Rapid Response works to ensure that all USW members are informed on key workplace issues. Those issues are economic decisions, which may or may not be in our favor.

In order to understand how this process is shaped, Rapid Response is issuing a series of InfoAlerts. Staying informed is the first step in the process of taking back our economy, and ensuring that our economy works for all of us and not just a select few.

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Understanding the Economy

Taking Back Our Economy This InfoAlert kicks off the series, shares thoughts from USW members on key issues impacting us, and discusses the definition of economics.

Who is Deciding for Us? A look at those who are making decisions for our economy over the last eight decades, the philosophies behind those decisions and the resulting policies.

We Make it; They Take it The decision-makers have allowed a huge - and growing - gap to develop between wages and productivity.

Whose Rules Are We Playing By? An overview of the economics series to date along with key statistics.

Poison Toys, Anti-freeze Toothpaste, Deadly Pet Food. . . What's Next? This InfoAlert explores one part of the failed corporate agenda: toxic products entering our markets.

Think Lead Isn't Serious? Think Again. This is the second InfoAlert examining how dangerous lead products have made a resurgance in our marketplace.

The "Rules" and What they Mean for Us; The Rich Get Richer While the Poor Get Poorer This InfoAlert explores the striking change in ownership of household wealth from 1976 to 2006.

Corporate Agenda Terms

What do they Really Mean? This is the first of three InfoAlerts dedicated to key terms used by those promoting a corporate agenda. It helps define what they really mean when they say they want "labor market flexibility."

What do they Really Mean? Part II This InfoAlert follows-up on the previous week's information discussing what is really meant by the terms "small government" and "economic stability."

What do they Really Mean? Part III The final InfoAlert on the corporate agenda terms discusses "globalization."

Globalization

Globalization: The Worker's Nightmare Globalization is impacting our working lives, and not for the better.

Top Ten Effects of Globalization From job loss to sweatshop goods, globalization isn't helping.

This Holiday Season, Remember the Workers For those workers caught in globalization's darkest side, the holiday season is anything but happy.

Fighting Back The history of Rapid Response involvement in fighting against bad trade policies.


Current Economic News

What's All the Recent Buzz About the Economy? A quick look at current trends shaping our economy right now.

Will the Stimulus Bring Real Relief? The growing amount that consumers spend on imports reduces the stimulus' impact.