AltWeeklies Wire
Dying to Build: Why Texas is the Deadliest State for Construction Workersnew

A construction worker dies in Texas every 2 1/2 days. The causes are far from mysterious: lax enforcement of labor and safety regulations, too many overtime hours without rest breaks and a lack of safety training and equipment.
The Texas Observer |
Melissa del Bosque |
06-17-2009 |
Business & Labor
Asarco's Dirty Moneynew

For more than a century, American Smelting and Refining Co. raked in profits while poisoning poor communities in nearly two dozen states. In 2005, the company filed for bankruptcy, initiating a sprawling case that left many Texas residents wondering who will pay to clean up toxic waste at Asarco's dirtiest plant.
The Texas Observer |
Melissa del Bosque |
11-05-2008 |
Business & Labor
The Disappearing North Texas Cowboynew
There are still foremen and cowboys working long-term on the handful of big ranches still left in Tarrant and surrounding counties, or riding full time on their own smaller spreads, but their numbers are small and -- with the region's cities growing faster than most in the country -- getting smaller by the day.
Fort Worth Weekly |
Peter Gorman |
04-17-2008 |
Business & Labor
Citizen Activism Against Oil & Gas Drilling Gains Steamnew

With the price of oil and gas skyrocketing it is now profitable to drill for the last remaining deposits in Texas. The Texas Railroad Commission is a willing helpmate to the industry, allowing the proliferation of oil and gas drills across Texas without regard to the impact on Texans, and many are fighting back.
The Texas Observer |
Rusty Middleton |
04-09-2008 |
Business & Labor