------------------------- Via Workers World News Service Reprinted from the Oct. 17, 2002 issue of Workers World newspaper -------------------------
EDITORIAL: STEP IN RIGHT DIRECTION The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 gave workers the right to take off six weeks with job security to care for a new child or ailing relative. Women's groups and unions hailed it as a win. The only hitch was, unlike in all other industrialized countries and in socialist states, the leave wasn't paid. So instead of a right, family leave in the United States was a privilege, restricted to those who could afford to miss weekly paychecks. California took a giant step toward making it a right when it passed a bill on Sept. 23 stipulating paid leaves. However, due to pressure from the chamber of commerce and other big business interests, leaves will be paid for by employee contributions. Corporations don't have to cough up a dime. Not a penny comes out of state coffers. That's not good enough. Corporations should pay workers for family leaves just as they should fund full health coverage and livable pensions. After all, it's the workers who produce everything, including what bosses expropriate in profits. But corporate tycoons, worried by shrinking profits, are refusing to pay workers what they're due. It's time to collect on the long list of workers' rights that are sorely overdue. - END - (Copyright Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but changing it is not allowed. For more information contact Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe [EMAIL PROTECTED] Support the voice of resistance http://www.workers.org/orders/donate.php) ------------------ This message is sent to you by Workers World News Service. To subscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Send administrative queries to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
