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Humboldt’s beloved local philanthropist Betty Kwan Chinn – who has been working to help our homeless population for more than 40 years – has again been recognized for her tireless efforts, being honored as one of the Carnegie Corporation of New York’s ‘Great Immigrants’ of 2023. 

Reached by the Outpost, Chinn said that she was completely surprised to receive this honor, which she had actually never even heard of until she was notified that she would be one of this year’s recipients. 

“I’m really grateful for this award,” Chinn said in a recent phone interview. “I was totally surprised when they called me. I thought it was a scam and I told my son, and he said, ‘No, it’s a really important organization. Take it!’” 

The Carnegie Corporation announces the honorees every year around the Fourth of July, choosing a group of naturalized citizens whose contributions in their fields have enriched society, to recognize the important role of immigrants in our country. Chinn is one of 35 individuals selected this year, including actor Pedro Pascal, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Alanis Morissette, Elle magazine Editor in Chief Nina Garcia, best-selling author Min Jin Lee, Grammy-winning artist Angélique Kidjo and Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan. 

This is certainly not the first time Chinn has been recognized for her charitable contributions. Last year she received an honorary doctorate from Cal Poly Humboldt, and in 2010 former President Barack Obama selected Chinn as one of 12 recipients of the Presidential Citizens Medal. 

Chinn said she does not always have the easiest time receiving acclaim for her work, but she appreciates that the recognition helps inspire others and helps her to raise funds for the Betty Kwan Chinn Day Center and the work that she and her team do. 

“I remember when I got the medal from Obama he said, ‘From now on, your name doesn’t belong to you; it belongs to the homeless,’” Chinn said.

You can find more info on this year’s “Great Immigrants” in this press release from the Carnegie Corporation of New York:

Carnegie Corporation of New York today announced its annual list of Great Immigrants, honoring 35 naturalized citizens who have enriched and strengthened our society and our democracy. Each Fourth of July since 2006, the philanthropic foundation has invited Americans to celebrate these exemplary individuals by participating in its online public awareness campaign, Great Immigrants, Great Americans. #GreatImmigrants

The 2023 Class of Great Immigrants is comprised of naturalized citizens from 33 countries and a wide range of backgrounds and fields. For generations, immigrants have come to the United States seeking opportunities for themselves and their families. Among this year’s honorees are individuals who have fostered opportunities for others through their work as educators, mentors, philanthropists, job creators, public servants, storytellers, and advocates.

Additional 2023 honorees are recognized leaders in their fields, including two Nobel laureates, an Olympian, and a member of Congress. Among the honorees are Elle magazine editor in chief and TV personality Nina Garcia, best-selling novelist Min Jin Lee, seven-time Grammy Award winner Alanis Morissette, Hollywood star Pedro Pascal, and Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan.

“The Great Immigrants initiative is a tribute to the legacy of Andrew Carnegie, a Scottish immigrant who, like these honorees, found success in America, contributed enormously to his adopted country, and inspired others to do the same,” said Dame Louise Richardson, president of Carnegie Corporation of New York, and a naturalized citizen who first came to the United States from Ireland as a graduate student. “The 35 naturalized citizens honored today embody that tradition, reminding us that the contributions of immigrants make our country more vibrant and our democracy more resilient.”

The Great Immigrants initiative is intended to increase public awareness of the economic and societal benefits of immigration. According to the American Immigration Council, a Corporation grantee, immigrants create new businesses at a higher rate than the overall population, with 3.2 million immigrant entrepreneurs generating $88.5 billion in annual income and employing millions of Americans. Immigrants or their children have founded 43.8 percent of Fortune 500 Companies, generating $7 trillion in revenue and employing more than 14.8 million people worldwide. Immigrants also contribute to key workforce needs in America, comprising 15.2 percent of nurses, 25.9 percent of health-care aides, and 23.1 percent of STEM workers.

Additionally, American culture is enriched in diverse ways by the more than 400,000 immigrants who work in creative or artistic occupations.
The Corporation’s Strengthening U.S. Democracy program supports immigrant integration through a portfolio of grantees that focuses on immigration policy reform. Citizenship is the goal of integration, and among the Corporation’s long-term priorities is encouraging eligible immigrants to naturalize. For more than a decade, the Corporation, in collaboration with other philanthropic partners, has supported the New Americans Campaign, which is led by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. To date, the campaign and its national network of nonprofit partners have helped more than 593,000 lawful permanent residents, known as green card holders, apply for citizenship. Services include low-cost application assistance in multiple languages and an online tool that can help with the process. More information is available at www.carnegie.org/citizenship.

Since 2006, the Corporation has named more than 700 Great Immigrants, forming one of the largest online databases of its type. The 2023 honorees, the 18th class in the program, will be recognized with a full-page public service announcement in the New York Times on the Fourth of July, as well as through tributes on social media. Please join the celebration by sharing via Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter using the hashtag #GreatImmigrants.

Here is the complete list of the 2023 Class of Great Immigrants:

Wesaam Al-Badry (Iraq) Photographer, Investigative Journalist, and Interdisciplinary Artist

Ana Lucia Araujo (Brazil) Professor of History, Howard University

Kyriacos A. Athanasiou (Cyprus) Professor of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine

Ajay Banga (India) President, World Bank, and Former CEO, Mastercard

Jean-Claude Brizard (Haiti) President and CEO, Digital Promise

Betty Kwan Chinn (China) Founder, Betty Kwan Chinn Homeless Foundation

Ghida Dagher (Sierra Leone) CEO and President, New American Leaders

Daniel Diermeier (Germany) Chancellor, Vanderbilt University

Miguel “Mike” B. Fernandez (Cuba) Chairman and CEO, MBF Healthcare Partners

Maria Freire (Peru) Global Health Leader and Biophysicist

Nina Garcia (Colombia) Editor in Chief, Elle

Timnit Gebru (Ethiopia) Founder and Executive Director, Distributed AI Research Institute

Karen González (Guatemala) Faith Leader, Writer, Speaker, and Immigrant Advocate

Azira G. Hill (Cuba) Cofounder, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Talent Development Program

Roald Hoffmann (Poland) Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, Cornell University, and Nobel Laureate

Guido Imbens (Netherlands) Professor of Economics, Stanford University, and Nobel Laureate

Angélique Kidjo (Benin) Grammy Award–Winning Singer and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador

Bernard Lagat (Kenya) Champion Runner and Five-Time Olympian

Min Jin Lee (South Korea) Author and National Book Award Finalist

Ted Lieu (Taiwan) U.S. Congressman, California, District 36

Karen Lozano (Mexico) Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Daniel Lubetzky (Mexico) Founder, KIND Snacks and Starts With Us

J. Patrice Marandel (France) Former Chief Curator of European Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Stephen Michael (Guyana) Brigadier General, U.S. Army (ret.), and Senior Executive, UBS

Alanis Morissette (Canada) Grammy Award–Winning Singer-Songwriter, Thought Leader, and Wholeness Advocate

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Nigeria) Director-General, World Trade Organization

Pedro Pascal (Chile) Actor and Time 100 Honoree

Susan Polgar (Hungary) Chess Grandmaster and Triple-Crown World Champion

Ke Huy Quan (Vietnam) Academy Award–Winning Actor

Helen Quinn (Australia) Professor Emerita of Physics, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University

Julissa Reynoso (Dominican Republic) U.S. Ambassador to Spain and Andorra

Oscar A. Solis (Philippines) 10th Bishop, Diocese of Salt Lake City

Ali Soufan (Lebanon) Chairman and CEO, The Soufan Group, and Former FBI Special Agent

Inge G. Thulin (Sweden) Former Chairman, President, and CEO, 3M Company

Ponsi Trivisvavet (Thailand) CEO and Director, Inari

Brian Gallagher McCaughey
December 18, 1975 - June 13, 2023

Brian Gallagher McCaughey beloved son, brother, nephew, cousin, colleague, employee and friend. He passed away June 13, 2023, following a year- long battle with esophageal cancer at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Eureka. He was born December 18, 1975, to Timothy McCaughey and Sarah Ann (Griffin) McCaughey.

He resided with his parents and his younger sister at 63 East Fifteenth Street. He grew up and attended Sunset Elementary School and Sunnybrae Middle School. He attended and graduated from Arcata High School. Following high school, he moved to Lake Tahoe and attended junior college. He returned and attended College of the Redwoods. He graduated from Humboldt State University in 2016.

He was preceded in death by his father, Timothy Hoyt McCaughey; his sister, Katherine Hoyt McCaughey; his maternal grandparents, James and Katherine (Hund) Griffin; his paternal grandparents Hamilton and Roberta Hoyt McCaughey (Reno); his aunt Sally (McCaughey) Jeffers, Reno.

He is survived by his mother, Sarah Ann (Griffin) McCaughey of Arcata; his maternal uncle James Edward Griffin, Jr. and his aunt Annibet (Bauman) Griffin, Glenwood Springs, Colo.; his paternal aunt, Susan (McCaughey) Stone; his cousin Jon Griffin of Glenwood Springs, Colo.; his cousins David Stone, Mark Stone, Penny Stone and Sherri Stone of Reno; Judy Jeffers, Michael Jeffers of Reno; his special friends Amy Davis and her son, Roak, of McKinleyville; special neighbors Mike and Hope Reinman of Arcata; and his colleagues at Hoopa Tribal EPA, Hoopa.

Memories of his intense love for family and friends will be with us always as will his strength and support of others. His love for science and his mastery of scientific data and application thereof will be a reminder of how we must live to protect our water and our air. His love for the ocean, trees and rocks will remind us that this planet is what we must protect.

A celebration of his life will take place Saturday, July 15, at noon, at Redwood Park in Arcata. All are invited to attend.

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Press release from Eureka City Schools:

On June 27, 2023, Dr. Van Vleck announced to the Eureka City Schools Board of Education his intent to leave his post as Superintendent in January of 2024.

The Eureka City Schools Board of Education would like to thank Dr. Fred Van Vleck for his 11 years of service (nearly 12 when he departs in January) to the students of Eureka City Schools. Board President Mike Duncan said, “The work Dr. Van Vleck has done in Eureka City Schools will impact our students for generations to come.”

“Dr. Van Vleck is a native of Humboldt County and we are pleased he chose to come home and serve our students,” notes Board Clerk Susan Johnson. “I had the pleasure of serving on the interview panel for Dr. Van Vleck back in 2012. We were looking for a new superintendent who understood our community and was willing to make a long-term commitment to our District. We are proud that when he leaves the District during the next school year, he will be the longest-currently-serving superintendent in Humboldt County. This is a testament to his commitment to the students attending Eureka City Schools.”

While we are disappointed at the news Dr. Van Vleck shared with us on June 27, 2023, we would like to celebrate his many accomplishments as our Superintendent and wish him luck in his future endeavors. We are particularly pleased that he is willing to provide services as the Superintendent in the interim, during our search process. He has committed to work half of the 2023-24 school year to help ensure the transition of the next Superintendent is successful.

During Dr. Van Vleck’s tenure, some of the more notable projects include an over 75 million dollar construction program with projects on every site in the District. He was able to leverage our local dollars and bring in 10’s of millions of dollars from Sacramento. He has been active in the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), serving as the Regional Vice President and representative to the State Superintendent’s Advisory Council. He has also served on the California School Boards Association Superintendents’ Advisory Council.

As a former Agriculture and Career and Technical Education teacher, Dr. Van Vleck champions programs for students seeking a career in the trades. During his work in Eureka, he was recognized as the California Association FFA Star Administrator for the State of California. Dr. Van Vleck has also been very active in the community, helping to raise millions of dollars for nonprofits, charities, and students with his skill as an auctioneer. He has been an active member of the Eureka Rotary and a member of the Humboldt County Fair Board.

Moving forward, the Board plans to conduct a statewide search for the new Superintendent. The process starts with selecting a firm to work with the community to establish priorities in what qualities and characteristics we are looking for in our next Superintendent. The same firm will then attract and recruit candidates for the Board to interview and select from. The Board is anticipating the new Superintendent to start in January 2024.

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As we near the Fourth of July extended weekend, the California Highway Patrol would like to remind you that it will be on the lookout for unsafe drivers. Here is a press release from the CHP:

 While the holidays are a time of celebration for the public, they can also be a time of concern for the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS).  The CHP and its public safety partner, the OTS, are working together ahead of Independence Day to address the crisis on California’s roadways by encouraging safe driving behaviors through education and enforcement.
 
“Reckless driving is a serious concern on California’s roadways, and it is the responsibility of CHP and OTS to help keep the public safe,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee.  “Every year, speed is the leading cause of roadway crashes in our state, resulting in thousands of injuries and hundreds of deaths.  Slow down and help us make our roads safer for everyone.”

To help people arrive safely at their destination, the CHP will implement a statewide Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP) beginning at 6:01 p.m. on Friday, June 30, and continuing through 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, July 4.  Throughout the extended holiday weekend, all available uniformed members of the Department will be on patrol to enhance public safety, deter unsafe driving behavior, and, when necessary, take appropriate enforcement action.
 
“Maximum enforcement helps save lives and protects everyone on our roads by holding drivers accountable for dangerous, unlawful behaviors like speeding and impaired driving,” said OTS Director Barbara Rooney.  “Whether you are traveling near or far, make a plan to go safely before heading to your destination.  We want you and your loved ones to enjoy a safe and happy Fourth of July weekend.”

Forty-four people were killed in crashes in California during last year’s Independence Day weekend.  In addition, CHP made nearly 1,000 arrests for driving under the influence throughout the 78-hour holiday enforcement effort.
Keep yourself and others who are on the road safe by designating a sober driver or using public transit or a ride-share service.  If you see or suspect an impaired driver, call 9-1-1 immediately.  Be prepared to provide the dispatcher a description of the vehicle, the license plate number, location, and direction of travel.  Your phone call may save someone’s life.
 
“We encourage you to safely enjoy your holiday weekend,” added Commissioner Duryee.  “Travel at a safe speed, avoid distraction behind the wheel, buckle up, and drive sober.  Rest assured, CHP officers will be working diligently to protect those who are traveling on California’s roadways.”
 
The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.

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Food for People press release:

Food for People will once again host seasonal Free Produce Markets this summer in Eureka and Garberville. The Free Produce Market distributions will run June-September to ensure that everyone can have access to nutritious, seasonal produce, and some pantry staples needed for good health. 

The first drive-thru Bayshore Mall distribution will take place on June 29 from 11 am - 1 pm at the North Parking Lot. The Bayshore Mall distribution is a drive-thru distribution while Garberville will be walk-up only.  

Upcoming Free Produce Market Distributions:

Eureka Bayshore Mall - 11 am - 1 pm 
June 29, July 27, August 24, September 28 (Drive-Thru)

Garberville Presbyterian Church – 10:30 am - 12 pm
July 11, August 8, September 12 (walk up only) 

Food for People, the Food Bank for Humboldt County, provides vital food resources for the community through hard times- from economic downturns to wildfires, and so many of life’s challenges. As pandemic assistance programs come to an end and food costs are on the rise many people are having a tough time putting food on the table. 

Food for People works to alleviate local hunger and improve the health of the community through its 18 programs and strong community partnerships. These programs include a countywide network of emergency food pantries; mobile produce distribution to rural areas of the county; food assistance for children, seniors, and homebound individuals; nutrition education; and local food recovery and gleaning efforts. Food for People distributes nearly 2 million pounds of food annually to the county’s most vulnerable members. For more information, go to www.foodforpeople.org or call (707) 445-3166.

Press release from the Yurok Tribe:

Textron Aviation Inc. announced today it delivered a Cessna Grand Caravan EX aircraft to the Yurok Tribe’s Condor Aviation.  The special missions Grand Caravan EX aircraft will increase the Tribe’s capacity to perform large-scale environmental restoration projects, evaluate long-term natural resource management decisions and quantify the effects of climate change. 

The Yurok Tribe will make use of state-of-the-art Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) systems and high-end aerial imaging equipment to create extremely accurate three-dimensional maps of the earth’s surface and collect an infinitely broad range of data regarding terrestrial and aquatic habitats, including rivers, lakes and oceans.

“This new aircraft will significantly enhance our ability to holistically restore salmon-spawning streams and make our landscape more resilient to climate change,” said Yurok Vice Chairman Frankie Myers. “We employ LiDAR data and high-definition aerial imagery to maximize the efficacy of our efforts to rebuild biologically diverse ecosystems and repair fire-damaged forests in Northern California.”

The Grand Caravan EX joins a Cessna Turbo Skylane already in service with Condor Aviation. In addition to tribal projects, Condor Aviation, in conjunction with the Yurok Fisheries Department’s technical team, provides precision mapping and high-resolution imaging services to a wide range of clients from California to Alaska.

About the Cessna Grand Caravan EX

The Cessna Caravan platform has seen more than 3,000 aircraft delivered that are certified in 100 countries with nearly 24 million flight hours amassed worldwide since the aircraft was introduced. Caravans fulfill roles for multiple missions, ranging from flight training to recreation, commuter airlines to VIP transport, cargo carriers and humanitarian missions. The Grand Caravan EX aircraft is known for its dependable and efficient performance by regional airlines, charter operators, cargo carriers and special missions operators worldwide. The aircraft offers an impressive output of 867 horsepower and a rate of climb of 1,275 feet per minute.

About Condor Aviation and the Yurok Tribe

The Yurok Tribe is the most populous federally recognized tribe in California. With more than 50 biologists, ecologists and engineers as well as many other subject-matter experts, the tribe administers one of the largest fisheries departments on the West Coast. Condor Aviation is a partnership between the Yurok Tribe’s award-winning Fisheries Department and the Yurok Tribe Construction Corporation.  Using a newly acquired Cessna Grand Caravan EX aircraft fitted with high-resolution aerial imaging and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) equipment, the technologically advanced equipment can create extremely precise three-dimensional maps of the earth’s surface, while concurrently accumulating an infinitely broad range of information regarding terrestrial and aquatic environments. Condor Aviation will use the precision tools to collect myriad data, which will help drive the design of large-scale river and habitat restoration projects, inform long-term natural resources management decisions and illuminate the impact of climate change. Condor Aviation also offers contract mapping services to tribal, federal, state, and local partners in the Klamath Basin and across the U.S.

About Textron Aviation

We inspire the journey of flight. For more than 95 years, Textron Aviation has empowered our collective talent across the Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker brands to design and deliver the best aviation experience for our customers. With a range that includes everything from business jets, turboprops, and high-performance pistons, to special missions, military trainer and defense products, Textron Aviation has the most versatile and comprehensive aviation product portfolio in the world and a workforce that has produced more than half of all general aviation aircraft worldwide. Customers in more than 170 countries rely on our legendary performance, reliability and versatility, along with our trusted global customer service network, for affordable, productive and flexible flight.

About Textron

Textron is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, and Textron Systems. For more information, visit: www.textron.com.

Folded into California’s $310 billion budget agreement is a relatively small line item: $3 million to resurrect an obscure old state commission that once regulated industries from factories to farms to laundries — and even had the power to set the minimum wage.

The budget deal between the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom would reconvene the Industrial Welfare Commission, dormant since 2004, to issue new rules on wages and working conditions for specific industries.

If that sounds familiar, that’s because it’s similar to what labor groups tried to institute for California fast food workers last year, with the passage of a law to create a state-run council governing the industry.

Business groups quickly put that law on hold, pouring millions into a referendum campaign shortly after Newsom signed it last fall. Whether the state convenes a new fast food council — which would be empowered to raise the minimum wage in fast food to as much as $22 an hour — is now up to the voters in November 2024.

But using a state-appointed board to issue industry-specific labor regulations was no new idea in California. The state’s Industrial Welfare Commission did just that for most of the 20th century, before it was defunded in 2004. Without funding, the commission hasn’t met or operated, but it’s still a part of state law. The new, tentative budget deal would bring it back.

Business groups were quick to criticize this funding proposal Monday, calling it a “backdoor” way for the state to start issuing rules for fast food despite the pending referendum.

“This budget bill is undemocratic and a shameful attempt to silence California voters,” said International Franchise Association CEO Matthew Haller in a statement.

The budget bill doesn’t specify an industry for the new Industrial Welfare Commission to focus on, but does direct it to prioritize industries in which 10% or more workers live below the federal poverty line – for which fast food likely qualifies.

Asked for comment, Service Employees International Union, which pushed for the fast food law, did not say whether they want a new commission to convene specifically for fast food. In a statement, SEIU California president David Huerta praised Newsom and lawmakers for “listening to workers and taking the bold action needed to make progress against a growing tide of inequality and poverty experienced by low-wage workers and people of color.”

The union’s close ally Sen. María Elena Durazo, a Los Angeles Democrat who leads a budget subcommittee on labor, said lawmakers have heard workers across industries testify that they can’t afford the basics despite working full time or more.

“Some of these industries already have wage orders,” she said. “It’s just a matter of looking at them (again) … It’s not just fast food.”

Newsom administration officials did not respond to a request for comment.

The bill only allows about 10 months — right up to about a week before next November’s election — to issue new rules on wages and working conditions. Longtime Capitol lobbyist Chris Micheli said given that tight timeframe, a new commission could only focus on a few industries that fit the poverty description, with fast food being likely.

In the current budget bills, the new Industrial Welfare Commission would not be allowed to issue labor rules that are less protective of workers than current law.

That’s raised the ire of business groups. In a statement Monday, the California Chamber of Commerce, state Restaurant Association and other groups denounced the limitation, saying it “will only create unnecessary confusion, create layered burdens on employers, and subject businesses to more frivolous litigation.”

Ironically, it was labor groups that pushed to disband the commission nearly two decades ago.

Created in 1913, the Industrial Welfare Commission was California’s version of “wage boards” that were common methods of setting labor standards across several Northern states during the Progressive Era. The commission was initially tasked with regulating labor in industries employing many women and children, the marginalized workers of that era who had neither union representation nor the ability to vote for stronger labor protections on their own.

The commission includes five members appointed by the governor: two representing employers’ interests, two representing labor’s interests and one representing the “general public.” It met in public, received comments and issued rules by industry in the form of wage orders.

In later decades, it expanded in scope to cover virtually every occupation.

The commission’s wage orders covered industries such as manufacturing, timber, agriculture, motion picture production, canneries, transportation and personal services. They regulated such working conditions as the length of breaks, overtime pay, the provision of seating and water for workers and whether employers had to provide uniforms if they were required.

The commission’s most high-profile responsibility was setting the statewide minimum wage. One of its most famous moves was to grant farm workers the right to overtime pay in the 1970s.

It was as susceptible as any Sacramento body to political influence. In the 1990s, then-Republican Gov. Pete Wilson appointed labor representatives to the commission that labor groups opposed, Fisk said.

The commission made the controversial move to roll back daily overtime rules — the requirement that employers pay extra for more than eight hours of work per day. Lawmakers later reinstated the overtime rules on their own.

Why commission went dormant

Labor groups ultimately decided the commission wasn’t serving workers. At the urging of the California Labor Federation, lawmakers in 2004 zeroed out the commission’s funding, according to news reports.

Since then, the commission has lain dormant — other than a brief revival in 2006 under Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was deadlocked at the time with the Democratic-led Legislature over how much to hike the minimum wage.

The state Labor Commissioner still enforces the commission’s old wage orders. The Legislature has become the primary body for writing new labor rules. Fisk said that’s not the best set-up for workers or the economy.

“It might be that the minimum wage should be $24 an hour in some occupations, but that in others, that’s too high and it would cause harm,” she said. “That’s an empirical question that should be studied based on sociological and economic analysis, which the Legislature is not set up to do as well as an expert body.”

Whether a resurrected Industrial Welfare Commission focuses on fast food or another industry, UC Santa Barbara labor historian Nelson Lichtenstein said it makes sense for the board to return.

The conditions and diminished clout of low-wage workers today, he said, in some ways mirror those of the women and children laboring in canneries and garment factories in the 1910s.

“Labor law is pretty ineffectual; labor organization is very very low,” Lichtenstein said. “You have (workers) who are only semi-citizens, whether they’re undocumented or marginalized. So we’ve sort of returned to the sociology of the Progressive Era.”

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