding whether the United States should go to war to defend Taiwan from a Chinese attack. There is zero probability that Congress will declare war on Taiwan. It has shied from declaring war for more than 80 years since Pearl Harbor. It refused to entertain President Barack Obama’s plea for a declaration of war against Syria to retaliate for President Bashar Assad’s suspected illegal use of chemical weapons to suppress a domestic insurrection. Despite the high-octave braggadocio from several members of Congress, none has sponsored legislation making it the policy of the United States to defend Taiwan militarily from Chinese aggression. Neither has President Biden requested such legislation.
It is dubious whether China could conquer Taiwan on its own. However, superiority in numbers or weapons does not guarantee victory. Think of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, the United States in Vietnam, and Russia in Ukraine. What is decisive is a willingness to fight and die for your country.
Finally, a Chinese occupation of Taiwan would be self-defeating. Local uprisings against Chinese tyranny would be chronic and costly to suppress, as with the Soviet Union in Central and Eastern Europe during the Cold War. Territorial expansion often weakens rather than strengthens. Russia’s annexation of Crimea and occupation of Chechnya have proven stupendous economic albatrosses, and both have proven featherweights in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Armstrong Williams (@ARightSide) is manager / sole owner of Howard Stirk Holdings I & II Broadcast Television Stations and the 2016 Multicultural Media Broadcast Owner of the year. www.armstrongwilliams.co | www.howardstirkholdings.com
Monkeypox, oh my
CHRISTINA GREER PH.D.
I honestly don’t know what to think of monkeypox. I am still trying to wrap my head around COVID and the fact that so many people are still catching this mysterious virus. Even though COVID is not as deadly as it was just two years ago, I am still concerned about the longterm effects it will have on not just our bodies but our entire communities and healthcare systems in years to come.
I sometimes feel like I am one of the few people who still believes in wearing a mask and washing my hands like the old March 2020 days. As we begin to learn more about monkeypox, and more cities, including New York, declare monkeypox a state of emergency, I think it is important we take this seriously, so we do not lose time getting a grasp of this new virus.
Here’s what we do know so far. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) suggests we continue to wash our hands often with soap and water (not just the rinse under the splash of water) or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. They also suggest you speak to a healthcare provider about your risk of contracting monkeypox and the vaccines that may be available to you.
We do know that currently monkeypox is most prevalent in certain populations in certain states. The CDC website has a wealth of information where you can find information about monkeypox as well maps of outbreak sites and vaccination information at www. cdc.gov.
The CDC also suggests we limit skin-to-skin contact with people who look like they have a rash, which may or may not be monkeypox. They also suggest refraining from touching someone’s rash, kissing or cuddling or sharing utensils and cups with someone who may have monkeypox.
Until we know more, we must be vigilant. If you believe you have contracted monkeypox, they suggest you call your provider to find out the appropriate next steps. If you feel you may be at high risk for contracting monkeypox, you may want to call your provider or the board of health to see if you are eligible for the vaccine. You can reach the New York City Health Department at www1.nyc.gov.
We must remember that staying healthy is not just for our own personal health, it’s for the greater community as well. We must think of COVID and monkeypox and all of the other mysterious viruses as public health concerns. We are a part of a larger collective and must think of others as we also think of ourselves. We do not know who among us may be immunocompromised or have other preexisting conditions.
Until then, wash your hands, wear a mask, and do not be afraid to ask questions. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has resources for those around the country.
Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University, the author of “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream,” and the co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC.
