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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (May 3, 2013)
Republicans in Congress gunning for OT pay Oregon Rep. Walden, Washington Rep. Herrera Buetler cosponsor bill to replace overtime pay with comp time WASHINGTON, D.C. — House Republicans have introduced a bill (H.R. 1406) that would end the 40- hour work week, dismantling an im- portant component of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938 and hurting middle-class families across the country. Sponsored by Rep. Martha Roby (Ala.), the dubiously-titled “Working Families Flexibility Act” (H.R. 1406) would remove the requirement that em- ployers pay a cash premium for over- time work and instead allow them to offer employees compensatory time off. The effect would be an FLSA that is undermined of its only incentive against excessive hours, and a cheaper way for employers to demand manda- tory overtime. The House Education and the Work- force Committee on April 17 passed H.R. 1406 out of committee on a parti- san vote. Democrats offered several amend- ments to give workers flexibility with- out jeopardizing their overtime pay. One, presented by Oregon Congress- woman Suzanne Bonamici, would pro- tect comp time wages by requiring that unpaid overtime wages be deposited into an interest-bearing account, pro- tected from bankruptcy. “H.R. 1406 is effectively an interest- free loan made by a worker to his or her employer,” Bonamici said. “While holding these wages, employers can use the dollars for any purpose they choose. They can even deposit the wages into an account and keep the in- terest.” Republicans on the committee voted unanimously against each of the Dem- ocratic amendments. Rep. George Miller of California, the senior Democrat on the committee, said the bill will not provide greater flexibility to working families. “This bill is not about providing em- ployees with greater flexibility. It’s about providing employers with greater flexibility,” he said. H.R. 1406 could go to the House floor at any time. The bill has 166 cosponsors — all Republicans — in- cluding Oregon Congressman Greg Walden and Washington Congress- woman Jaime Herrera Beutler. Young union members to discuss future May 23 Young union members will talk about the future of organized labor and then “Party Like It’s 1999” Thursday, May 23, at the Vancouver Hilton and Convention Center. The event for young workers, put on by young workers, is sponsored by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Y.O.U.N.G. (Young Organizing Unionists of the Next Generation). It is being held in conjunction with AFGE District 11’s annual training day. A panel of young union members will be featured at a “Solidarity Sympo- sium” from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Follow- ing the symposium, AFGE District 11 will hold a political action committee benefit with music, dancing, light re- freshments, and a silent auction. “The theme — This is OUR Move- ment — was determined based upon the fact that it is we, the younger gener- ation, that must step up and take re- sponsibility, leadership roles, under- stand different methods of organizing and mobilizing which may resonate more with a younger demographic,” said Amanda Schroeder, national women’s advisory coordinator for AFGE District 11, and a member of the AFL-CIO’s Oregon YELL (Young Emerging Labor Leaders). The event is free and open to all young workers, laborers, student groups, and constituency groups. RSVP through Facebook at www.facebook. com/events/150670848430397/ or email Schroeder at amandaschroeder. nwacd11@ yahoo.com. She also can be reached by phone at 503-936-0253. Machinists International Union President Tom Buffenbarger wrote a letter to Congress encouraging them to vote against the bill. “Employers can already work within the existing laws to allow work- ers adjusting work schedules around family needs without changing the 40- hour workweek,” Buffenbarger wrote. “Comp time proposals let the employer decide whether workers can use any ac- crued compensatory time. Additionally, nothing would prevent the employer from forcing workers to take time off individually or limiting whether work- ers can use the compensatory time at all if it is too burdensome to the work- load.” Eileen Appelbaum, a senior econo- E E FR BARGAIN COUNTER Free classified ads to subscribers DEADLINE: Friday prior to publication Published 1st and 3rd Fridays Now accepting e-mails Send to: Michael492@comcast.net Mail to: NWLP, PO Box 13150, Portland OR 97213 (Please include union affiliation) • 15-20 words • No commercial or business ads • 1 ad per issue • All lower case (NO CAPITAL LETTERS, PLEASE) • Ads MUST include area code or they will not be published A UTOMOTIVE Sporting Goods rvs, trailers, bicycles, autos, lawnmowers, cash paid will pick up 503-880-8183 u.s., german, japanese military items, uniforms, aviation, hats, helmets, swords, daggers, bayonets, rifles, pistols. 503-852- 6791 buyIng us & world coins to add to col- lection, paying fairly, any amount welcome. 503-939-8835 collector, cash paid, old fishing tackle, wood plugs, reels, creels, salmon fishing photos, etc. 503-775-4166 collector pays cash for older toys, oil paintings, american art pottery, and cos- tume jewelry. 503 703-5952 ham radIo & short wave radio equip, (no cbs), including older 1950s/60s/70s equipment w/tubes. 503-823-4577 4 bedroom home in sherwood/new- berg area, short sale ok. 503-851-1043 utIlIty traIler, open top, capable of hauling a cord of firewood or 3-4 yards of bark, 1 or 2 axles. 360-9109-5355 leftIes: odyssey white Ice 2-ball f7 putter w/head cover, 35", $65; taylormade r5 driver, 10.5 reg, $20. 503-522-6542 holIday rambler 32' travel trailer, large slide, good cond, $8,000/obo. 503- 888-1019 bIcycle, like new, make offer. 503-244- 1672 1995 companIon 5th-wheel has large slidout, 30 foot, $5,995. 503-625-6538 welder mIller 280 amp, trailblazer on trailer, low hours, $2,500. 541-468- 2961 (spray, or) rIdgId wet/dry shop vac, like new, at- tachments, manual, 9 gal, 3.5 hp, $25. 503-701-1196 ’02 nIssan motor, twin cam, 125mi, use no oil, 2 & 3 cyl soft, $150 or offer. 503-645-2177 H OUSING rockaway beach rental, 3 bed, 2 bath, sleeps 10, jacuzzi, 5 min to beach/shops. vacationhomerentals.com/43026 lIncoln cIty vacation rental, 3 bdrm, 2 bath. sleeps 8, wi-fi, 2 blks from beach, 3 blks from casino. 503-653-2069 rockaway ocean front, 503-777-5076, 5 bdrms/2 ba, book now for summer! http://rockawaybeachfrontrental.com W ANTED Expires 05/31/2013 PAGE 10 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS mist with the Center for Economic Pol- icy and Research, says the bill is not just a problem for individual workers. “The labor market remains a wild card in an economy still struggling to solid- ify a fragile recovery,” she said. “With nearly 12 million people counted as un- employed and another 7.6 million part- time workers looking for full-time hours, both Republicans and Democ- rats in Congress have promised to fo- cus on job creation. This comp time bill does exactly the opposite. Instead of encouraging employers to increase hir- ing when business picks up and help jump start a more robust recovery, it gives them a strong incentive to in- crease the overtime hours of current employees instead.” old woodworkIng tools, planes, lev- els, chisels, handsaws, slicks, adzes, wrenches, folding rulers, leather tools, tool chests. 503-659-0009 motorcycles, quads, boats, tractors, M ISCELLANEOUS Broadway Floral for the BEST flowers call 503-288-5537 1638 NE Broadway, Portland MAY 3, 2013
