Wednesday, September 3, 2003

shrub - Labor's Grinch QUOTE OF THE DAY "What does labor want? We want more schoolhouses and less jails; more books and less arsenals; more learning and less vice; more leisure and less greed; more justice and less revenge; in fact, more of the opportunities to cultivate our better natures, to make manhood more noble, womanhood more beautiful, and childhood more happy and bright." - - Samuel Gompers  (First President of the American Federation of Labor, 1886-1924) More Great Labor Quotes at: http://www.wisdomquotes.com/001692.html KNOW YOUR HISTORY - SEPTEMBER 3rd 1991 -- Twenty five workers die in a fire at the Imperial Food processing plant, Hamlet, North Carolina. 19 were single mothers. A non-union plant, it had not been inspected by federal or state agencies in 11 years. Despite three minor fires earlier the same year, despite obvious danger, fire exits remained locked to keep workers from stealing dead chickens. One of the worst disasters of its kind, reminiscent of the NY Triangle Shirt Factory fire in early 1900s. In the aftermath, owner Emmet Roe got a 19 year sentence in a plea bargain, & eligibility for parole in 3. http://www.ackland.org/art/exhibitions/eyeinthesky/coe.html RHINO HERE: Common knowledge says if the economy's in bad shape, the incumbent President will have a hard time getting re-elected. The President's handlers know this & many people believe the US economy being in the dumper is a primary reason they chose to start a war. Those 2 sentences apply not only to shrub & his gang, but also to many other US presidential administrations over the decades. For more info on that, see the excellent & brief history of the wars of the U.S. in the book, "Addicted To War." http://www.addictedtowar.com So if it wasn't for the fact that so many Americans have been hypnotized into a fearful, patriotic frenzy since 9/11/01, common knowledge would have it that beating shrub in the next election should be a piece of cake, especially with the current list of nose-diving economic stats. Today, not wanting to give up on the Labor Day theme quite yet, I offer links to several articles that tell the tale of current US economic woes, & one offering of something we can do to counter what Greg Palast calls, "The Grinch that Stole Labor Day" in today's RHINO'S BOTTOM LINE. It deals with shrub's attempt to do away with overtime pay. For those not familiar with Palast, he's author of the NY Times bestseller, "The Best Democracy Money Can Buy" & many recent columns on issues of grave import to the U.S. & the world. Check out his work at: http://www.GregPalast.com One Minute of Your Time To Counter shrub's Proposed Overtime Cuts The Senate debate on President Bush's overtime pay cuts will begin this week with a vote expected any day. This is the most important chance we've had to block the overtime pay cuts before they go into effect. Please act by clicking on the link below & sending a message to your senators asking them to support the Harkin Amendment blocking the Bush overtime pay cuts. It'll only take a minute & will make a big difference. http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/septovertime/i8eeikz15wjb Bush's proposed pay cuts could take away overtime from at least 8 million workers. Overtime pay protections are the heart of the 40-hour workweek & even the weekend. Without them, employers would have no reason to treat workers fairly. They could require longer and longer days without paying workers extra for their overtime hours. This overtime pay take-away would save employers billions, right from workers' paychecks. One congressional study of the Bush overtime changes said they would allow employers to do almost anything. The changes could make large numbers of workers who have job-related training ineligible for overtime, for example; health care, technical, computer, law enforcement, firefighting and skilled trades training could cost workers their right to overtime pay. It's outrageous & we need to stop it. http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/septovertime/i8eeikz15wjb U.S. Workers Struggle in Worst Job Slump Since Great Depression AFLCIO.org, 8/27/03 "Jobless and underemployed workers are suffering the worst job slump since the Great Depression, according to an Economic Policy Institute report. With a net 3.2 million private-sector jobs lost in the U.S. since Resident George W. Bush took office, the current recovery has been the worst for job growth on record since the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) began tracking unemployment in 1939, the report finds.... MORE: http://www.aflcio.org/yourjobeconomy/jobs/ns08272003.cfm   Record Numbers of Families Have No Work, No Welfare, No Safety Net Children's Defense Fund, 8/22/03 Analyzing recently released government data, the Children's Defense Fund reports: "Single mothers without work and welfare income reached its highest level in recorded history... The number of jobless women with children not receiving welfare rose by 188,000 in one year, leaving a record three quarters of all single mothers without public assistance and causing a sudden surge in extreme child poverty. Single parents and their children entered the 2001 recession with less protection from a failing economy than in any recession in the last 20 years. Congress is working on a revision of the 1996 welfare reform law set to expire in September that could make the problem worse." The CDF report is available as a PDF download at: http://www.childrensdefense.org/pdf/no_work_no_welfare.pdf THE REST OF THE ARTICLE IS AT: http://www.commondreams.org/news2003/0822-10.htm   Bush Says Giving Federal Workers Raise of More Than 2% Jeopardizes 'War on Terror'! Associated Press, 8/27/03 "Giving civilian federal workers a pay raise of more than 2 percent next year would jeopardize the war on terrorism, President Bush said Wednesday. In a letter to congressional leaders, Bush reiterated his support for giving the nation's 1.8 million federal workers the 2 percent raise he outlined in his 2004 budget proposal. A House appropriations subcommittee has included a 4.1 percent raise in its version of the legislation.... THE REST IS AT: http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/bw-wh/2003/aug/27/082700607.html 7:16:42 AM    comment

RHINO'S BOTTOM LINE - The Grinch that Stole Labor Day The Grinch that Stole Labor Day by Greg Palast, August 30, 2003 In celebration of the working person's holiday, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao has announced the Bush Administration's plan to end the 60-year-old law which requires employers to pay time-and-a-half for overtime. I'm sure you already knew that -- if you happened to have run across page 15,576 of the Federal Register.   According to the Register, where the Bush Administration likes to place its little gifts to major campaign donors, 2.7 million workers will lose their overtime pay -- for a "benefit" of $1.53 billion. I put "benefit" in quotes because, in the official cost-benefit analysis issued by Bush's Labor Department, the amount employers will now be able to slice out of workers' pockets is tallied on the plus side of the rules change.   Nevertheless, workers getting their pay snipped shouldn't complain, because they will all be receiving promotions. These employees will be re-classified as managers exempt from the law. The change is promoted by the National Council of Chain Restaurants. You've met these 'managers' - they're the ones in the beanies and aprons whose management decisions are, "Hold the lettuce on that."   My favorite of Chao's little amendments would re-classify as "exempt professionals" anyone who learned their skill in the military. In other words, thousands of veterans will now lose overtime pay. I just can't understand why Bush didn't announce that one when he landed on the aircraft carrier... READ IT ALL AT: The Grinch "RHINO'S BLOG" is the responsibility of Gary Rhine. (rhino@kifaru.com) Feedback, and requests to be added or deleted from the list are encouraged. SEARCH BLOG ARCHIVES / SURF RHINO'S LINKS, AT: http://www.rhinosblog.info RHINO'S OTHER WEB SITES: http://www.dreamcatchers.org (INDIGENOUS ASSISTANCE & INTERCULTURAL DIALOG) http://www.kifaru.com (NATIVE AMERICAN RELATIONS VIDEO DOCUMENTARIES) Articles are reprinted under Fair Use Doctrine of international copyright law. http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html All copyrights belong to original publisher. Tell a friend about Rhino's Blog 6:51:54 AM    comment

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