Workers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the Centre will bear the cost of vaccinating three crore healthcare and frontline workers across the country, while asking states not to buy vaccines directly and make all purchases through the Union government. In his interaction with chief ministers of all states to discuss the pandemic situation and vaccination roll-out in the country, Modi further said it should be ensured that public representatives, a reference to politicians, do not jump queues and take vaccines ahead of other citizens. India is entering a decisive phase of vaccination in the fight against COVID-19, he said, pointing that the world's largest vaccination programme will start from January 16. Public representatives are not part of the three-crore corona warriors and frontline workers to be vaccinated first, Modi said. The PM said the Centre will be the single agency for all vaccine purchases . Sources said HLL Lifecare Limited, a public sector undertaking, will … [Read more...] about PM Says Centre to Bear Cost of Vaccines of Frontline Workers; No Out-of-turn Jabs for Politicians

Over the last year while working in fast-food and taking care of my family, I've been exposed to COVID-19 four times. Thankfully, I tested negative each time. But all four of my quarantines were unpaid, including the time I was taking care of my daughter, who got sick with Covid. Four unpaid quarantines means four lost paychecks. Do you know what that means for a working family like mine? Our stimulus check kept us from getting evicted, but we have had to go to food banks to keep food on the table, and I've had to rely on assistance to keep the lights on. $15 an hour is the bare minimum my family needs to survive. It's not going to solve all our problems. But it would allow us to live more comfortably, without the looming fear of a giant medical bill or eviction notice that could sink us deeper into poverty. Along with other workers in the Fight for $15 and a Union, I've been calling on McDonald's to raise our pay to $15 an hour, which we urgently need to recover from the COVID-19 … [Read more...] about I’ve been a fast food worker since I was 15. It’s time for a living wage | Opinion

Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board Labourers Union has sought action against the contractors and officials for the death of contract worker Nelson. The 26-year-old worker was asphyxiated while cleaning a sewer line at Madhavaram on Tuesday. The CMWSSB had on Tuesday announced a solatium of ₹15 lakh to the victim’s family. According to a press release, Nelson fell into the maintenance hole while checking for blocks in the sewer line. His colleague Ravi, 35, too has been admitted to Government Stanley Hospital in a critical condition. The workers were using jetrodding and super sucker machines for the cleaning operation at Muthumariamman Koil Street in Madhavaram. G. Beem Rao, president, CMWSSB Labourers Union (affiliated to CITU) and former Maduravoyal MLA said the government must increase the solatium to ₹25 lakh. A monitoring committee must be formed to check on the operation and maintenance of the sewer network. Underlining the provisions of the Prohibition of … [Read more...] about Metrowater labourers union seeks action against contractors, officials for worker’s death

The chaos at our southern border and the crisis of rule of law in the U.S. is about to get even worse, thanks to a Supreme Court ruling handed down on Thursday. The Court ruled by a 5-4 decision that the Biden administration may put an end to the Migrant Protection Protocols, known as the "Remain in Mexico" policy. Remain in Mexico, a Trump-era holdover, addressed the ongoing flood of migrants arriving at our southern border by requiring asylum seekers to either be detained in the U.S. or sent to Mexico to wait for their asylum claims to be reviewed. The Court's ruling will mean even more migrants entering the U.S. by the thousands. Remain in Mexico was one of the only remaining safeguards against the Left's fantasy of open borders. This is not only a national security issue. Our national border protects the economic resources of working-class Americans, including—perhaps especially—descendants of slaves. The economic and employment prospects for all Americans are placed at … [Read more...] about Remain in Mexico was protecting American workers. Will Biden betray them again? | Opinion

In a surprising discovery, workers digging at a Metro construction site in Pune, Maharashtra have accidentally unearthed fossils of animals dating back to the Peshwa era. The bones were found near the Pune Metro site near Mahatma Phule Mandai on Wednesday and belong to mammals like elephants and bovine animals, a team of archaeologists that later visited the site informed. According to a report by The Indian Express , the bones were not ancient but dated sometime between 200 and 300 years old. This would be the first time that fossils from that era have been found within city boundaries. Another report in The Pune Mirror , however, stated that experts from the Archaeological Society of India (ASI) and Deccan College were called in to examine the bones and they have dated the bones back to 150-200 years. Some of the fossils were found at a depth of barely 10 meters. While the exact relation of the fossils to the Peshwa is yet to be ascertained, the unusual discovery has … [Read more...] about Pune Metro Workers Accidentally Dig Out Elephant, Bovine Fossils That Could be from Peshwa Era

Customers at Panda Express expressed concerns in a viral TikTok showing an employee allegedly running the crowded restaurant by himself. The TikTok, which was uploaded by @tejeda.angelina97, received more than 1.5 million views and 1,100 comments in six days, with many commenters criticizing the restaurant's corporate for not treating employees better. The video can be found here . "This kid is running this whole store ALONE THIS IS CRAZY," the caption of the video read. A recent survey conducted by IT software company Ivanti found that just under a quarter of respondents in America have left their job in the past year and 27 percent are considering leaving. Dubbed " The Great Resignation ," more than an estimated 4.5 million workers quit their jobs in November 2021, with Business Insider reporting nearly 1 million were restaurant and hotel workers. In the viral TikTok, @tejeda.angelina97 showed a crowded Panda Express with a line waiting to be helped and a crowd waiting … [Read more...] about Employee running entire Panda Express by himself sparks debate

Members of a popular internet forum rushed to the defense of one prospective employee who put an abrupt end to a contentious job interview. In a viral Reddit post published on r/AmITheA**hole, Redditor u/AnxiousSprinkles396 (otherwise referred to as the original poster, or OP) described the challenges they've encountered throughout their recent job search and said they were forced to cut an interview short after being reprimanded for asking about money. Titled, "[Am I the a**hole] for walking out of an interview when they would not disclose a salary to me?" the post has received nearly 10,000 votes and 2,000 comments in the last ten hours. Explaining that they are nearing the end of their current employment contract, the original poster said that they've interviewed with numerous companies and noticed a common thread between many of them: an unwillingness to disclose salary information. The original poster also said they implemented a system to combat the widespread … [Read more...] about “Bad mannered”: Internet backs worker walking out of combative interview

A man's "petty" revenge on the customer behind him at a Steak 'N Shake drive-thru has won him rousing applause online. The proportion of Americans who use drive-thrus has spiked since COVID-19 hit the U.S., when many restaurants closed. According to a 2021 survey by mobile marketing company Bluedot , 74 percent of U.S. consumers have used a drive-thru since the start of the pandemic, up 43 percent from April 2020. 'Petty' Revenge In a video with 7.4 million views, TikTok user Nicole Christine captured her husband Kyle's reaction to a customer honking behind them at the Steak 'N Shake drive-thru line. "These people back here behind me are being a**holes," Kyle said to her. "I'm going to buy their meal and take it." "Don't do that," the woman videoing from the passenger seat says, but he doesn't listen. The cashier then opened the window and confirmed his order from the drive-thru window. "Yeah, and whatever they have, too, I'm gonna go ahead and buy it and take it," he … [Read more...] about Man’s revenge on customer honking in drive-thru line delights internet

As the Chennai Rainbow Pride Parade returned after a two-year gap on Sunday, the unassuming Langs Garden Road, Egmore turned into a riot of colour and song. Flags were aloft, drums were beating, speakers were blaring, as an estimated 7,000 people showed up over four hours. “In 2019, we had around 3,000 participants. This year, the crowd is larger after two years of COVID,” says transwoman G Sankari, co-founder of Nirangal Charitable Trust, one of the organisations that form Tamil Nadu Rainbow Coalition that unites to organise this parade. Sankari takes a couple of minutes to sit down and get her breath back, after hours of cheering and chanting with participants old and new. Members of the LGBTQIA+ community and their supporters take part in the pride march in Chennai on Sunday | Photo Credit: B VELANKANNI RAJ Amid all the joyous mayhem, however, there also stood the quiet ones. The ones standing shy by their friends, others speaking gently when spoken to, a few keeping just … [Read more...] about Thousands celebrate as Chennai Rainbow Pride Parade returns after two-year gap

The UK’s Queen Elizabeth II has praised those across the Commonwealth working on the frontlines during the coronavirus pandemic. She also highlighted the importance of staying in touch with friends and families during the pandemic in her annual Commonwealth Day speech on Sunday. “Over the coming week, as we celebrate the friendship, spirit of unity and achievements of the Commonwealth, we have an opportunity to reflect on a time like no other. “Whilst experiences of the last year have been different across the Commonwealth, stirring examples of courage, commitment and selfless dedication to duty have been demonstrated in every Commonwealth nation and territory, notably by those working on the frontline who have been delivering healthcare and other public services in their communities. “We have also taken encouragement from remarkable advances in developing new vaccines and treatments,” she noted. The British monarch said the testing times experienced by so many have led to a deeper … [Read more...] about ‘Selfless Dedication to Duty’: Queen Elizabeth Praises Frontline Workers in Commonwealth Day Speech