City Workers Strike; Minimum Wage Increase; Hillary's Political Future; Pension Reform; Shrinking Vacation Syndrome
City Workers Strike
Dozens of union workers from Los Angeles' crime labs, water sanitation facilities and runways at Los Angeles International Airport began a strike today in defiance of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Guest host Ted Chen speaks with a variety of guests about the impact of the strike on city services.
Minimum Wage Increase
California's lowest paid workers will get a $1.25 an hour pay raise over the next two years. The increase is a compromise between Governor Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders. Ted and his guests discuss the ramifications of the increase which will bring the state minimum wage to eight-dollars an hour by January, 2008.
Hillary's Political Future
Senator Clinton and her representatives say she's too busy concentrating on her re-election this November to give any thought to the 2008 Presidential race. Yet some say the Junior Senator from New York is mounting a far more extensive campaign than is necessary to stay in the Senate. Ted Chen and his guests discuss the political future of the former first lady.
Pension Reform
Last week President Bush signed legislation he calls "the most sweeping reform of America's pension laws in over 30 years." It gives companies seven years to shore up funding of their traditional pensions. However some critics say that, in time, these changes will weaken the pension system.
Shrinking Vacation Syndrome
The American work ethic is alive and well. So much so that we're taking less and less vacation time. And thanks to technology that allows us to get things done 24/7 we can continue to work while we "play". Ted talks with Joe Robinson about what he calls OCP, or obsessive-compulsive productivity, as well as finding balance between our work and our life.