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All posts tagged "LA Labor 411"

  • Labor & EconomyJuly 2, 2014

    Flagonomics — Supporting Good Jobs With Your Fourth of July Dollars

    Our friends at Labor 411 continue to offer ways to celebrate holidays and support good American jobs at the same time. This week, of course, the 411 folks are highlighting the Fourth of July. They begin with Old Glory itself – noting that of all the flag versions (foreign and domestic) sold in America, you can’t do better than ones produced by the union workers of Annin Flagmakers (United Food and Commercial Workers) or Artflag (Workers United).

    Doubling down on the red, white and blue spirit, Labor 411 suggests stocking up on like-colored edibles, quaffables and utensils, including:

    Red: Solo Cups, Red Vines, Coca-Cola, Wine (C.K. Mondavi, Gallo Estate, Turning Leaf), Salsa (Old El Paso, Tostitos, Pace)

    White: Popcorn (Act II, Orville Redenbacher, Smartfood), Domino Sugar, Chicken (Foster Farms, Banquet, Tyson), Milk (Alta Dena, Darigold, Horizon)

    Blue: Pepsi,

     » Read more about: Flagonomics — Supporting Good Jobs With Your Fourth of July Dollars  »

  • Culture & MediaOctober 21, 2013

    Union Halloween Tricks and Treats

    (Labor 411, the group dedicated to promoting products and services that carry the union label, offers a couple of spooky recipes for Halloween treats that are reposted below.)

    According to a recent survey, more Americans than ever will be getting in the Halloween spirit this year. Halloween has now become one of the fastest growing and most widely loved holidays in America. We here at Labor 411 love Halloween because it’s all about the candy — and so much of it is union made! You can get a complete list of union-made candy by clicking here.

    Sometimes buying union candy can be confusing, mostly to do with what we call “bridge companies,” which can make some of their products both in the U.S. and out of the country. So if a company is listed in our directory but you’ve heard they make candy out of the country,

     » Read more about: Union Halloween Tricks and Treats  »

  • Culture & MediaDecember 19, 2012

    Labor 411 Test Kitchen: Union Eggnog

    Labor 411’s Test Kitchen is just in time for the holidays! We’re sharing a recipe for Homemade Eggnog, which is THE traditional holiday beverage. We’ve got a recipe to make it using all union-made ingredients – and you’ll find the union brands listed next to each item. This quintessential holiday beverage is perfect to share with your friends and family.

    Be forewarned: This recipe contains a little bit of alcohol.  Do not consume alcohol if you are underage.

    Eggnog Ingredients
    6 eggs (separated) – Alta Dena, Horizon
    3/4 cup sugar – Domino Sugar, Sugar in the Raw
    1 pint heavy cream – Alta Dena, Horizon
    1-1/2 (1.5) quarts milk – Alta Dena, Horizon
    (or 1 quart milk + 2 cups whiskey) – we suggest Knob Creek
    ½ cup rum – Bacardi

    Directions
    Beat egg whites until fluffy,

     » Read more about: Labor 411 Test Kitchen: Union Eggnog  »

  • Culture & MediaSeptember 3, 2012

    Pricey, Non-Union Blue Collars

    I recently came across a men’s clothing store in Brentwood, a tony neighborhood of Los Angeles, with the provocative name Unionmade. I walked in and meandered around the shop, looking at the pricy shirts, pants, sweaters, jackets, shoes, and other articles of clothing. After examining the apparel, I couldn’t find any items with a union label. What gives?

    I called Todd Barket, the store’s founder, to find out.

    The 40-year old Barket told me that he’s spent his entire career in the men’s clothing business. After dropping out of Cal Arts, he went to work for Banana Republic, followed by 12 years at The Gap in merchandising, styling, advertising, and marketing, and then two years as Old Navy’s creative director for marketing and advertising. After he was laid off in June 2009, Barket began making plans to open his own retail clothing store, and by that December he’d realized his dream.

     » Read more about: Pricey, Non-Union Blue Collars  »

  • Culture & MediaJuly 13, 2012

    Brother, Can You Spare a Lime? (Union Mojitos!)

    You don’t have to go to Havana to enjoy a good mojito (although such a visit would give you the chance to savor the old Bacardi headquarters, a jaw-dropping example of tropical art deco). Here’s a recipe from our friends at LA Labor 411, who keep you up to date on what goods and services bear the union label.

    Looking to sip into something a little more comfortable? Why not try a union-made mojito. Here’s how to build the ideal cool cocktail for those hot August nights that are right around the corner. Make one for yourself and then raise a glass to all the union workers who did such an amazing job repairing the 405 Freeway.

    Ingredients:

    1.5 oz. of Bacardi Superior Rum
    half cup club soda
    12 mint leaves
    half a lime
    1 tbsp.

     » Read more about: Brother, Can You Spare a Lime? (Union Mojitos!)  »

  • Culture & MediaJune 15, 2012

    Blue Collar Cocktails for the Summer

    This may be organized labor’s summer of discontent, but don’t tell that to the folks at L.A. Labor 411. The communications group, which for the past five years has supplied Angelenos with directories listing more than 3,000 unionized businesses, goods and services, has been busy compiling socially conscious drinking recipes (mojitos ahoy!), products and venues for those who imbibe. They call one of their standouts the Union Made Long Island Iced Tea – although I’ll bet that Back East it might be known as the Last Exit toBrooklyn. All its ingredients are processed or manufactured by companies where workers enjoy the wage, health-care and vacation benefits of union representation.

    Dale DeGroff, the “King of Cocktails” who mixed many a L.I. Iced Tea at New York’s Rainbow Room, places the drink’s birthplace at the Old Beach Inn in Hampton Bays.

     » Read more about: Blue Collar Cocktails for the Summer  »