Bush allows contractors to pay lower wages to rebuild disaster areas

[TexanDem]

Bush allows contractors to pay lower wages

WASHINGTON, Sept 8 (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush issued an executive order on Thursday allowing federal contractors rebuilding in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to pay below the prevailing wage.

In a notice to Congress, Bush said the hurricane had caused "a national emergency" that permits him to take such action under the 1931 Davis-Bacon Act in ravaged areas of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.


http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=URI:urn:newsml:reuters.com:20050908:MTFH96214_2005-09-08_23-35-25_N08299740:1">Reuters- continue article here


How low do they get! -- oh, well, wait -- they were saying that the victims needed to go back and clean all that up so they would have a job! All heart! If they're not traumatized enough, they want them to clean up their own blood and now they don't want to pay them for it!
UNBELIEVEABLE!!

[starmaker]

1. so contractors make more

and customers get shoddy work

[Rose Siding]

2. So does he have that power with the oil companies?

Oh, what was I thinking?

[asjr]

3. Is it below minimum wage? I can't get the page. If it is

it will truly be slave wages. This is racism, pure and simple. When I think it can't get worse, it does.

[soup]

7. another link:

I couldn't get it to open, either.
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=globalNews&storyID=2005-09-08T233912Z_01_SPI885129_RTRUKOC_0_US-BUSH-WAGES.xml&archived=False

[Sapphire Blue]

16. No... Under the Davis-Bacon Act contractors pay journey level wages...

... at the highest rate - state or fed. With the suspension of prevailing wage, contractors will probably be able to pay minimum wage.... much lower than prevailing wage.


The Davis-Bacon wage determinations by state: http://www.gpo.gov/davisbacon/allstates.html


DAVIS-BACON WAGE DETERMINATION
REFERENCE MATERIAL

INTRODUCTION

THE DAVIS-BACON AND RELATED ACTS (DBRA)


The Davis-Bacon Act as amended, requires that each contract over $2,000 to which the United States or the District of Columbia is a party for the construction, alteration, or repair of public buildings or public works shall contain a clause setting forth the minimum wages to be paid to various classes of laborers and mechanics employed under the contract. Under the provisions of the Act, contractors or their subcontractors are to pay workers employed directly upon the site of the work no less than the locally prevailing wages and fringe benefits paid on projects of a similar character. The Davis-Bacon Act directs the Secretary of Labor to determine such local prevailing wage rates.

In addition to the Davis-Bacon Act itself, Congress has added prevailing wage provisions to approximately 60 statutes which assist construction projects through grants, loans, loan guarantees, and insurance. These "related Acts" involve construction in such areas as transportation, housing, air and water pollution reduction, and health. If a construction project is funded or assisted under more than one Federal statute, the Davis-Bacon prevailing wage provisions may apply to the project if any of the applicable statutes require payment of Davis-Bacon wage rates.

The geographic scope of the Davis-Bacon Act is limited, by its terms, to the 50 States and the District of Columbia. By the same token, the scope of each of the related Acts is determined by the terms of the particular statute under which the Federal assistance is provided. For example, Davis-Bacon prevailing wage provisions would apply to a construction contract located in Guam or the Virgin Islands funded under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, even though the Davis-Bacon Act itself does not apply to Federal construction contracts to be performed outside the 50 States and the District of Columbia.

Continued @ http://www.gpo.gov/davisbacon/referencemat.html

[Divernan]

4. Now the Haliburton stock will go even HIGHER

because they're the biggest federal contractor ever!

[raising2moredems]

5. Well of course he exercises his powers when it comes to his CRONIES

Couldn't find a selected part of his body using both hands when there is a lack of illumination but when it comes to cheap labor for his buddies (hence large profits), he asks the doormat for his cajones and exercises his power. Then back go his cajones until his handlers say he need to use them.

[high density]

6. What an asshole

"The Davis-Bacon law requires federal contractors to pay workers at least the prevailing wages in the area where the work is conducted. It applies to federally funded construction projects such as highways and bridges."

So what's wrong with people getting paid a fair wage for doing the work, Bush?!


By the way, here's a working link: http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=URI:urn:newsml:reuters.com:20050908:MTFH96214_2005-09-08_23-35-25_N08299740:1

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

8. 1931.

One year before Roosevelt.

[Joy Anne]

9. it figures

The Department of Homeland Security was set up as our first non-civil service federal department, which means it's a patronage dump. If anybody competent is working there, that's accidental, and they shouldn't expect promotions.

The department's concern is that the corporations that get the cleanup contracts can make a killing, or at least enough to become Rangers. It's "hard work" turning that much money if you have to pay fair wages. With this new rule, those with friends in DHS can make fortunes without even hiring illegals, because there'll be so many desperate unemployed in NOLA.

[TexanDem]

10. maybe this link will work...rest of article here

http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=URI:urn:newsml:reuters.com:20050908:MTFH96214_2005-09-08_23-35-25_N08299740:1

(article continues)
Bush's action came as the federal government moved to provide billions of dollars in aid, and drew rebukes from two of organized labor's biggest friends in Congress, Rep. George Miller of California and Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, both Democrats.

"The administration is using the devastation of Hurricane Katrina to cut the wages of people desperately trying to rebuild their lives and their communities," Miller said.

"President Bush should immediately realize the colossal mistake he has made in signing this order and rescind it and ensure that America puts its people back to work in the wake of Katrina at wages that will get them and their families back on their feet," Miller said.

"I regret the president's decision," said Kennedy.

"One of the things the American people are very concerned about is shabby work and that certainly is true about the families whose houses are going to be rebuilt and buildings that are going to be restored," Kennedy said.

The Davis-Bacon law requires federal contractors to pay workers at least the prevailing wages in the area where the work is conducted. It applies to federally funded construction projects such as highways and bridges.

Bush's executive order suspends the requirements of the Davis-Bacon law for designated areas hit by the storm.

[TexanDem]

11. combining threads

"Shrub signed an esecutive order to pay below minimun wage to"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4706400

since these are both dealing with the same thing -- and it's so important that word gets out about this.

All you letter writers -- write you Congressmen and Representatives to protest this outrageous action.

[sandnsea]

12. This is the ultimate slap in the face

There are no words for my anger, just no words...

[Oilwellian]

13. Here's my thread too

This is a huge move by the oiligarchy. We better scream loudly.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4706361

[me b zola]

14. This unimaginable bastard needs to be stopped!!!!!!!

One MORE thing for me to call Congress for in the morning!!!!


SOMEONE STOP HIM!!!!!!!!!!!



HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[msgadget]

15. Just like the first thing he did was lower the EPA standards

when gas started getting tight. Man, they never, ever forget their agenda: cheap labor, kill the EPA, etc.