 |
| Photo By Bonnie Davis |
|
A candlelight vigil commemorates Human Rights Day Dec. 10 on the Purple People Bridge.
|
The city of Cincinnati might have finally acquired the means to fire Police Chief Thomas Streicher -- or maybe his new contract just includes the kind of
bureaucratic fancy talk that's legally meaningless. The executive performance contract for Streicher and other department heads in the new city budget features this curious phrase: "I understand that, for the city organization to improve performance, it is vital that I am a change leader."
Critics would argue that Streicher has, in fact, been an impediment to meaningful reform of the police department. But at least his new contract offers the potential for motivating him to improve -- if, that is, city officials really want him to.
"As I strive to lead my department and the city organization to higher performance, I am also fully committed to continuously improving my personal skills and abilities and modeling our organizational values through my behavior," the contract says. "I commit to participate in a multi-factorial feedback process as one technique to uphold my commitment to seek, use and provide feedback and coaching in order to improve my performance and behavior as well as the performance and behavior of others."
The approach of Christmas didn't stop The Cincinnati Enquirer from laying off nine employees, including longtime reporter Randy McNutt. The ax won't fall again for a while, but next year could bring more job cuts, according to a company memo shared by an employee.
"Today we completed the reduction of our full-time work force by nine employees and are making cuts to the 2005 overtime budget," the memo said. "While no more employee reductions are imminent at this time, it does not mean that we may not have to revisit this option if ad revenues do not achieve 2005 budget or if expenses are not adequately controlled. Expense reductions alone will not be enough. We also work hard to achieve our revenue goals. Our plan is to continue to reward employees with merit increases for excellent job performance. ...
"We will face another challenging year in 2005, but it also presents us with many positive opportunities to grow revenues and improve our news content. It will take all of us working as a team to make this happen. We must grow advertising revenue and readership, and at the same time enhance the capabilities of our employees and customers. Together we will be successful."
Solidarity and Other Quaint Concepts
Now progressives can fight for their principles in a place that will make Republicans feel it: the marketplace. Choose the Blue is a research service provided by the Center for Responsible Politics. Using information in the public domain, including data from the Federal Election Commission, Choose the Blue enables consumers to research the political leanings of various corporations and their products.
Brands of companies that have made significant political donations are included in the database (www.choosetheblue.com). Looking for a washing machine or a pair of sneakers? Now you can see which company gave money to the Democratic Party and which supported the other faction. Greg Harris, who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in the Ohio 1st District, is among those spreading word about the new service.
"Before your next shopping trip, take a look at this and see where the major companies in this country put their money in the recent election," Harris told supporters in an e-mail.
After six years, the boycott of the Mount Olive Pickle Co. has ended, but the struggle for decent working conditions for farm workers in North Carolina's cucumber fields has entered a new phase. The recent signing of a labor agreement between the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC), Mount Olive and the North Carolina Growers Association gave farmworkers the benefits of union membership. But protecting those benefits takes money.
FLOC is now going about the business of setting up field offices and labor representatives both in North Carolina and Mexico, where many of the cucumber workers come from. To help, the local FLOC support group is hosting a benefit concert Jan. 15 at First Unitarian Church in Avondale. Performers include Folk singer Allen Schwartz and a trio featuring FLOC President Baldemar Velasquez. Tickets are $10 and are available at Shake It Records, Rohs Street Coffeehouse and the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center.
Dec. 10 was Human Rights Day, set aside to honor ideals once championed by the United States but now remembered mostly in the breach. The observance marked the 56th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly's adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Justice and Peace Office of the Diocese of Covington sponsored a candlelight vigil on the Purple People Bridge.
There has been no word on any special ceremonies for Human Rights Day at Abu Ghraib or Guantanamo Bay, where American soldiers have tortured POWs.
Porkopolis TIP LINES: 513-665-4700 (ext. 138) or pork@citybeat.com
