Shout outs to all the sisters and brothers in the streets in Miami.  ¶ 2:50 PM

  The New York Times reports on undocumented Czech Walmart workers.



The use of illegal workers appeared to benefit Wal-Mart, its shareholders and managers by minimizing the company's costs, and it benefited consumers by helping hold down Wal-Mart's prices. Cleaning contractors profited, and thousands of foreign workers were able to earn more than they could back home.


But the system also had its costs janitors said they were forced to work seven days a week, were not paid overtime and often endured harsh conditions. Foreigners got jobs that Americans might have wanted. And taxpayers sometimes ended up paying for the illegal workers' emergency health care or their children's education in American schools.


"We Czechs are willing to sacrifice and work hard, but we definitely weren't earning enough money," said Pavel, 33, in a telephone interview from the Czech Embassy before he was deported last Friday. He said he received $380 in cash for his 56-hour workweeks. That came to $6.79 an hour, and he did not receive time-and-a-half for overtime.


In interviews, federal law enforcement officials, cleaning contractors, industry experts and seven illegal immigrant cleaners at Wal-Mart, including Pavel, said subcontracting allowed Wal-Mart to benefit while enabling it to deny responsibility.


Wal-Mart officials said it made sense to contract out the cleaning work because that enabled store managers to concentrate on what they do best, operating stores that provide low-cost merchandise. Wal-Mart uses about 100 contractors to clean nearly 1,000 of its stores.
  ¶ 3:01 PM

  For once, i agree with Doug Rae

But Douglas Rae, a professor in the School of Management who specializes in cities and economic planning, said despite the fact that Wal-Mart offers a number of low-wage jobs and competitive prices, it tends to devastate small retail in cities. He said while the store is not drastically different from Kmart, the placement of a Wal-Mart in New Haven is, on the whole, a bad idea.

"Small business is vital to the city," Rae said, "and Wal-Mart is a toxin."  ¶ 12:28 PM

  The strike deadline for Local 100 has passed. The NY Daily News reports that the "could strike any day" according to a local 100 spokesperson.  ¶ 7:01 PM

  As promised, here's the lien text:

Mr. Richard C. Levin
43 Hillhouse Avenue
New Haven, CT 06520

NOTICE OF CLAIM OF LIEN

The undersigned claimant hereby claims a lien under State Senate Bill No. 568 of the Civil Code of the State of Connecticut and hereby declares the following:

1. That a statement of claimant`s demand, after deducting all just credits and offsets, in the sum of
$42,000 per month, for the remainder of Mr. Richard C. Levin’s life.

2. That the name of the owner[s], or reputed owner[s] of the property is [are]: Mr. Richard C. Levin, President of Yale University. Although he doesn’t really own it, but he might as well.

3. A general statement of the kind of work done or materials furnished by claimant, or both is:

Fostering an environment of mutual respect and charitable relations. Payment is long past due by the claimant.

[insert]

4. That the name[s] of the person[s] by whom claimant was employed or to whom claimant furnished the materials is [are]:

Yale University, Yale-New Haven Psychiatric Hospital, Yale School of Medicine.

5. A description of the property sought to be charged with the lien is: The official residence of the President of Yale University, 43 Hillhouse Avenue, in compensation for the houses of working people in New Haven put under lien by Yale Psychiatric Institute. At least Mr. Levin has someplace else to go.

DATED: __October 31, 2003______________


Sincerely,

The Future of New Haven  ¶ 1:07 AM