Hyatt Workers Seek to Level the Playing Field

Posted by Raj Jayadev on Tuesday, June 24, 2008

One of the most nerve-racking experiences a worker can have on the job is announcing to their manager that they want a union. Doing so can be a quick way to lose your job, and lamenting about ineffective labor laws doesn’t pay the bills while looking through classifieds on your couch.  It is, by all measure, a dangerous gamble, but one that can pay off in the long run with higher wages, benefits, and a mechanism for airing grievances. 

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Use Successful Boys Ranch Model to Improve Juvenile Justice System

Posted by Raj Jayadev on Tuesday, June 17, 2008

When I drove around the Boys Ranch in Morgan Hill a month ago, I expected some sort of military-style, boot-camp atmosphere. Almost all of the young men I knew who went there years ago had run from the Ranch like it was part of the protocol: Go to “the Hall,” then the Ranch, and run from the Ranch back to the Hall. I figured there had to be a reason, something unacceptable that would make youth run when they knew for sure they would get caught. However, after talking to dozens of youngsters as to why they ran, it turns out it wasn’t that deep—it was just easy.

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Promoter Ordinance Opposition Group May Change Downtown Vision

Posted by Raj Jayadev on Tuesday, June 10, 2008

On June 3, the San Jose City Council passed the controversial promoter ordinance that will regulate downtown nightlife by imposing fees and mandatory permits on event promoters and organizers. I don’t want to put too much on it, but the day after the ordinance passed, it was like someone had shot live entertainment in the head.

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“Green-Collar” Jobs Will Give San Jose Grads Hope for the Future

Posted by Raj Jayadev on Tuesday, May 27, 2008

It’s graduation season, and tassels are being turned in high schools, community colleges, vocational programs and universities all over the South Bay. This year, a friend of mine who I first met seven years ago when he was locked up in the max unit of juvenile hall (I was giving writing workshops through a program called “The Beat Within") got his high school diploma and is now taking classes at De Anza College. He was the kind of youngster that was always quick witted, which probably got him more trouble than anything else, but this year, his gift for gab was rewarded, and he was the commencement speaker at his graduation. He was even on the evening news when they did a segment on graduations, which was a bit of redemption for him since the last time he was on TV, he was kicking in a newspaper stand during Mardi Gras years ago. 

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Tasers on Trial in San Jose

Posted by Raj Jayadev on Tuesday, May 20, 2008

In the course of the next two weeks, San Jose’s civil and criminal courts will be discussing the use of Tasers by law enforcement. This week in federal court, the Salinas Police Department and Taser International faces a jury in the case of a Salinas man who died after he was stunned 30 times by Taser-wielding police officers.  The trial will be closely watched by San Jose attorneys and future plaintiffs who are aiming for their day in court against Taser International and the San Jose Police Department. 

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