Workday Magazine (https://workdayminnesota.flywheelsites.com/bush-executive-orders-hurt-workers/)

As predicted, President Bush signed four executive orders in mid-February which hurt workers. And he sent lawyers into federal court to delay benefits for coal miners disabled by black lung disease.

The orders and court case drew sharp criticism from AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney, Building and Construction Trades Department President Edward Sullivan, American Federation of Government Employees President Bobby L. Harnage and Mine Workers President Cecil Roberts.

Sweeney called Bush's decisions "pure retribution for the growing voice of working men and women" in national politics, and said the president issued the orders to cater to his "corporate contributors and right-wing ideologues."

He also said they broke both public and private promises by top administration officials, including Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, to discuss issues "whether we are in agreement or not."

Bush's four orders:

1. Required government contractors to post workplace notices telling workers they do not have to become union members to retain their jobs in union-represented worksites, and that those who opt out may pay "agency fees" covering only the cost of collective bargaining.

Bush's order reinstates a previous order from the GOP administration of his father, almost a decade ago. "Contractors that fail to comply can be barred from bidding on or keeping their government contracts," Sweeney noted. "If workers need to be further informed of their rights, their right to organize deserves first priority - but the Bush order is silent about that."

2. Banned project labor agreements for federally funded construction projects.

Such a ban will hurt construction workers' incomes and make completion of projects - such as the Woodrow Wilson Bridge - more expensive and more difficult, Sullivan said, while denying construction jobs to women and minorities. But anti-union contractors and some GOP governors - such as Virginia's James Gilmore - pushed for the ban.

"We believe, as he says he does, that decisions like this are best left to the discretion of elected leaders at the state and local level," Sullivan said. "A blanket ban will unfairly hamper decision-makers who are closer to the demands of a given project." Sullivan said the department would sue in federal court to overturn Bush's ban.

3. Drops Service Contract Act coverage for low-paid workers - such as janitors and cleaning women - in federal buildings when a new building service contractor takes over the job.

President Clinton signed a 1994 executive order which mandated continuing coverage for those workers, many of them members of the Laborers or other unions. Bush's new order means the new contractor can fire the workers.

"These workers are usually low-paid and even brief unemployment can be catastrophic for their families," Sweeney said. "There is simply no justification for eliminating this important protection" for thousands of low-paid workers, he added.

4. Abolishes labor-management partnerships in federal agencies, established by Clinton and directed by Vice President Gore, Bush's defeated Democratic foe.

Sweeney noted that such cooperation started in the Republican Nixon administration. He added that by "unceremoniously and inexplicably ending these initiatives," Bush is "effectively telling his own employees they are unrespected and unimportant."

AFGE President Harnage was more scathing, saying Bush's move would cost taxpayers money and that the president let his advisors "carry out personal vendettas and agendas to tear down something labor and management supported.

"Partnerships have led to increased efficiency and service to the public," Harnage said. "Costs have been reduced while service has dramatically improved, and so has employee morale. Bush wants to return to the outmoded and arcane top-down decision-making management theories developed in the late 1800s."

Hardship for miners with black lung
The black lung rules are a different case. Clinton published them, making them formal, on Jan. 19, the day before he left office. They ban the coal companies from endlessly parading doctors to delay and deny black lung benefit claims.

Coal mine owners promptly sued to block them and got a temporary injunction from federal Judge Emmet G. Sullivan. Bush sent government lawyers to court to back the industry.

If Bush "had not chosen to support the industry's lawsuit, there never would have been a preliminary injunction," said UMWA Health and Safety Administrator Joe Main. Added union president Roberts: "It is a fact that the coal companies gave a lot of money to the Bush campaign, and I guess this is the president's way of saying thanks."

This article was written by Press Associates, Inc., news service. Used with permission.

Uncategorized

Bush executive orders hurt workers

By tsuperadmin | March 5, 2001

As predicted, President Bush signed four executive orders in mid-February which hurt workers. And he sent lawyers into federal court to delay benefits for coal miners disabled by black lung disease.

Sweeney called Bush’s decisions “pure retribution for the growing voice of working men and women” in national politics, and said the president issued the orders to cater to his “corporate contributors and right-wing ideologues.”

He also said they broke both public and private promises by top administration officials, including Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, to discuss issues “whether we are in agreement or not.”

Bush’s four orders:

1. Required government contractors to post workplace notices telling workers they do not have to become union members to retain their jobs in union-represented worksites, and that those who opt out may pay “agency fees” covering only the cost of collective bargaining.

Bush’s order reinstates a previous order from the GOP administration of his father, almost a decade ago. “Contractors that fail to comply can be barred from bidding on or keeping their government contracts,” Sweeney noted. “If workers need to be further informed of their rights, their right to organize deserves first priority – but the Bush order is silent about that.”

2. Banned project labor agreements for federally funded construction projects.

Such a ban will hurt construction workers’ incomes and make completion of projects – such as the Woodrow Wilson Bridge – more expensive and more difficult, Sullivan said, while denying construction jobs to women and minorities. But anti-union contractors and some GOP governors – such as Virginia’s James Gilmore – pushed for the ban.

“We believe, as he says he does, that decisions like this are best left to the discretion of elected leaders at the state and local level,” Sullivan said. “A blanket ban will unfairly hamper decision-makers who are closer to the demands of a given project.” Sullivan said the department would sue in federal court to overturn Bush’s ban.

3. Drops Service Contract Act coverage for low-paid workers – such as janitors and cleaning women – in federal buildings when a new building service contractor takes over the job.

President Clinton signed a 1994 executive order which mandated continuing coverage for those workers, many of them members of the Laborers or other unions. Bush’s new order means the new contractor can fire the workers.

“These workers are usually low-paid and even brief unemployment can be catastrophic for their families,” Sweeney said. “There is simply no justification for eliminating this important protection” for thousands of low-paid workers, he added.

4. Abolishes labor-management partnerships in federal agencies, established by Clinton and directed by Vice President Gore, Bush’s defeated Democratic foe.

Sweeney noted that such cooperation started in the Republican Nixon administration. He added that by “unceremoniously and inexplicably ending these initiatives,” Bush is “effectively telling his own employees they are unrespected and unimportant.”

AFGE President Harnage was more scathing, saying Bush’s move would cost taxpayers money and that the president let his advisors “carry out personal vendettas and agendas to tear down something labor and management supported.

“Partnerships have led to increased efficiency and service to the public,” Harnage said. “Costs have been reduced while service has dramatically improved, and so has employee morale. Bush wants to return to the outmoded and arcane top-down decision-making management theories developed in the late 1800s.”

Coal mine owners promptly sued to block them and got a temporary injunction from federal Judge Emmet G. Sullivan. Bush sent government lawyers to court to back the industry.

If Bush “had not chosen to support the industry’s lawsuit, there never would have been a preliminary injunction,” said UMWA Health and Safety Administrator Joe Main. Added union president Roberts: “It is a fact that the coal companies gave a lot of money to the Bush campaign, and I guess this is the president’s way of saying thanks.”

This article was written by Press Associates, Inc., news service. Used with permission.

By tsuperadmin | March 5, 2001