'Living Wage' For Government Contractors:

[laughingliberal]

'Living Wage' For Government Contractors: White House Considers Bidding Advantage For Better Employee Pay

WASHINGTON — The White House is looking at a new policy that would give an advantage in bidding on government contracts to companies that offer generous benefits and good pay.

But business groups opposing the idea maintain it would shut out smaller businesses from competing for more than $500 billion a year in federal contracts and increase government procurement costs.

The policy is known as "high road" contracting and could draw the Obama administration into a larger debate over whether the government should use public purse strings to strengthen the middle class and promote higher labor standards.

Advocates of the plan include unions. They say too many jobs financed by government contracts come with low wages and limited benefits and support companies that violate employment laws.

The Economic Policy Institute, a liberal think tank, estimates that nearly 20 percent of the 2 million federal contract workers in the U.S. earn less than the poverty threshold wage of $9.91 per hour. As many as 22 million workers are employed by federal contractors.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/26/living-wage-for-government-contractors_n_477819.html

This is great news! Of course the Republicans and corporate interests are raising hell about it. Everybody be sure to write the White House and all your elected officials to let them know you support this, wholeheartedly!

[Donnachaidh]

1. IIRC, pukes had no problems with Blackwater getting HUGE salaries

But they are going to crap their underoos about anyone else getting decent pay?

[KittyWampus]

2. Smaller Businesses are most likely the ones paying well and offering benefits. That's a fact.

[laughingliberal]

6. Yes, and it's a favorite of right wingers to talk about their support for 'small business'

Close examination of their policies, though, would suggest they never met a small business they could be bothered to help or a big business they didn't like.

[county worker]

3. Many of the big companies that get government contracts farm the work out to smaller companies.

The big companies do not pay for good wages and benefits nor do the smaller companies. The big companies pocket the difference between what they get paid by the government and what they pay the smaller companies to do the work. Many of the smaller companies send the work over seas.

There are two or three big companies that have a contract to do Medicare administration but they farm out to smaller companies that have the expertise needed.

[freddie mertz]

4. K & R! Nice to learn about a good policy these days.

[saracat]

5. Now this is a good WH policy I can support! This is great idea!

[laughingliberal]

7. I hope it gets more press and some of our activist groups really get out there & encourage

them to go forward with this! It could be a big boost for wages and workers.