Sept. 14, 2003 - 18:15 MDT

THE WONDERING JEW

How Dare They ?

A very small item in today's Denver Post (the JOA paper that all subscribers get on Sunday's) Contains the following, "AFL-CIO president John Sweeney was arrested with at least 100 demonstrators Saturday for blocking traffic as they marched through city streets in support of two striking Yale University unions."

The item goes on to say, "Sweeney and hundreds of demonstrators had planned to be arrested during the rally and march, which drew a crowd that police estimated at more than 10,000."

Heh, the University which has some of our country's biggies as graduates can't seem to control their human relations in regard to the working Joes and adequately recompense the workers who keep the darn place running. Most workers know that a strike is at the very beginning a desperation move that might never benefit the strikers, but who strike anyway in an effort to make things more fair for those who follow them in the future. Maybe some of the high falutin' alums can chip in a few million to make the pay of the underdog fair.

Leigh Strope of The Associated Press has an article in today, "GOP defections gave labor victories on OT, pensions"

"Some congressional Republicans skittish about the political fallout from an economy hemorrhaging jobs turned back administration proposals to rein in overtime pay, shift government work to the private sector and allow pension changes that cut benefits for older employees."

Further on he states, "The votes against the regulations on overtime pay, government outsourcing and retirement plans are not the final word because the House and Senate must resolve differences in the bills." Mr. Strope notes, "Labor ran an extensive lobbying campaign against the proposed overtime changes during the summer congressional break." "I think labor worked overtime during the recess to get this done," said Pat Cleary, senior vice president of the National Association of Manufacturers, which supports the administration plan to revise overtime pay rules. "If the vote had been before the recess, I don't think they would have won."

Mentioned in Mr. Strope's article also, "Since President Bush took office, the economy has lost more than 3 million jobs, and the unemployment rate -- 6.1 percent in August -- has climbed more than 2 percentage points. He also mentions, "The administration said its proposal to update the decades-old rules would cut overtime pay for only 644,000 well compensated workers while making eligible or raising the pay of more than a million low-income workers. "Mr. Strope has this too, "A study by the Economic Policy Institute, a liberal think tank, say 8 million workers would lose eligibility." End of article.

One thing that raises my hackles is "shifting government work to the private sector," which to me seems to be an admission by any administration that we citizens are not getting adequate service from government employees and there fore plan on farming out that work to profit making companies. Chances are, I think, the way the administration seems to be operating in today's world that work would probably be farmed out to the lowest bidder in the Third World, thus losing more jobs for our citizens.

I guess the National Association of Manufacturers figured they had the administration bought and let down their guard over the recess maybe.

The difference between 644,000 jobs affected by the overtime bit compared to a liberal think tanks estimate of 8 million jobs tells me that even though the think tank may be overstating the numbers, to my way of looking at things, they may be much closer to reality than the 644,000 jobs according to the administration. Which brings up to my mind, just why in heck should 644,000 jobs or any amount of jobs which have been getting overtime pay be suddenly cut off from that working compensation ? I can't see where on earth that is fair. To my mind, when it comes right down to facts, overtime pay is blood money, given in the attempt to keep people working more hours than is fair. The run of workers are not contract workers (another way that management escapes benefits, overtime pay, etc.) and should be allowed the security of an eight hour day, forty hour week, anything worked over eight hours in any day at time and a half too I also feel that an employee working a national holiday and one recognized by the majority of the country should get double time when forced to work holidays. Also seems to me that many companies use over time work to compensate for understaffing their businesses.

I have accepted duties which entailed however many hours needed were worked by me. But I accepted those jobs knowing what my compensation and protection would be - - - - beforehand. Thank the Lord my employer didn't change rules in mid-game and leave me hanging overseas without a way to get home. But the average guy when he goes to work knows what the job pays and manages to live within that amount. Supposedly. But why is it then, that men and wives must each work two jobs to keep things together ?

The administration's down on people, companies expecting more for less pay. And when we strike the attitude from above is, How Dare They ?

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