President Obama instituted the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces rule to make it harder for companies with egregious labor law violations to get government contracts. You can guess what’s happening now, right? Republicans don’t think labor laws should count as laws and they certainly don’t think breaking those laws should get in the way of a company’s profits, so they’re killing that worker protection. With good reason, according to their twisted and immoral logic:
Hours before the Senate vote on the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces rule, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released a staff report that says that 66 of the federal government’s 100 largest contractors have at some point violated federal wage and hour laws. Since 2015, the report says, more than a third of the 100 largest OSHA penalties have been imposed on federal contractors.
Warren criticized the Republican-led effort during a speech on the Senate floor moments before the vote. “Instead of creating jobs or raising wages,” she said, “they’re trying to make it easier for companies that get big-time, taxpayer-funded government contracts to steal wages from their employees and injure their workers without admitting responsibility.”
Exactly. And they’re not ashamed, which tells you something about these people.
● Uber is fighting a union effort in Seattle with podcasts and pizza parties.
● Four women's strikes that were anything but a privilege.
● This is terrible and there is no excuse for it. If you’re pissed at undocumented immigrants being paid less and driving down wages in your industry, your beef is with the employers exploiting vulnerable workers. It’s worth noting that the carpenters union has a history of playing footsie with Republicans. Erik Loomis provides context.
● Here's an abusive workplace for you: cruise ships. A fascinating, depressing story.
● Housekeepers vs. Harvard: Feminism for the age of Trump.
● Whether you participated in the women’s strike or not, a reading list for you.
● Labor-enviro-community coalition wins stronger California oil refinery regulations and showcases a winning strategy for worker and community health.
● Breaking the silence on sexual harassment.
● Staff at a Chicago charter chain want a union, but the head of the schools is opposed. Shocking, right? The boss always eagerly embraces worker organizing!