Welcome again to Saturday Morning Home Repair blogging, where we talk about fixing houses and the things in them that are supposed to work for us. An ad hoc cadre of building professionals and gifted amateurs attempt to answer questions that arise from readers, and offer encouragement and advice for those inclined to do things for themselves, if they can. We all do a lot of things, collectively, and can probably help out with insights from our vast experience. Or sometimes, we just gab.
Have an interesting story or project to share? Contact Glen The Plumber about posting it for Saturday Morning Home Repair.
good morning: To be clear, I am not now nor ever have been an employee of Daily Kos. I’m a community member and subscriber to the site. Living in the SF bay area I have been lucky to meet many staff and community members. Some of which I include as personal friends.
Daily Kos is unique to the internet. A left-leaning news and opinion site that unlike many partisan sites insist on being fact-based. Its election team is well-respected by Democratic campaigns and politicos. And the biggest twist for a news site, its community members can also write and post stories viewable by the site’s large national audience.
While a few community members have a huge following of their own, the site’s credibility comes from the great staff writers and the others that work behind the scenes to keep the site functioning. It is the site’s credibility that allowed the activism of a plumber, a therapist, and a 9 year-old (now 18) to be so impactful in a local congressional race, citywide gun laws and climate change.
Some have argued that kos created the site, “has paid his dues”, but he did not build this site by himself. Where would the site be without his team of incredible and smart writers like Joan McCarter, Meteor Blades, Laura Clawson, Jeff Singer, etc.
Others argue that he owns the place, he can do as he wishes. That just seems so counter to the culture Daily Kos represents. Would they argue the same for Amazon, Starbucks, etc??
I have no doubt kos sees himself as a good boss, he even points out his employees are well-paid in his recent diary. And I believe he probably is a good boss, as am I. But I’m still a union contractor. Bosses have a lot of power, even if well-intentioned, our interests do not always align with our employees. That is why workers need to form unions so they have some power ...can have a say.
While kos did voluntarily acknowledge the union, as I understand, he has yet to agree to a collective bargaining agreement, or accept the union’s classification of workers. And now he refusing to negotiate with the union on the upcoming layoffs.
Yes, kos founded Daily Kos. But it would not be what it is without his awesome employees and the other big part of this site, the community. We also played a role in building the site. We even came together 11 years ago to help raise money so kos could grow the site. Our opinions matter too. That is why we must voice our support of the members of the Daily Kos Guild.
All of us together, writers and readers, staff and community, made Daily Kos the leading voice of progressivism on the internet. I want to see Kos Media, LLC reflect that progressivism.
I understand that the media industry is struggling. But there is no reason the members of DKG should not have a say in how the cutbacks are implemented. They care about the site too, as Paul Hogarth said, “it is more than a job, it is a calling.”
Negotiate with DKG.
How to Support Daily Kos Guild workers:
- Recommend their stories—help them reach and stay on the Trending list.
- Leave a comment, even if it is just a word or two, to let them know you are an ally. Memes, gifs, union logos, photos, emojis, anything—say hello!
- Share a link to their stories widely on all social media, and tag @DailyKosGuild on Twitter and Instagram.
- Use these hashtags when possible: #DailyKosGuild #NegotiateWithDKG #Solidarity
- Follow @DailyKosGuild on Twitter and Instagram.
- Please also follow individual Daily Kos writers and Staff on Twitter and Iinstagram.
- Follow the DKG Solidarity group!
- Please sign their petition: Tell Daily Kos to uphold its mission, values, and commitment to working people, and share the petition link with others
- Share their story with pro-union friends and family through texts, email, and personal conversation!