Chao Refuses To Delay New Overtime Rule - WP

[baby_bear]

Wednesday, January 21, 2004; Page E01

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33382-2004Jan20.html?referrer=email

</snip>
Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao yesterday denied a public request by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) to delay until September the department's business-backed plan to overhaul overtime rules.
...
Specter, chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee on labor, who called the hearing to provide what he had called a full airing of the issue, asked Chao to remain in the hearing room while experts debated how many workers could lose overtime pay because of the regulations. But Chao left after testifying.

In an interview after the hearing, Specter said he could do little to stop the Bush administration from implementing the changes, which he criticized at the hearing as endangering workers' overtime earnings and further complicating already-complex employment laws.
...
Employer groups applauded Chao's decision to push ahead with the revisions. "It's a very favorable sign for employers," said employment lawyer Camille A. Olson. "She refused to delay the implementation."

</snip>
Interesting that she refused even the request to remain in the hearing room. The departments' name should be changed to "Anti-labor." That's all it is under this regime. You have to admit, Rove and Card got all the "right" people in charge of the federal departments and agencies. Except for Christie Whitman, and we know what happened to her...

s_m

[philosophie_en_rose]

1. Oh, the poor employers! Having to defend themselves!

She said employers are spending $2 billion a year on "needless litigation" by workers seeking overtime pay. The lawsuits diverted money from "job creation and better pay and benefits," Chao said.

Freeper to English Translation: It's not the personal responsibility of criminal employers to ensure they are following the laws. It's not a moral duty to compensate labor. Screw the Emancipation Proclamation! If employees aren't paid overtime, then they should suck it up. They are lowering their own wages, because that's how the employers would obviously have used the money they spend refusing to pay wages in the first place.

"Without any hearings, with the stroke of a pen, the secretary of Labor is about to adversely affect the lives of millions of Americans," said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.). ...

Let's be clear. Employers are screwing workers out of overtime benefits, which causes them to be sued and to have to pay to defend themselves for breaking the law. They choose to spend money on legal fees, when they fail to compensate employees for the work that they do.

Who needs protection? Obviously we do. In the campaign season, I hope it's not just Bush that is the focus. We need to get rid of Chao, Cheney, Rice, Powell, Rumsfeld, and the entire mafia.

[Cassandra]

27. It is needless litigation

If they just paid the overtime workers are due, they wouldn't be sued in the first place.

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. Elaine Chao has no interest in helping working people

Just exactly what has our Labor secretary done, other that promote anti-labor, anti-people initiatives? I realize that there is some
convoluted logic that shows that this change is positive, as with any business or finance argument, ther are always two sides. The argument is probably that it will help business, and if you help business you help (eventually) help the workers.

Bush sputtered along today in Ohio saying that the job market in Ohio was "sluggish at best" stressing that things weren't good in OHIO. As if it's just Ohio. He went on to say that the hope lies manufactuing workers finding jobs in "new areas" of the economy that workers can get retrained for. However, he didn't cast out any advice at all about what these new areas might be. One could conclude that he and his advisors don't have the slightest idea how to cope with any of these problems.

[RapidCreek]

21. Elaine Chao 'sjob is to destroy the department of labor

As is the job of all those Bush has appointed to every other department position.

RC

[CivilRightsNow]

28. Chao came from the Heritage Fundation

Lotsa people in Bush's cabinent come from there. And they push the same shit that Heritage does from the inside. A double whammy till they get their way. But, see.. there is no longer any opposition.. everyone is so in bed with each other.

[Hekate]

35. Serfs, economic serfs in a medieval economy

I've come to think that this is the intended logical outcome of the so-called global economy. We're all being Wal-Mart-ized, and Chao and the rest won't be happy until the US workers have managed to achieve parity with, say, the People's Republic of China.

:argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh:

Let's bid Elaine "ciao" with the rest of the Bushitters.

~~~On the whole, I prefer not to be lectured on patriotism by those who keep offshore maildrops in order to avoid paying their taxes. ~Molly Ivins~~~

[54anickel]

3. Isn't it amzaing, when there is only supposition to their arguments,

they just push them forward. I've seen a couple of articles that state this law will not do much to reduce the number of lawsuits. But they continue to ignore that, and ignore the EPI and others as to how this will hurt the majority of workers. They ignore the continued public outcry, petitions, etc.
This admins "my way or the highway" is getting pretty sickening.

[CBHagman]

4. Get out your ELO records!

All together now: "Evil woman! Evil woman! Evil woman! You're an evil woman. Evil woman!"

[Tracer]

5. Government by Fiat.

Just skip over the Congress, George. Hand out daily pronouncements.

A government by the people, for the people? Doesn't quite fit with your desire to be a dictator, does it. After all, being dictator is "so much easier".

[tom_paine]

6. Wow, Spectre is a rarity in these degenerate times

A Republican Imperial Senator not a 100% handpicked Bushevik Loyalist obedient in all things.

While I think it's fairly likely they won't Wellstone anybody this election season because that would be going to the well once too often, if anyone is going to be murdered this time by the Imperial Family, I would expect it to be a non-Bushevik moderate Republican, like Spectre.

Pat Toomey, of course, will be the Bushevik sock puppet most all the other "Republican" Imperial Senators are...

[DiverDave]

23. He's a liar

He KNOWS that he can't change it, so he yells loud.
Fast forward to election time, he will tell workers "see, I tried to change it!!!, I'm in your corner"

He is another fascist that is using this to HELP big business.
specter cares about the contributions from said corporations.
Not the working folks.

[KansDem]

7. You're all being very unfair to Sec. Chao. She's had her hours cut!

That's why she couldn't hang around...

"Labor Secretary Has Her Hours Cut"

WASHINGTON, DC—Deeming the move "regrettable but necessary," White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card announced Monday that Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao's work hours will be scaled back to 30 per week starting Jan. 26.

"It's merely a cost-cutting measure and says absolutely nothing about Elaine, who's done wonderful work for the Bush Administration since she came on board in 2001," Card said. "Once the economy turns around, the first thing we'll do is return Elaine to her original hours. That's a promise."

Chao's hours will be limited to six per day during a regular Monday-to-Friday workweek, her salary will be cut by 25 percent, and she'll lose the privileges of working flextime hours and earning time-and-a-half pay on weekends and holidays. In addition, Chao's relegation to part-time status means she'll no longer be eligible for health-insurance coverage, matching 401K contributions, or parking validation.

(more)
http://www.theonion.com/4003/news2.html

Funny parody!!!

[denverbill]

8. It's only funny because it's true.

Never happens to the Chao's though. Only ordinary Americans.

The only untrue part is getting her original hours back. Instead of that, the job will be shipped to China.

[baby_bear]

9. Thanks, Kansdem! I needed that!!

Absolutely perfect. I loved this bit:

Chao inhaled on her cigarette and added: "God, and I'm still making payments on that stupid rear-projection television."



:smoke:

s_m



}(

[KansDem]

10. Hahahaha

I like this line:
Chao said. "I don't see Snow fearing for his job. Then again, he's in charge of the money. The bigwigs see 'labor' in my job title, and they think, 'Hey, we can push her around.'"
:hi:

[Fovea]

11. In the grand tradition of fascist labor policy.

We will work you how we want to work you, and if you don't agree, we will get slaves to do your work!

[pfitz59]

12. Mrs. Senator McConnel.........

doesn't give a rat's ass about Labor. She's all for ownership rights, ie: slave-owners!

[isbister]

13. My wife qualifies for overtime pay when she works it

and guess what the company that she works for announced the other day? Yup, you guessed it, specialized training for everyone.

Hmmm, wonder if she'll all of the sudden fall into the new "shut up, be a slave, and be thankful" category. Nahhhhh, large multi-national corporations don't do that sort of thing to their employees.

If we're having a contest "Anti-labor" is good, how about "slave labor"?

Or "who cares about you number 374615, do as you're told or we'll fire you and number 374616 will have to do all of your work"-labor?

[baby_bear]

14. isbister, is she in that gray area?

What I mean is, if you look at the "tips" that the Labor Dept. has given out to employers, those employees who make around $21,000/yr are at most risk, although anyone over that who has been making over that but getting overtime because they are not "management" are also at risk if they can be reclassified.

Is your wife in one of those categories? If so, I hope she is protected either by a union or your state's laws.

If she is subject to federal labor law only, I wish you well....

How the heck can any middle class person vote for this administration?

I don't get it, unless they are simply not paying attention.

s_m

[alarimer]

15. bad news for everyone

I work for the state and don't get overtime pay per se. I am, however, classified as non-exempt for FLSA purposes and when I do work more than 40 hours, I get comp time at time and a half. So if I work 5 hours over, I get 7.5 hours paid time off. The only thing that could change as far as I can tell is that my employer may be able to classify me and others in my job title as exempt, which means you can get comp time but only at a straight time rate. That type of comp time is also limited in other ways. You can only use 24 hours a month and 96 hours per year as opposed to the other type of comp time, which is unlimited (as long as you boss says it is okay, that is). I don't think we could be classified as managers though because the state legislature passed limits on the ratio of managers to the people they managed. So maybe nothing would change. Still this is a bad thing for working people because a lot of people depend on overtime and any comp time they got could only be used at the discretion of their bosses, setting up the potential for a great deal of abuse. Does anyone know if the Democratic candidates plan on repealing these changes or will they let them stand? I have not heard them address it yet.

[isbister]

18. The Dems backed down

so the spending bill could be passed and promised to fight another day.

[baby_bear]

19. But that's not what happened, isbister

The omnibus bill has not passed, and the cloture attempt failed yesterday.

Senator Byrd is on the floor of the Senate now urging a no vote on the bill.

s_m

[isbister]

17. I believe the nation is at risk

until these people go home (or somewhere else)

This is a law that is meant to weaken unions, too.

The good news is that there are probably going to be some extremely angry anti-bush folks joining the ever growing club.

[pscot]

16. This will cost the Republicans votes

My guess is that a significant proportion of the people who will be affected by this voted for the shrub. The more voters they alienate the more likely we are to do well in November. Let 'em do their worst.

[Neecy]

24. that's why I wonder...

It's political suicide to do something like this in an election year. Makes me think that they have another election theft up their sleeves.

[wabeewoman]

31. They have been doing many things that are

political suicide-mars, immigration, drilling in artic- but I think they are either so arrogant they believe they can't be beat (after all God is on their side) or they know the media is in their pocket and the people won't know the real story until its too late.

[bleedingheart]

20. This is so important because this hits people in their wallets

and Specter's lame attempts are just an election year ploy.

[MetaTrope]

22. Wonder how much her Lippo Group employees in China were paid?

:hurts:

[StarSeeker]

25. Help!

I'm not understanding one thing... what happens to those making /between/ $22,100 and $65,000? I'm a little bit over the first number and it doesn't say what's going on with those in the middle!

[newyawker99]

33. Hi StarSeeker!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[tlpal]

26. Employers will not hire new workers when they can just make

the current employees work for free. Reduces labor cost by reducing labor force.

[newyawker99]

34. Hi tlpal!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[54anickel]

29. Looks like it's a done deal.....

HR 2673 passed

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=325838

[Rex]

30. You know the world is one f**ked up place when

Diehard cons like Specter are crying fowl over BFEE policies.

[Zero Gravitas]

32. Amazing

I amazed that they push this through in an election year! Question for Karl Rove: are those people who just lost their overtime pay more or less likely to vote Bush in November?