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Working Beyond Unions [Labor Day Special Encore]
It’s been decades since the U.S. has had a powerful labor movement and recent efforts to revive it have mostly fallen flat. But there is hope for a new labor movement that goes beyond the unions.
Due to Economic Concerns, Gulf Coast Residents Still Support Big Oil
Many of those most closely affected by the devastation of the gulf spill are, in fact, not calling for any change at all.
Beyond BP: A Future Without Oil
We go to the gulf coast to hear why, despite the dangerous and deadly consequences, locals aren’t ready to turn their backs on the oil industry. What does that mean for the rest of us, as we pursue a future free of fossil fuels?
Turning Farm Workers into Farm Owners
It’s ironic that the workers caring for and picking our food, have the least say about how the farms themselves are run. But a non-profit organization in Central California is working to change that, with a dynamic program that turns farm workers into farm operators and owners.
A Waste-Free Dairy of the Future?
With increased focus on cattle waste methane emissions as a factor in climate change, the dairy industry is facing intense scrutiny. Making Contact’s Rita Daniels takes us to one sustainable California dairy farm where solutions are being found… and where waste makes all things possible.
Dry Farming–a Technique for a Water Scarce Future
The availability of water is a growing issue in California. And a handful of farmers are finding new ways to make every last drop count. “Making Contact” correspondent Joaquin Palomino visited the nearby Central Coast growing region.
Small Farms, Big Future
We go to California, America’s leading producer of fruits, vegetables, and dairy, to see some examples of how the nation’s agricultural industry is slowly but surely moving away from factory farms.
How We Survive: Getting Creative About Jobs
We look at how the unemployed are getting creative about making ends meet, from starting their own businesses to work-sharing.
Companies Choose Shared-Work Program Over Layoffs
Instead of laying a few people off during a downturn in business, companies can choose to decrease the hours of all of their employees, and government provided, partial unemployment benefits can help make up for the rest. In Connecticut, more than 500 companies have gone the work-share route. Correspondant Melinda Tuhus has more.
Bay Area Non-Profits Help Create Jobs by Supporting Micro-Enterprise
Despite Obama’s words of support of small business, experts say some aren’t relying on government, but more and more on community groups and micro-lenders. That’s what Making Contact correspondent Li Lovett found, talking to micro-entrepreneurs in the San Francisco Bay Area.
