On Labor Day, the Star runs an op ed from the Chamber of Commerce

by David Safier

Happy Labor Day, the day when we celebrate workers and all they've done for our country. They built this country, damn it!

What does the Star do on Labor Day? Well, it runs a nice editorial about raising the minimum wage, reminding us that if we keep the value of the dollar constant, the minimum wage 44 years ago would be worth $10 an hour today, not our current $7.25. The editorial also notes that 88% of people earning minimum wage are NOT teenagers. They're adults who, if they work a 40 hour week for 52 weeks a year without a day's vacation, earn about $15,000. Good editorial.

Not so good, however, is the column beneath the editorial. It actually looks like another editorial, because it doesn't have the name of the author at the top. The title is, US Chamber agenda would create jobs. You have to go to the bottom of the column to find out it's written by R. Bruce Josten, executive vice president for government affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The Star published a PR piece by the top hacks at the right wing, anti-labor U.S. Chamber of Commerce on a day when you expect a column from a labor leader. The column itself is vague and innocuous, making it sound like the Chamber is pro-worker if you don't read too closely. The message: "The 1 percent loves all you little 99 percenters. We have your best interests at heart!"

A Chamber of Commerce column on Labor Day? Shameful!