To: National Desk, Labor and Technology reporters

Contact: John Rose of Agilepeople, 707-657-0326, or agilepeople@comcast.net

SANTA ROSA, Calif., Nov. 2 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following was released today by Agilepeople on the auction on "The Capitalist Manifesto" to support High-Tech-Workers Rights:

Once a best seller, "The Capitalist Manifesto" and its ideals of an equitable society based on employee ownership is now long out of print. But an ex-employee of Hewlett-Packard spin-off Agilent Technologies is auctioning a first edition of Louis Kelso's 1958 classic to support high-tech-workers' rights. John Rose said, "Bill Hewlett and David Packard implemented a employee stock purchase plan after reading Kelso's book and believed in an egalitarian company where all employees participated in gains."

The auction can be found on eBay, item number 260046578207.

When Agilent was undergoing layoffs, Rose started a employee group -- http://www.agilepeople.org -- and suggested restructuring corporate debt using a leveraged employee stock ownership plan. "Management was focused on quarterly results. I wanted an ESOP so that employees could pool their votes and weigh the high profits of outsourcing to the negative effects on our communities," Rose said.

Rose tried to publicize his employee group using a company-run electronic bulletin board. When Agilent refused his request he was forced to file a charge with the National Labor Relations Board. Agilent settled the case over a year later, only after Rose resigned in protest over delays. He claimed, "Although my group was independent of national unions, management was still fearful of empowering employees."

Rose claims that Republicans and the Bush appointed NLRB are behind the many violations of employee rights. "The Employee Free Choice Act, which would have strengthened labor law penalties, is still stalled in committee by Republican chairmen despite being close to a majority and receiving bi-partisan support. There were 23,000 unfair labor cases in 2003, which shows how little regard is placed on the law. Even Hewlett-Packard was found to have harassed and terminated an employee for supporting an organizing drive with the Steelworkers (NLRB case 25-CA-28591). The penalties for crushing an organizing drive are only to post an advisory notice and pay any lost wages. It really is nothing compared to the savings by keeping employees' negotiating power weak. No wonder foreign-owned automakers can keep their U.S. factories union-free and out compete American companies."

Agilepeople encourages voters to show their discontent with the Republicans and vote for Democratic challengers to support an equitable and fair America.

Disclaimer: Agilepeople is not endorsed or affiliated with Agilent Technologies Inc.

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More info at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item= 260046578207&ssPageName=ADME:B:EF:US:11

http://www.nlrb.gov/nlrb/shared_files/decisions/341/ 341-62.pdf

http://www.kelsoinstitute.org/downloadable-books.html

http://www.agilepeople.org

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http://www.usnewswire.com/

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/© 2006 U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/

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