Volume 4, Issue 9, September 1, 2012

September 2

"The Labor Movement-Past Accomplishments and Future Challenges"
Louis Forrisi, Human Relations Director
of North Carolina Council of the
American Postal Workers Union, Local 1078

Is There a Future for Unions?

"American trade unionism is slowly being limited in influence by changes that destroy the basis on which it is erected. It is probable that the changes in the law have adversely affected unionism. Certainly the growth of large corporations has done so. But...over and above these influences, the relative decline in the power of trade unionism is due to occupational change and to technological revolution...The changes...appear likely to continue in the same direction. It is hazardous to prophesy, but I see no reason to believe that American trade unionism will so revolutionize itself within a short period of time as to become in the next decade a more potent social influence than it has been in the past decade.

George Barnett, Presidential Address of the American Economics Association

Our speaker will cover the rise of organized labor in the 19th and early 20th century, the birth of the modern labor movement, and the modern era's attack on labor unions. He will address how working conditions led to organizing different union models, the response of employers and the government, the evolution of labor laws, the Reagan administration and its impact on labor, and the relationship of unions to job growth and decline.

IFC Food Pantry

We will be collecting food and sundry items this Sunday for IFC. See the List of Items.The economic recession has resulted in a loss of donations to this important social service agency, and it relies on organizations like ours to help its clients. Please contribute generously.

September 9

"Unions, Technology and Global Markets"
Group Discussion

We will focus on issues that have led to union decline and the role the federal government could play in promoting job growth. Some economists have suggested the following: waiving interest rates on federal loans to students to gain advanced technology degrees; grants to educational organizations that provide (at no charge) better techniques to small businesses for competing in US markets and managing profits for reinvestment and growth; incentives to foreign businesses to establish branches in the US, hiring locally, limiting sale of product to this country, and paying taxes on the income; and funding the rebuilding of this country's infrastructure with no-interest loans. Come prepared with questions, comments, and a list of your ideas about how federal investment can create job growth.

September 16

"Myths Surrounding Our Lifespan" (via Skype)
The Longevity Project
Dr. Leslie Martin

"We have been told that the key to longevity involves obsessing over what we eat, how much we stress, and how fast we run. Based on the most extensive study of longevity ever conducted, The Longevity Project exposes what really impacts our lifespan-including friends, family, personality, and work."

The presentation will touch on factors that are positively or less positively associated with longevity: sociability, emotional sociability, neuroticism, catastrophic thinking, life satisfaction, marital happiness, job passion and accomplishment, religiosity and social support network.

Dr. Leslie Martin co-authored The Longevity Project using modern statistics to study participants over eight decades to explore myths about the relationship of health and long life. Conscientiousness, prudence and persistence are the keys to flourishing.

September 23

"Longevity and Conscientiousness"
Group Discussion

Conscientiousness requires that we keep our actions, resolutions, and desires in harmony with our ethical beliefs. We might follow conscientiousness because it promotes our desire to be a good person, because it promotes our well-being and self-respect and earns us social approval. It's useful in promoting the social good. Or we might see the conscientiousness norm as self-evident, as coherent with our moral intuitions, or as required by ideal ethical thinking. We might just have positive feelings in favor of it.

Our discussion will cover the role of conscientiousness in ethical decision making and behavior, how members define it and the impact on their life. Is this a physical manifestation as some suggest, a product of DNA, or do parents' beliefs and values and those of one's peers and mentors have more bearing? Do you agree that conscientious people are more likely to live healthy lifestyles and if so why? In what ways does conscientiousness support our principles and commitments? Let's spend time together exploring how conscientiousness underlies all Ethical Humanists' principles and practice.

 

September 27

IFC Cook and Serve

Our scheduled cook and serve project is this Thursday from 4:00 to 7:15 p.m. Contact Amy Piersma, amypiersma@yahoo.com, to sign up. The food is donated from the community and anyone who is hungry can eat. Our entire membership participates. On the fourth Thursday of each month, January through October, members cook from 4-6 p.m. and serve from 6-7:15 p.m. It's great fun and a worthy endeavor!

September 30

"The Role of Fear in Living Ethically"
Randy Best, EHST Leader

Morality is an endangered species. Global communications and travel, cultural upheaval, plus massive changes in life-styles and technology are increasingly exposing contradictions and practical limitations in traditional systems. Unable or unwilling to live by hopelessly flawed dogma, many have all but abandoned systems of morality. Some resort to explicit amorality, others to a 'pragmatic' approach of 'what one can get away with,' many simply do what feels right-more or less. Hypocritical behavior by spiritual and political leaders, rampant dishonesty in others, and the anonymity of urban life further encourage this rejection of traditional ethics.

However, all of these factors cannot hide our desperate need for guiding principles. Modern life appears to offer additional freedoms to practice these principles but imposes increasingly numerous, difficult and far-reaching choices. Choosing the ethical path can incur fear because of opposition, criticism, intolerance and unjust laws. Freedom to practice ethically in this country sometimes depends on economic and social status and affiliation and is non-existent in many areas of the world. Randy will speak to these issues in his platform.

 

Deepening Circles - Next Meeting Date and Place TBA

The group has been formed to create more intimate, personal relationships. Our last meeting was held August 30th.

The meetings are taking place once a mouth outside our usual meeting times, focus on a given topic, and allow everyone to speak. The purpose is to be able to listen to each other and share experiences, not to discuss or debate. Participants gain insight into other group members and increase common understanding.

We encourage you to attend. Please contact Randy Best with your questions and if you would like to attend. rsbest@fastmail.fm

 

 

 

The parade will be held in Durham. Vehicle and float line-up is at 11:30 a.m. on Campus Dr. on East Campus. The march will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Campus Dr. and turn right on West Main St. then travel west to Broad St. It will turn right (north) on Broad Street and proceed to Green St. and turn left (West). It will turn left on Ninth Street (south). It will turn left on West Main (east) and travel back to Campus Dr. where it will end.