The U.S. Department of Labor has found evidence that clothing factories in Los Angeles, who supply companies like Ross, TJ Maxx and Forever 21, pay workers as little as $4 an hour; with President-elect Donald Trump vowing to dismantle the Iran nuclear deal, what's next for U.S.-Middle East relations?; we want to hear from AirTalk listeners on how you handle - or forgo - drinking through the holidays; and more.
The cost of ‘Made in USA’ for LA’s garment workers
As we're out shopping, it's easy to forget where our clothes come from.
But for a large portion of “Made in the U.S.A.” items, they're really made in L.A. More than 40,000 people, largely immigrant women, work in clothing factories south and east of Downtown L.A.
According to a recent U.S. Labor Department study, many of those workers are being paid less than what they're legally entitled to receive. The government claims long hours often don't net worker overtime, and per-piece payments to sewing machine operators often fail to reach minimum wage. Some of the biggest names in retail clothing are supplied by these factories, including Ross, TJ Maxx, and Forever 21. A recent op-ed in the L.A. Times argues the problem is rampant in garment factories across Southern California and that the industry has done little about it.
The fashion industry has pushed back on the study, saying it snapshots the small portion of the industry that does operate underground and that it is not a fair portrayal of the industry as a whole, which operates by the books. They say the state and federal government aren’t doing enough to educate people coming into the garment industry on the laws and regulations for workers.
Guests:
Jessie Kornberg, CEO, Bet Tzedek, a public interest law firm which provides legal aid to garment workers in Los Angeles
Ilse Metchek, president of the California Fashion Association, a group advocating for workers, manufacturers, and suppliers in the garment industry
Angelenos in unpermitted housing under pressure after the Oakland fire
The Oakland warehouse fire earlier this month hasn’t just raised anxiety with fans of the underground music scene, it could also affect Angelenos living in unpermitted housing.
As reported by KPCC, City Attorney Mike Feuer has said authorities will be issuing a crackdown in the underground arts and music scene, but the specifics of prioritizing enforcement are unclear.
This has been a growing concern for people in L.A.’s Arts District, where rising rents have been a catalyst for some to take up residence in their place of business or studios.
Have you ever lived in your place of business or your art studio? If so, what was the deciding factor in the trade-off between DIY housing and higher rent?
Here's what some of our listeners had to say:
Trey in Koreatown is an artist and said he's lived in unpermitted housing for most of his life.
TREY: We find ourselves living in these spaces, especially as artists because we need a place that isn't as precious as a house — if we spill a little paint on the ground it's really no big deal. I've seen so many [unpermitted] spaces that are very beautiful, like if you've walked into an Atomic Ranch magazine home. But I've also seen pretty dangerous [places] too.
Scott in Studio City is a touring musician and said he's played at places like the Ghost Ship in Oakland. He says the need to work has always outweighed the danger of performing in DIY spaces.
SCOTT: You just have way too many people in a space with one exit; a lot of different art fixtures on the walls, a lot of crowded areas. From a technical aspect, as a musician, you know your gear well and you know when it's functioning properly. So even when you're setting up in an area like that, sometimes the microphones give you shocks, so you know the wiring is not right. We'd make remarks that some of these DIY venue spaces are like death traps.
Jay in Koreatown said he's lived in unpermitted housing in the past, and there should be a compromise between a crackdown and no regulation for places like the Ghost Ship.
JAY: What happened at the Ghost Ship is very rare. I see an overreaction going on here. If we pay just a little supervision to these spaces, they could be slated for living. Especially since they're a reflection on how housing is so overpriced now, and we have this glut of open warehouse spaces that nobody is using.
Kim in Pasadena said her daughter suffered serious injuries from an accident in unpermitted housing.
KIM: My daughter was living in an unpermitted space in Highland Park. They built a sleeping loft with no railing. She fell off [of the sleeping loft], broke her collar bone and her ribs. She had two skull fractures. We're very fortunate that she's alive. Even the smaller places can be very dangerous.
*Note: These quotes have been edited for clarity
Guests:
Josie Huang, KPCC reporter covering housing and changing neighborhoods
Andy Hermann, LA Weekly music editor; he's been following the underground music scene; he tweets from
What the future of the Iran nuclear deal means for U.S.-Middle East relations
Among the many question marks still surrounding President-elect Donald J. Trump’s transition into office, one of the most pressing continues to be what he will do about the Iran nuclear deal.
Formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Trump vowed during his presidential campaign to dismantle the “disastrous” deal with Iran if he were elected. The landmark agreement is one of the hallmarks of President Obama’s administration and essentially rolled back international sanctions in exchange for Iran agreeing to significantly dial down its nuclear program. While it wasn’t ratified by Congress or formally signed, the member nations of the agreement remain committed to keeping it intact, and while President-elect Trump does have the power to pull the U.S. out of the deal, it’s unclear whether that’s what he meant by ‘dismantling’ the deal or whether he aims to renegotiate it.
What should President-elect Trump do in regards to the Iran nuclear deal? What would happen if he decides to pull the U.S. out? How might he renegotiate it? What can we glean from recent cabinet appointments in terms of how he might proceed? What could happen to relations between the U.S. and other Middle Eastern countries as a result? Who stands to gain/lose the most from the U.S. pulling out of the deal?
Guests:
Ellie Geranmayeh, policy fellow in the Middle East and North Africa Program of the European Council on Foreign Relations
James Phillips, senior research fellow for Middle Eastern affairs at The Heritage Foundation’s Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy
To drink or not to drink? AirTalk listeners’ tips for handling booze during the holidays
Whether we’re drinking to remember or to forget, there’s no shortage of alcohol from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, as author Sarah Hepola details in a recent piece on NPR’s ‘Fresh Air.’
At your work holiday party talking with your cube mate about your upcoming travel plans? Beer me, helps cut the tension. Aunt Barbara incessantly asking about your love life at the family gathering? Whiskey, neat. But sometimes things go too far and you wake up the next morning with a headache that could slay a walrus and having to answer questions like “How are you feeling today?” or being reminded of what an unstoppable force you were on the dance floor, even if all that booze had done its best to make you forget.
As socially acceptable as it already is, drinking seems to become even more so during the holiday season, which can not only create opportunities for us to make fools of ourselves in front of family, friends, and/or supervisors, but can also alienate those who choose not to partake. If you don’t drink, you can be seen as boring or un-fun. Yet little consideration is given to those who don’t drink, despite the fact that many hosts will go out of their way to accommodate someone who is vegetarian or gluten-free.
What’s your personal policy when it comes to drinking at the holidays? Are you able to moderate yourself or do you have to abstain because it’s either go all-out or don’t drink at all? If you don’t drink, do you feel alienated because of it?