In the old days we had trade guilds. Then unions - who brought us the 8-hour day and 40-hour week (well.. even less in enlightened places, by now) - over their heaped mauled bodies from SF to Detroit to Virginia coal mines.

Of course they also brought the union boss equiv. of suited CIEIO greed - surprise - but, there was a kind of balance.. one that is impossible when there's no organization *at all*. Then, ya get the Future:

Manpower Inc. SF chron even managed to reprint last Sun. the article about temps working in Si Valley (in To-Do List mag). Reporter, Raj Jayadev is Ed. of siliconvalleydebug.com .

Via interposing another layer between Manpower and HP ("MSL") -- the really shitty conditions incl. frequent lo-ball paychecks or delayed checks - can't be laid at your 'employer == HP' but at these inaccessible middle-slime. Etc. Exact same story as a has been written re those nice maquiladoras on our Southern border. Same complaints: right here in River City.

Natch there's no medical or other coverage. Mention organizing? yer Out -- as the author chronicles. Laws protecting your right to organize? In Bushie Murica 2002 - you jest. The Indians (from India) working there commented: these conditions wouldn't be gotten away with there, today - and he mentioned the techniques used to counter them (left over from being used on the British!).

Prediction: this sort of scam is Popular with suits and inevitable unless and until _____ (I won't even mention the Obvious)


Ashton
Enjoy your toys assembled, boxed by these huddled masses - we are meant to be perenially distracted and.. it's working so far.