Starving Wisconsin’s Unions

Eugene Robinson / Truthdig Feb 22, 2011 Let's be clear: The high-stakes standoff in Wisconsin has nothing to do with balancing the state's budget. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

These Public Employees Are Not Overpaid

Staff / Truthdig Jan 7, 2011 While Wall Streeters continue to rake it in, there's a movement afoot to redirect the public's rage against the humble public employee. These hardworking folks don't look like the greedy opportunists they've been smeared as. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Former Car Czar Pays Steep Settlement Fine

Staff / Truthdig Dec 31, 2010 President Obama's erstwhile "car czar," Steven Rattner, has paid a high price -- $10 million, to be exact, not to mention his former position in the current administration -- for his investment group's involvement in a shady pension fund scheme. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

The French Sure Know How to Strike

Staff / Truthdig Oct 22, 2010 French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his camp are trying to keep their cool and push on with a vote on pension reform that would change France's official retirement age, but the opposition isn't backing down In fact, labor unions have set aside (continued). Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

French Protesters Hit the Streets

Staff / Truthdig Oct 12, 2010 President Sarkozy, you're on notice. On Tuesday, French protesters took to the streets en masse to send the message that they do not approve of their president's move to change the country's official retirement age. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Greeks Take to the Streets

Staff / Truthdig May 1, 2010 Thousands of angry Greeks took to the streets on May Day, protesting a wave of wage cuts, tax increases and pension reductions implemented to deal with the country's growing debt crisis. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Age Trumps Youth in UC Tuition Dispute

Yasha Levine / Truthdig Nov 25, 2009 Student protesters may think they are simply battling a wasteful, callous government bureaucracy that is more concerned about bailing out Wall Street banks than supporting a frivolous thing like education. But really the fight is about something much more basic and widespread: It is a fight between the young and the old, between California's baby boomer pensioners and everyone under 49.The fight over the 32 percent tuition hike on University of California campuses is about something much more basic and widespread than student protesters may realize. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

Looking for a Middle Class

Marie Cocco / Truthdig Oct 15, 2009 The challenge of our time is to re-create America as a middle-class nation. [This is Marie Cocco's last column.] Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Old Mai Dong Lao Had a Pension

Staff / Truthdig Aug 6, 2009 It's hard to keep up the communist rhetoric when you've got Gucci. Harder still with millions of farmers struggling to scratch out a living while China's select few live the good life. Beijing is hip to the growing class tensions, however, and will start subsidizing a national pension for rural workers. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Some Banks Are Seizing Social Security Payments

Staff / Truthdig Jun 1, 2009 As if the American people weren’t hurting enough, some banks have been seizing Social Security, disability, veteran and pension benefits from account holders in order to pay off debts, despite federal regulations protecting such funds. A group of legislators has been pressuring the Treasury Department to close the loophole that allows these heinous acts. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Retirees Wake Up to a Swindle

Marie Cocco / Truthdig Oct 14, 2008 The essential fallacy of the 401(k) has been exposed. It took a historic market collapse -- one that threatens to impoverish workers already in retirement and those who are nearing it. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

How Cubans Make It Work

Staff / Truthdig Jan 5, 2007 Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 removed much of the padding from Cuba's economy, Cubans have found some creative ways to alleviate the financial hardships of life under the communist system. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )