AFSCME LEGISLATIVE REPORT Jaunary 12, 2007

[Omaha Steve]

AFSCME LEGISLATIVE REPORT
Jaunary 12, 2007

In this issue:

* Huge Minimum Wage Victory in the House
* Employee Free Choice Act to be Re-introduced
* Social Security Progress Remains a Long Shot
* Medicare Drug Pricing Negotiation – Senate Republican Leader Balks
* AFSCME Fights to Protect and Expand the Family Medical Leave Act
* Paycheck Deception Comes Up in the Senate

Huge Minimum Wage Victory in the House
By an overwhelming margin, 315-116, the House passed the first increase in the federal minimum wage in 10 years. All 233 Democrats and 82 Republicans voted for H.R. 2, which raises the minimum wage from its current $5.15 an hour to $7.25 in three steps over the next 26 months. The House bill did not contain any so-called "sweeteners" – tax cuts for small businesses. The action now moves to the Senate where Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) will introduce an identical bill to the House-passed bill. However, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (NV) has indicated that it may be necessary to add some tax cuts for small businesses in order to overcome potential Republican opposition. Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) held a hearing on the impact of the minimum wage increase on small businesses and said that he planned to consider a package of small business tax breaks next week that would be added to the minimum wage increase legislation on the Senate floor later this month.
(Marge Allen- [e-mail])

Employee Free Choice Act to be Re-introduced
Organized labor is working with the original congressional sponsors, Reps. George Miller (D-CA) and Peter King (R-NY) in the House and Sen. Kennedy in the Senate, to re-introduce the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) with as many co-sponsors as possible before the President delivers his State of the Union Address on January 23. In the last Congress, EFCA had 214 House co-sponsors and 44 Senate co-sponsors. As of January 11, EFCA had 144 House co-sponsors. The goal is to have at least a majority of the new House or 218 by January 23. The bipartisan EFCA bill would level the playing field for workers and employers and restore workers' freedom to form unions and bargain. It would enable workers to form unions when a majority signs union authorization cards; strengthen penalties for companies that coerce or intimidate workers; and establish mediation and binding arbitration when the employer and workers cannot agree on a first contract.
(Marge Allen- [e-mail])

Social Security Progress Remains a Long Shot
President Bush is still talking about renewing the debate over privatizing the Social Security system over the next two years, however, many Democrats and Republicans alike see any progress as a long shot. And while congressional leaders have made public statements that they are keeping the door open to a new round of negotiations, in private they acknowledge that they don't expect much action. In an effort to reinforce the message of "no negotiating on Social Security" many organizations, including organized labor, are pressuring the new congressional majority to stay away from even talking about taking it up.
(Marge Allen- [e-mail])

Medicare Drug Pricing Negotiation – Senate Republican Leader Balks
Senate Finance Committee ranking member Charles Grassley (R-IA) announced that he would filibuster efforts to require the government to negotiate lower drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries. This announcement came two days before the expected passage of a bill in the House that would authorize negotiations. If Sen. Grassley fulfills his pledge to filibuster, 60 votes would be required to cut off debate and move to passage of the bill.
(Diane B. Burke [e-mail])

AFSCME Fights to Protect and Expand FMLA
The Employment Standards Administration, Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor (DOL) requested public comments on the administration of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) that are due by February. The AFSCME Women's Rights Department is collecting stories to share with the DOL. Please share your personal FMLA experience by sending information to Shannon Garrett: [e-mail], no later than January 26. No names will be attached to the information provided in order to protect your privacy.
(Jessica Weinstein- [e-mail])

Paycheck Deception Comes Up in the Senate
Unexpectedly, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) has filed a paycheck deception amendment to the ethics bill (S. 1) currently under debate in the Senate. The DeMint amendment would require unions to get advance, written authorization from a union member before a portion of his/her dues could be spent on legislative activity. The amendment is aimed at reducing the ability of unions to lobby the Congress and to mobilize union members on legislative matters. The burdens imposed by the DeMint amendment would only apply to labor unions and would not apply to other organizations. For example, the amendment would not require businesses to obtain authorization from shareholders in order to engage in legislative activities.

The amendment has not yet been scheduled for a vote. We anticipate that Senate Majority Leader Reid will file a motion to end debate on the bill. If a vote to end debate succeeds, then all amendments put up for a vote must be germane, or related to the substance of the ethics bill. Our allies in the Senate believe that the DeMint amendment will fail the test of germaneness and that it will therefore not go to a vote.
(Barbara Coufal- [e-mail])

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