House GOP begins push to reduce pay for U.S. workers

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In a preliminary vote on the “Workplace Flexibility Act,” House Republicans took the first step toward further exploiting hard-working Americans and putting more cash in the pocket of their corporate bosses. Tomorrow the House is expected to take a final vote on this legislation, HR 1406. Now is the time to <="http://salsa4.salsalabs.com/o/50740/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=8192">contact your representatives and tell them you oppose the bill.

The legislation is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. While it makes it seem like private sector employees are getting more rights by being allowed to trade overtime pay for additional paid time off, several House Democrats noted that it is really more like the “More Work, Less Pay Act.” They noted companies can already offer such an arrangement, and passage of the bill would only pressure workers into accepting comp time instead of time-and-a-half payment. The added problem is that employers would not be required to grant the comp time - once again leaving workers with the short end of the stick.

Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) summed up the measure:

“It sounds good … but the devil is in the details,” said the congressman. “We can and we must do better for American workers.”

He noted that employers would have a “unilateral veto” in granting time off using comp time. Meanwhile, leftover hours not used by the end of the year would essentially serve as an “interest-free loan for employers.”

Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.) agreed:

“This isn’t the first time we’ve seen anti-worker legislation paraded as pro-family legislation,” she said. “Real working families need protections against egregiously long hours.”

She argued that workers should be able to take earned leave when they need it, saying the legislation “sets up a false choice between more work and less pay.”

Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) said the bill is just one more attempt by companies benefitting from a booming Wall Street to keep even more of their record profits for themselves:

“Congress should protect workers’ wages and overtime rights, not undermine them,” she said, noting average employee hours are currently dropping. “America is supposed to be about opportunity for all, not just a few.”

Don’t fall for the lies being put forward by supporters of HR 1406. The House is scheduled to take a final vote on this legislation tomorrow, and your elected representatives need to hear from you. <="http://salsa4.salsalabs.com/o/50740/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=8192">Tell them you oppose HR 1406 and it’s time for Congress to enact real pro-worker legislation.