The United Auto Workers suffered a major defeat when employees of a Tennessee Volkswagen plant rejected plans to unionize. Next, investigative journalist Christopher Leonard's book takes a closer look at the American meat industry. Then, should party hosts be liable for alcohol-related legal incidents? Later, a look at bias against Asian-Americans in university admissions.
Failed union vote at Volkswagen's plant puts the UAW's future strategy into question
The United Auto Workers suffered a major defeat on Friday when employees of a Volkswagen plant in Tennessee rejected plans to unionize the European-owned factory. The UAW was defeated in a tense 712-626 vote Friday night.
Breaking into the VW plant was a key part of the UAW's long term goal of expanding into foreign-owned businesses in the region. Volkswagen's management cooperated with the UAW because the company wanted its employees to form a 'work council', which coordinates and negotiates with management, and are intended to foster the idea that employees are not adversaries, but rather valued participants.
Now that the vote has failed, the UAW may face even stronger opposition in the South. The union claims the vote was unfairly influenced by threats from the state's political leadership including Sen. Bob Corker and Gov. Bill Haslam.The union may try to void the results of the election by filing a challenge with the National Labor Relations Board, which oversees union elections.
Is this the end of the road for the UAW's plans to expand into foreign-owned plants? Do unions, particularly in the South's growing auto industry, still maintain any political clout? Why did the vote fail, particularly when management remained neutral?
Guests:
Fred Wszolek, spokesman for the Workforce Fairness Institute, an organization that advocates on behalf of business owners and opposes unionization.
Nelson Lichtenstein, History Professor and Director of the Center for the Study of Work Labor and Democracy at the University of California, Santa Barbara
Investigative journalist Christopher Leonard looks into America’s “meat racket”
In a new book about the takeover of the American meat industry by a few large companies, investigative journalist and New America Foundation fellow Christopher Leonard hones in on Tyson Foods.
Tyson is the biggest of the U.S.’s meat giants, bringing in $28 billion in annual sales and $780 million in profits. The company’s model of vertical integration and farmer control helped it take over the chicken and hog industries and now threatens the cattle business, even as independent farmers hold onto their independence.
How has the “chickenization” of American farming changed the industry? Are Tyson’s cost-cutting methods helpful to consumers, or harmful to the meat business? What does the future hold for meat?
Guest:
Christopher Leonard, author of “The Meat Racket: The Secret Takeover of America’s Food Business” (Simon & Schuster, 2014), and former national agribusiness reporter for the Associated Press
Should party hosts be liable for alcohol-related legal incidents?
A case before the California Supreme Court will soon decide whether party hosts can be held responsible in alcohol suits. The case follows the death of an inebriated 19-year-old student, who was hit and killed by a drunk driver after a house party.
The host, then-20-year-old Jessica Manosa, threw the party at her parents rental home without their permission -- the victim’s parents are now suing the Manosa’s via their homeowners insurance for liability in their son’s death.
California law has long protected party hosts in alcohol related suits. Social hosts are exempt from liability, but people who sell alcohol can be held responsible in a lawsuit. In the Manosa case, the determining factor may be the money paid by partygoers.
A trial and appeals court both decided that because Manosa did not intend to profit from alcohol sales and was only attempting to defray the costs of alcohol she could not be held legally liable.
Guests:
James Mosher, Senior Project Director at The CDM Group Inc., a consulting firm whose research includes alcohol policy and laws in all 50 states
Gary Watt, Appellate attorney with Archer Norris - a law firm with offices throughout California
Is there bias against Asian-Americans In university admissions?
Studies suggest that Asian-American students at highly selective universities have mean SAT scores considerably higher than their classmates yet are rejected at a disproportionate rate.
Enrollment at the Ivies remains stagnant as the number of Asian students in the US has more than doubled in that period. Is there a benign explanation for these numbers? Rumors of discriminatory quotas abound -- what’s really happening?
Audio from the audience Q&A portion of this live event will be available shortly.
Guests:
Richard H. Sander, Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law
Richard Sander has taught at UCLA Law School since 1989. He has studied affirmative action and its impact since 2004 and is the author (along with Stuart Taylor, Jr.) of the recent book, Mismatch: How Affirmative Action Hurts Students It's Intended to Help, and Why Universities Won't Admit It. He recently won a significant case before the California Supreme Court involving law school admissions.
Nancy Leong, Professor of Law, Sturm College of Law, University of Denver
Professor Leong graduated magna cum laude from Northwestern University before attending Stanford Law School, where she graduated with distinction and was a member of the Stanford Law Review. Her scholarship and teaching interests include constitutional rights and remedies. She recently published an extensive article in the Harvard Law Review on the topic of Racial Capitalism. In the fall of 2013 she was a visiting professor at the School of Law at UCLA.
Albert Giang, Attorney with Caldwell, Leslie and Proctor law firm in L.A.
Albert Giang is an attorney in private practice who has litigated numerous cases involving affirmative action in university admissions. He filed an amicus brief in the United States Supreme Court on behalf of 70 Asian American organizations defending the use of affirmative action. He has been named one of the leading “under 40” Asian American attorneys in the country.
Kevin Newman, Assistant Head of School at the Windward School – a college preparatory school in Los Angeles.
Newman has been involved in the college admissions process for over fifteen years. He earned an M.B.A. from UCLA’s Anderson School and an Educational Doctorate Degree from UCLA. His dissertation research focused on creating a positive, multi-cultural environment in independent schools.