Re: Overtime rackets (was Re: [Futurework] Class warfare phase 2

[Darryl and Natalia]

As far as Ontario is concerned:   The erstwhile Mike Harris was able to pass a bill (from a muddled memory here) through provincial parliament about 3 years ago that expanded the workweek for the average worker to 52 hours before any overtime pay was due. This was undoubtedly the average of what businesses were requiring of their understaffed departments to meet the needs of production.   Although this has not been adopted by many places yet, It is there when needed as a threat or for use.   The trucking industry has been the worst hit with rulings allowing for an 82 hour workweek; and then they wonder why there are so many accidents and drivers falling asleep at the wheel.     Darryl     ----- Original Message ----- From: Stephen Straker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, June 29, 2003 11:52 PM Subject: Re: Overtime rackets (was Re: [Futurework] Class warfare phase 2 > Strong stuff from Molly Ivins about these bills: > > Molly Ivins > April 24, 2003 > http://www.creators.com/opinion_show.cfm?next=3&ColumnsName=miv > [only valid for current columns. old ones may be available > through the Washington Post.] > > Austin, Texas - Boy, there is no shortage of creatively > terrible ideas from the Republican Party these days.  Those > folks are just full of notions about how to make people's > lives worse - one horrible idea after another bursting out > like popcorn - and all of them with these sickeningly cute > names attached to them.  > > Consider the Family Time and Workplace Flexibility Act > (Senate version) and the Family Time Flexibility Act (House > version).  The Bush administration is leading the charge > with proposed new rules that will erode the 40-hour workweek > and affect more than 80 million workers now protected by the > Fair Labor Standards Act.  > > To hear the Republicans tell it, you'd think these were > family-friendly bills, something like Clinton's Family Leave > Act, designed to help you balance the difficult combined > demands of work and family.  With such a smarm of butter > over their visages do the Republicans go on about the joys > of "flexibility" and "freedom of choice" that you would have > to read the bills for maybe 30 seconds before figuring out > they're about repealing the 40-hour workweek and ending > overtime.   > (snip) > > The slick marketing and smoke on this one are a wonder to > behold.  We're being told that private sector workers will > get the same "benefit" of comp time as public employees. > Wow, keen, except the government has no profit motive for > pushing comp time instead of overtime.  Boy, does this > stink.  > > > Molly Ivins > 5 June 2003 > > [other material cut] ... > > Meanwhile, back at the ranch, it is hard to keep up with how > much damage is being done.  Tom (the Exterminator) DeLay, > House majority leader, says the 6.5 million working people > who got cut out of the tax cut at the last minute are > S.O.L.  No reconsideration will be allowed - unless he gets > MORE tax cuts for the rich!  I love it: These people have no > shame.   > > The House will take up getting rid of the 40-hour workweek > on June 5.  They have their priorities, and repealing the > Fair Labor Standards Act - in place since the 1930s - is one > of them.  In one of those annoying little Republican > exercises in cheap misdirection, this particular bill to > screw workers is misleadingly titled the Family Time > Flexibility Act.   > > Cute, eh?  As though they were doing you a big favor.  The > only enforcement mechanism in the 40-hour work week is that > employers have to pay time-and-a-half if they make you work > more than 40 hours.  Under this charmer, if you work > overtime, your employer can pay you with straight comp time, > one hour for one hour, instead of time-and-a-half wages, > thus saving the corporations millions.    (snip) > > _______________________________________________ > Futurework mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework >