Michelle Chen

Contributing Writer

@meeshellchen

Michelle Chen is a contributing writer for The Nation.

Why Is the 2022 World Cup Being Held in a Country That Practices Modern-Day Slavery?

Why Is the 2022 World Cup Being Held in a Country That Practices Modern-Day Slavery? Why Is the 2022 World Cup Being Held in a Country That Practices Modern-Day Slavery?

Migrant workers subject to the kafala system have little recourse against exploitation and abuse.

Jul 23, 2014 / Michelle Chen

China Bars Sex Worker Rights Activist From Traveling to International AIDS Conference

China Bars Sex Worker Rights Activist From Traveling to International AIDS Conference China Bars Sex Worker Rights Activist From Traveling to International AIDS Conference

Hooligan Sparrow, a lone voice for China’s sex workers, is being gagged on the eve of her appearance at the International AIDS Conference in Australia.

Jul 21, 2014 / Michelle Chen

How ‘Corporate Responsibility’ Campaigns Can Actually End Up Hurting Workers

How ‘Corporate Responsibility’ Campaigns Can Actually End Up Hurting Workers How ‘Corporate Responsibility’ Campaigns Can Actually End Up Hurting Workers

Samsung’s moral corrective had been issued on paper, but it did not translate so well for the Chinese workers.

Jul 18, 2014 / Michelle Chen

Is Canada’s New Anti–Sex Work Bill Unconstitutional?

Is Canada’s New Anti–Sex Work Bill Unconstitutional? Is Canada’s New Anti–Sex Work Bill Unconstitutional?

The bill purports to target only those who purchase sex, but threatens to indirectly criminalize many of the services, spaces and personal interactions that would make it poss...

Jul 16, 2014 / Michelle Chen

Hobby Lobby Is Now Discriminating Against a Transgender Employee

Hobby Lobby Is Now Discriminating Against a Transgender Employee Hobby Lobby Is Now Discriminating Against a Transgender Employee

After being denied access to workplace facilities for being transgender, a Hobby Lobby employee is now pressing a discrimination case with the Illinois Human Rights Commission. 

Jul 14, 2014 / Michelle Chen

Did Child Labor Build Your Smart Phone?

Did Child Labor Build Your Smart Phone? Did Child Labor Build Your Smart Phone?

A watchdog group has uncovered numerous labor violations at a Samsung supplier in southern China—including underage workers.

Jul 11, 2014 / Michelle Chen

A Grassroots Labor Uprising—at Your Bank?

A Grassroots Labor Uprising—at Your Bank? A Grassroots Labor Uprising—at Your Bank?

As a trade deal focusing on the financial sector is underway so too is a campaign to organize Wall Street’s rank-and-file.

Jul 9, 2014 / Michelle Chen

Why the Supreme Court’s Attack on Labor Hurts Women Most

Why the Supreme Court’s Attack on Labor Hurts Women Most Why the Supreme Court’s Attack on Labor Hurts Women Most

The Hobby Lobby case is more clearly aimed at women, but Harris v. Quinn may prove even more consequential for the lives of working women.

Jul 7, 2014 / Michelle Chen

How to Turn a Grueling, Thankless Job Into a Movement

How to Turn a Grueling, Thankless Job Into a Movement How to Turn a Grueling, Thankless Job Into a Movement

The journey one of the first domestic workers’ groups in New York attests to the power of grassroots labor activism and the hurdles that come with it. 

Jul 3, 2014 / Michelle Chen

Wage Theft, Dangerous Conditions and Discrimination: Inside New York’s Food Industry

Wage Theft, Dangerous Conditions and Discrimination: Inside New York’s Food Industry Wage Theft, Dangerous Conditions and Discrimination: Inside New York’s Food Industry

A new report reveals the vast majority of workers are immigrants and people of color who earn about $8 less than the industry average. 

Jul 1, 2014 / Michelle Chen

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