...Bush Speech Will Cost Them
President Bush plans to speak at an Omaha plastics factory
today to sell his message that his tax cut plan will put
money in workers' pockets. But some workers at the factory,
Airlite Plastics, are complaining that Mr. Bush's speech
will have the opposite effect.
They are unhappy because Airlite's chief executive, Brad
Crosby, has announced that more than 300 hourly workers
might lose all or part of a day's pay unless they work next
Saturday to offset the time lost when the plant closes for
the speech.
An Airlite spokesman said in a telephone interview last
night that most workers would be given four options when
the plant is partly closed for one and a half shifts during
the speech: They can take an official day off whether or
not they attend the speech and make up the work on Saturday
to receive full pay. They can use a paid vacation day. They
can work their regular shift in part of the plant that will
remain open. Or they can take an unpaid day off...
...The company's decision not to pay most of the workers
during the Bush visit was first reported on Friday in The
Omaha World-Herald. The newspaper said a man who said he
was an Airlite employee, but did not give his name,
complained to an editor in a voice mail message that some
longtime employees would lose more than $130 in pay.
"It's not a great thing for us employees," the man was
quoted as saying. "We're losing a lot of money because of
his visit. His speech is supposed to be about what the
family can get from his tax breaks. It doesn't really make
sense."...
.....Mr. Crosby told The Associated Press that he had not spoken
to any employees who disliked the options. "I think the
overwhelming majority of our employees are just very
excited about seeing the president," he said...more [NY Times]
Anyone who doesn't see the stupidity of this is blind. Of course Mr. Crosby hasn't talked to anyone who is unhappy about what the company is doing! They would be too afraid to speak for fear of getting fired. Just another fine example of corporate america and the insanity of our economy. There are a lot of companies who do not need unions because they have management who thinks. It is exactly this kind of stupid move that leads to a union drive.
It is also just another example of why Bush and the Republicans need to be removed from power. We have a President who is busy with wearing flight suits, while the economy burns around him. We have a party in power that thinks welfare should go to corporations, and the rich. I just love how they get all the angry white anti-tax voters to line up and sell themselves down the river, never understanding the real implications of what they do, and support.
How much you want to bet it gets changed before The Shrub arrives to give his speech...mj
7:29:05 PM 
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