President Obama is raising the overtime eligibility threshold, ensuring that, for millions more workers, working extra hours will mean getting extra pay. Naturally, congressional Republicans and industry lobby groups are outraged. Not very logical, but outraged nonetheless:
"What our members have told us, what many other employers have told us, is there's not a golden pot of money out there sitting in employers' pockets where they can all of a sudden pay a lot more overtime pay," said David French, vice president of the National Retail Federation. "Instead, they're going to make the rational change and they're going to change jobs."
Oh, they’re going to change jobs? It’s like Labor Secretary Tom Perez said: “Some will see more money in their pockets … Some will get more time with their family … and everybody will receive clarity on where they stand, so that they can stand up for their rights.” In other words, if your boss has you working 70 hours a week with no overtime pay, going forward, either you’ll get more pay or you’ll have the same pay and more time away from work. It’s a win-win. And if the boss really needs those extra hours of work done, maybe he’ll hire another worker to do them rather than paying you time and a half. This does not diminish the win. It just spreads it around a little.
Over in Congress, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott is tweeting away about his bill to nullify the overtime rule. According to Scott the rule “will have swift and damaging impacts on hard working American families, as well as small businesses, non-profits and colleges and universities,” but he’s not saying how it will damage hardworking American families—unless he thinks extra pay or extra time are damaging. Rep. Steve Chabot, chair of the House Small Business Committee, sounds similar notes, fretting about the rule resulting in “less flexibility.” Which it will! Less flexibility for bosses to exploit their workers. The workers, again, will get more flexibility one way or another.
For so long, Republicans have gotten away with painting every advance for workers as a terrible thing. It must be tough having a president who’ll call their bluff occasionally. And overtime pay is not some complicated issue that average working people can’t wrap their minds around. It’s personal, and it’s not partisan:
Paul Porter, a truck driver from Ava, Mo., who is a member of the Teamsters union and a supporter of Mr. Trump, said he already received time and a half after eight hours of work, but strongly favored the new overtime regulation. “I have friends who are managers who get taken advantage of terribly,” he said.