General Motors' CEO Mary Barra is testifying before a congressional subcommittee today. Barra is facing questioning about the company's recall of millions of small cars. How will this impact GM and the American auto industry? How should you go about asking for a raise? Later, when Hollywood advocates, should people listen?
General Motors' CEO faces the wrath of Washington over recalls
The CEO of General Motors is facing a tough day of questioning when she sits down in front of a House subcommittee hearing today into the company's recall of millions of small cars. The cars at the center of the recall had faulty ignition switches that could fail while the car is in motion - cutting off power to the airbags. The defect has been linked to 13 deaths.
The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Oversight is looking into why the company took years to publicly acknowledge that there was a problem with the switches and initiate a recall.
GM allegedly knew about the faulty switches back in 2001 but did not make any changes to the part until 2006 - and never issued a recall or any kind of consumer warning.
According to the manufacturer, the replacement ignition switches cost about $2 to $5, raising more questions about why the company did not offer to replace the part earlier. In written testimony, Barra offered her apologies to the families of those killed in accidents and said she didn't know why GM didn't disclose the problem immediately but that she was committed to finding out.
Did GM commit a crime by failing to tell the public about the faulty switches? Why did the company not disclose the problem earlier? Does a recall this widespread make you think twice about the safety of your car?
Guests:
Joseph B. White, Global Auto Editor, Wall Street Journal-Detroit
Kenneth Elias, Partner with Maryann Keller & Associates, Global Auto Industry Advisory Services based in Scottsdale, AZ
Jack Gillis, Director of Public Affairs for the Consumer Federation of America
Ray LaHood, Former Secretary of Transportation
Should employers be held legally responsible for subcontract workers?
A California bill amended on Friday would put employers on the hook for wages, taxes and workers compensation for employees hired through a contracting or temp agency.
The bill, AB 1897, was first introduced in February by Assemblyman Roger Hernandez (D-West Covina). If passed, it would make California the biggest state in the nation to hold companies legally responsible for violations committed by a subcontractor. For example, if a temp agency fails to pay its employees, the company would have to pick up the bill.
At least 10 states currently have laws regulating day and contract labor in some fashion, but California is one of the first states to directly take on employers that contract with temp agencies. Unions are in support of the bill, but small business and business organizations are opposed to it, calling it a legislative overreach.
Guests:
Caitlin Vega, legislative advocate at the California Labor Federation
Ken DeVore, Legislative Director at the CA chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business
How to go about asking for a raise? Depends on your gender
The unemployment rate has been steadily falling and the economic health of the nation is much stronger. So everything is all well and good, right? Not quite for most of us worker bees out there who haven't seen their paychecks go up, despite working harder than ever. According to the Economic Policy Institute, a liberal research group, wages have remained stagnant since 2000, while productivity has gone up 23 percent.
Is this a good time to ask for a raise? How should we go about starting that important workplace conversation? The answer to that question might depend on your gender, as women often find themselves having to also contend with gender stereotypes--of being judged either too pushy or too meek--when negotiating for a pay raise or asking for a promotion. It's a symptom of a larger wage gap issue. The city of Los Angeles released new figures last week finding that female employees earn 83 cents for every $1 paid to their male counterparts.
To listen to the full AirTalk segment, click on the "Listen Now" icon in the upper left.
Guests:
Hannah Riley Bowles, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School and an organizational psychologist whose research focuses on gender and career negotiation.
Alison Green, founder and advice columnist at Ask a Manager, a popular blog that deals with workplace issues. She is also a contributing writer at U.S. News & World Report
Accused Senator Leland Yee's voting record and campaign donations under scrutiny
Spurred by the federal indictment against embattled Sen. Leland Yee, the San Francisco Chronicle has launched a review of Yee’s voting record in the Legislature.
The paper finds more than 30 instances since 2003 in which Yee voted in favor of legislations that ran counter to his stated positions, and then got large contributions from companies and industries that benefited from his votes. They included chemical, oil and insurance companies.
But the paper says what Yee did isn’t technically illegal. It’s a violation only when there’s an agreement in place between a lawmaker and a campaign donor to trade votes for monetary or in-kind compensations.
Guest:
Jessica Levinson, professor at Loyola Law School and vice president of the LA Ethics Commission
Baseball launches expanded instant replay
Major League Baseball’s Opening day Monday ushered in a new era—that of the video challenge. After more than a century of relying solely on the eyes of umpires for the final word on close calls, America’s pastime launched an expanded instant replay system.
The sport’s new feature was first used in Monday’s game between the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates. The inaugural challenge came from Cubs manager Rick Renteria—taking issue with a call made at first base on a double play. Two minutes later, umpires told him the call was correct.
Later in the game, the Pirates successfully overturned a call with a challenge. Another fruitful Opening Day challenge—the first, in fact—came when the Atlanta Braves challenged a call that Milwaukee Brewer Ryan Braun was safe at first.
Baseball was the last major American sport to introduce video reviews. MLB owners approved the technology in January to review most calls aside from balls and strikes. Before this, replays could only be used to review home runs or boundary calls. The expanded instant replay was first rolled out at this year’s spring training.
Here’s how baseball’s replay review works: Each manager has one challenge per game—and a second if the first is successful. After the sixth inning, if managers are out of challenges, umpires can choose to review plays. Video advisers in teams’ clubhouses can examine replays and let managers know when to challenge umpires’ calls. When a manager notifies umpires of a challenge, a technician connects the umpire crew chief with a video replay command center in New York—which has access to the twelve camera feeds in every ballpark.
How do you feel about MLB's new replay system? What does it add to the game? What does it take away? Is there a better way to go about challenging calls?
Guest:
Adam Felder, manager of digital analytics at Atlantic Media Company
When Hollywood advocates, should people listen?
Socially conscious films like “Cesar Chavez,” directed by Diego Luna, serve dual purposes. Film and advocacy are frequently intertwined, whether intentionally or unintentionally. The power of a great story or a particular identifiable character can affect change.
In a panel discussion with “Cesar Chavez” director Diego Luna, actress America Ferrera, Participant Media Executive Vice President Jonathan King, and Media Impact Project director Todd Cunningham, we explore the connection between movies and social movements.
How does film changes lives? What are the most important steps towards meaningful storytelling and diverse representation? How do socially conscious films enact change?
Guest:
America Ferrera, actress and activist who received a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and an Emmy Award for her performance as Betty Suarez on the ABC television series Ugly Betty; she plays the labor organizer's wife, Helen, in “Cesar Chavez”; she is active with the organization Voto Latino and as an ambassador for Save the Children.
Diego Luna, director of the biopic Cesar Chavez; Actor in the Oscar-nominated hit “Y Tu Mamá También”
This program is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles, Department of Cultural Affairs. The entire program can be heard here.