Lisa Maldonado
Member since Dec 17, 2012
Recent Comments
Re: “Pinot, Poverty and Politics”
Thanks for a great story on a very important topic. Keeping in mind that with the shockingly low wages for picking grapes and the fact that many of these workers are exploited and endangered with poor working conditions, lack of adequate shade and water and few job protections, another solution to the lack of low income housing is the use of union jobs and union contracts which bring with them a voice at work, safety standards, health care and decent wages. Paying good middle class wages is the best way to allow people to afford housing, so they don't have to live 3 or 4 families to an apartment or drive two hours to get to work. The people and especially the wine growers in Napa can't complain about low income housing if they don't pay living wages. If they aren't willing to pay decent wages they should be building housing that workers can afford. They can't count on taxpayers to subsidize the wine industry with roads, schools, housing and infrastructure while they make huge profits by exploiting workers.
Re: “The Final Four”
I like this article and I love the fact that the Bohemian is investigating something so important to all of us, but I'd love it EVEN MORE if your reporter looked into the labor practices of each company. You can't be a GREEN ENERGY provider if you don't pay workers decent wages and benefits and give them a voice at work (especially in jobs like this where public safety is at risk- do you want a worker to have to choose between speaking up about shoddy safety standards or losing his or her job?) Workers rights standards should be a part of any criteria in picking a "Green Energy Partner"