The AFL Canadian: Labor, National Identity, and Transnational Discourse

The AFL Canadian: Labor, National Identity, and Transnational Discourse 1936-1955 â€Å"The American Federation of Labor is an American organization,† declared William Green, president of the AFL, in his 1947 keynote speech, â€Å"It believe[d] in American, the fundamental law of the United States, the Constitution, freedom, liberty and democracy. We will have nothing to do with Communism in any shape, or form ... This sixty-sixth convention will redeclare its opposition to Communism and to Communist philosophy, and ... to [those who would] attempt to establish it among the organized labor of our country.† Though Green declared â€Å"Communism abhorrent to American labor† not all the members of the AFL were American. Indeed, Canadians and their unions had been part of the AFL since its inception in 1881. Craft unions in Canada were primarily organized under the Trades and Labor Congress of Canada (TLC), which had been a subdivision of the AFL since 1910. However the power relation between these two groups had been hotly contested over that time. Should the Trades and Labor Congress be able to act independently of the AFL leadership? After all, as Green said in his 1947 speech, â€Å"The American Federation of Labor is an American organization.† Canada was a sovereign state, yet its labor organizations were dominated by a foreign power. At the 1939 American Federation of Labor convention in Atlantic City, NJ, this issue of Canadian labor sovereignty in regards to the AFL came to the fore. The executive council of the AFL recommended giving the Trades and Labor Congress sole authority to grant central labor body charters. Although primarily an economically unimportant act, as central labor bodies did not arbitrate wages or work conditions,... ...f the AFL, I am well acquainted with the particularities of union research. Additionally, over the summer and continuing through this year, I have been working on a labor economics research project between the National Bureau of Economic Research, the Federal Reserve, and Columbia. Developing econometric models of wage variation between industries, I could perform statistical analysis of data, although the focus of my project will always be on the voices of the rank-and-file, not an aggregation of the quantifiable. As I am conversant in economic theory however, I can use my knowledge of international trade and labor economics to detail the backdrop against which the Toronto AFL story develops. I believe I can bring the voices of the Toronto rank-and-file into the Canadian historical conversation, which will bring greater detail to the Canadian historical narrative.

Easyinternetcafe Cafe Essay

This case report addresses the challenges to implement a new logistic system that if well implemented it can improve operations and can convert easyinternetcafe into a profitable company. EasyInternetCafe (eIC)is a chain of Internet cafes with stores in the UK, the USA, Holland, Belgium, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. eIC is part of the Easy Group, headed by the Greek entrepreneur Stelios Haji-Ioannou. The original business model is to build and operate on the principle of ‘economics of scale’ or Yield Management: most stores would be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and each has an average of 350 PC’s. In 2003, with losses continuing to mount, eIc management has decided to radically revamp their operations. In order to eliminate the need for future investments in new stores, the strategy was changed. It has been decided to appoint franchisees for the new stores and also, if possible, for the existing legacy stores. According to the new strategy, the franchisee would be required to bear the costs of the property and the hardware. It was also decided to move from large stores to smaller stores with 20 to 30 PCs. The current logistic situation represents a bottleneck and it is one of the major causes for the ongoing losses at easyinternetcafe. After reviewing different logistics scenarios and providers, I strongly recommend taking a closer look to support the logistic alternative that Ingram Micro is proposing. If we do that, we could benefit in the warehousing, accounting and transportation areas, through all this areas, it will help us reduce the logistics costs and labour per new store, from almost to  £2,000.00 to  £1,357.00, this and the benefits mentioned before, will help us to achieve our overall objective of being a profitable company. This; will be the strategic perspe ctive that will be demonstrated throughout the report. Issue(s) Identification: 1. Yield Management does not work for every company. eIC’s first store opened in June 1999 opposite in London. Soon afterwards, it was quickly recognized that eIC’s yield management had certain characteristics that later affected the business model: elC was offering a highly perishable product: 1 hour of Internet access time, cannot be put in inventory, once that hour is gone, there is no way of reselling that hour of internet access time. Although stores are large, capacity is limited; Internet access demand varies, not only by time of day, day of week, but also across other time and seasonal horizons. Incremental costs are next to nothing: it doesn’t matter whether there is one person or 500 in a store, the bandwidth is already there. By the time the second and third stores were opened, eIC had built yield management into its store management system. 2. Current Logistics System Logistics is not a core competency at elC, but it has become one of the integral activities. Logistics for elc means to supply the new stores with their initial assests, including all of the furniture and PCs. This system is a drag on scalability, efficiency and a bottleneck for growth and the main reason for spiraling high cost and ongoing losses. Environmental and Root Cause Analysis: Aggressive use of yield management is a recognized and admired business model of Stelios. EasyJet was a profitable company after just a few years of operation. However, with EasyInternetCafe profits seem a long way off, the assumption that offering very low prices would increase the demand significantly lead to losses of  £80m- £100m from 199 to 2002. Below are some root causes of the symptoms above: * The stores are too large; economies of scale don’t materialize if occupancy is half empty. * Fixed costs were too high due to the quantity of Pcs per store. * Staff overheads were excessive. Assumptions: * Are there sufficient customers who want to use an internet cafe? To-day, most of the homes have internet access, and many others have (free) access at their place of work or at colleges or university. * Are the stores located in the right place to attract customers throughout the day and the whole week? Downtown cafes might attract business people needing to keep in touch, but many city centres are quiet in the evenings and at weekends. By mid-2001, with cash running out a drastic action was necessary: a franchising plan is being developed. It is important that every cafe looked the same, with common signage, furnishings and PCs. The time to sign a contract with a franchise is one week. If the franchisee did not already have space for the cafà ©, eIc would assist in recommendations with locations within 28 days. The broadband internet connection had to be installed by the local telecoms supplier within 28 days. Also they need to Desk installed within seven days. Server delivered and installed 2 days and PCs delivered and installed 2 days. CVM delivered and installed 1 day Signage delivered and installed 1 day. Chairs delivered and installed 1 day. Testing complete system 2 days and also Open for business within one day. So, how much time should it take to open the cafe once the contract is signed? From the predecessors plan we see that average duration of time for all activity. Under bellow we discuss about time of the contract are signed.

Nora Helmer and Women in American Literature - 2063 Words

Women were valued very little by nineteenth century society. The treatment of these women was also extremely negative; they were expected to stay home and fulfill domestic duties. Literature of this time embodies and mirrors social issues of women in society. Henrik Ibsen uses Nora Helmer in A Doll House to portray the negative treatment of all women throughout society during the nineteenth century. Many women characters throughout American literature reflect the same conflicts and attitudes of Nora in Ibsen s play A Doll House. br brThe role of a woman was inferior to that of a man, especially in marriages. The main duties of a woman were centered around the home. They were expected to fulfill their domestic duties, such as caring†¦show more content†¦Miss Lawrence, you don t know men (Gilman 511). Mr. Beazley also tells Mrs. Beazley what do you women know about business, anyway! You just tell him you re perfectly willing and under no compulsion, and sign the paper..., which reiterates the fact that men dominated most economic issues (Gilman506). br brSociety s general attitude towards a woman was that her place in society was to be controlled or dominated by a male figure. It was thought that someone had to be on top and the men were the ones called to this leadership. Men felt that it was their duty and obligation to be socially dominating over women. br brIn A Doll House Torvald is very dominating over his wife, Nora. He controlled her as if she were his own personal property; Nora had to dress a certain way to satisfy her husband, and she also is forbidden by Torvald to eat macaroons. As he shakes his finger at her, Torvald asks, My sweet tooth really didn t make a little detour through the confectioner s (Ibsen 785). br brIt is implied that in Elizabeth Stuart Phelp s The Angel Over the Right Shoulder, the wife is also somewhat controlled by her husband. Mrs. James complains that because of her overload of domestic responsibilities, she never has any free time to herself. Mr. James, her husband, then replies, ...make up your mind to let the work which is not done, go undone, if it must. Spend this time on just those things which will be most profitable to yourself. I shall bindShow MoreRelated Nora Helmer And Women In American Literature Essay1939 Words   |  8 Pages Women were valued very little by nineteenth century society. The treatment of these women was also extremely negative; they were expected to stay home and fulfill domestic duties. Literature of this time embodies and mirrors social issues of women in society. Henrik Ibsen uses Nora Helmer in A Doll House to portray the negative treatment of all women throughout society during the nineteenth century. Many women characters throughout A merican literature reflect the same conflicts and attitudes ofRead More Comparing Edna of Kate Chopins The Awakening and Nora of Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House 1038 Words   |  5 PagesEdna of Kate Chopins The Awakening and Nora of Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House Kate Chopins work, The Awakening, and Henrik Ibsens play, A Dolls House, were written at a time when men dominated women in every aspect of life.   Edna Pontellier, the protagonist in The Awakening, and Nora, the protagonist in A Dolls House, are trapped in a world dominated by men.   The assumed superiority of their husbands traps them in their households.   Edna and Nora share many similarities, yet differ fromRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1135 Words   |  5 Pagestwo protagonists named Nora Helmer and Edna Pontillier depict feminist ideals during the Victorian era in their struggle for independence, both sexually and emotionally. Nora and Edna are feminists in the late 1800s, trapped in an era and a society dictated by men. Both works parallel together and are significant because they show how Edna and Nora awaken, as their roles and self-realization progress in their respective families. Edna and Nora are emblematic of many women of this era whose rolesRead MoreThe Power of Relationship in Hemingways Cat in the Rain and Ibsens A Dolls House651 Words   |  3 PagesIn A Dolls House, for example, Nora Helmer acts on her own volition to help her husband. Her desire to act independently is subsumed by the patriarchal norms to which her husband and her friends like Christine Linde ascribe. The relationship between Nora and Torvald could potentially result in Noras self-implosion but instead, Nora chooses to extricate herself from the negative situation. Her leaving her husband represents the symbolic liberation of all women from the subjugation of patriarchyRead More The Feminist Movement in A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen Essay examples1644 Words   |  7 PagesDolls House, the character of Nora Helmer goes through the dramatic transformation of a kind and loving housewife, to a desperate and bewildered woman, whom will ultimately leave her husband and everything she has known. Ibsen uses both the characters of Torvald and Nora to represen t the tones and beliefs of 19th century society. By doing this, Ibsen effectively creates a dramatic argument that continues to this day; that of feminism. We are introduced in Act I with Nora returning from Christmas shoppingRead MoreHenrik Ibsens A Dolls House1529 Words   |  7 PagesNora and Christina Switch Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House questions the gender roles of women in society through its characters, namely Nora Helmer and Christina Linden, before and after marriage. What are gender roles exactly? Gender roles are the combination is specific gender stereotypes that consist of the perceptions of the society of what an ideal male/female should act like (Lindsey and Christy). This paper aims to question whether the gender roles of Nora Helmer and Christina Linden of HenrikRead More Gender Stereotypes in Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House and Susan Glaspells Trifles 1836 Words   |  8 PagesTorvald Helmer treats his wife, Nora, and in the way Nora acts to please her husband. These include the beliefs that women are lesser people, childlike in their actions and in need of being controlled. Nora knows as long as she acts in accordance with the way she is expected, she will get what she wants from Torvald. The stereotypes and assumptions made in Trifles are those of the women being concerned o nly with trifling things, that they are loyal to the feminine gender, and that women are subservientRead MoreComparison essay -- Trifles and A Dolls House1460 Words   |  6 PagesTimes Call For Desperate Change People are capable of doing crazy things! Nora, in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, loved her husband so much that she committed forgery just for the sake of his wellbeing. Susan Glaspell’s character in Trifles, Mrs. Wright, murders her husband after she discovers that he killed the one most precious thing to her, her pet bird. It was out of love that these women committed illegal crimes. Nora wanted her husband to be healthy because she loved him and knew that withoutRead More Reasons Nora Helmer Must Leave Her Husband in Henrik Ibsens A Doll House1720 Words   |  7 PagesReasons Nora Helmer Must Leave Her Husband in Henrik Ibsens A Doll House Foreward: Henrik Ibsens A Doll House (aka A Dolls House) is so rich in moral, political, and metaphysical (if one is to regard such matters as selfhood and identity as metaphysical) insights and criticisms that it is hard to imagine how one could absorb it all in one sitting. Its moral message was very bold in its day and remains so in the more slowly progressing parts of the world, like North America. InstitutionsRead MoreEssay on Feminist Protagonists in The Awakening and A Dolls House755 Words   |  4 PagesM. Rogers writes, Thinking of Noras painful disillusionment, her parting from her children, and the uncertainties of her future independent career, Ibsen called his play the tragedy of modern times (82). The main characters in each work, Nora Helmer, in A Doll House, and Edna Pontellier, in The Awakening, portray feminist ideas. Neither Ibsen nor Chopin intended to write for the womens rights movement, but both works are classics of a womans liberation. Ibsen is quoted as saying that