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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCongressional Republicans Fight Minimum Wage Protections For Exploited Health Care Workers
By Marie Diamond
Yesterday President Obama introduced a rule that would finally extend federal minimum wage and overtime protections to two million workers who provide home-based care to the elderly and people with disabilities. For 37 years a loophole that puts home health care workers in the same companion category as babysitters has prevented those workers from receiving these key labor rights.
The administrations action rectifies a longstanding injustice by simply ensuring home care workers are covered by the same protections other workers get under the Fair Labor Standards Act. But Congressional Republicans and their corporate allies are speaking out against the move:
The presidents goal is commendable, but the likely result of this new rule is reduced hours for home care workers and higher costs for taxpayers, said John Kline, a Minnesota Republican who is chairman of the House Education and the Work Force Committee, and Tim Walberg, a Minnesota Republican who heads the panels subcommittee on work force protections
Predictably, Republicans and businesses that are reluctant to part with their profits have resorted to fearmongering, claiming that adequately compensating home care workers will increase costs for taxpayers and the elderly. But Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said any increased costs would be modest.
More importantly, these workers provide an indispensable service for a growing number of Americans and deserve fair pay. Six million Americans over 65 years old need some form of daily assistance to live outside a nursing home, and that number is expected to double by 2030 as Baby Boomers age.
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/12/16/391239/congressional-republicans-fight-minimum-wage-protections-for-exploited-health-care-workers/
frazzled
(18,402 posts)that there is absolutely no difference between Republicans and Democrats, and that our president is a total sellout to corporate interests and doesn't care about working people.
(Too lazy to go look for an appropriate sarcasm smiley).
ProSense
(116,464 posts)liberal N proud
(60,300 posts)ProSense
(116,464 posts)dana stevens
(17 posts)They fight for tax cuts...PERIOD. It happens to benefit both the rich and the poor.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)"Rich & Poor we are all PEOPLE They fight for tax cuts...PERIOD. It happens to benefit both the rich and the poor."
...fight for tax cuts to benefit the rich. Try facts:
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/09/obama_bush_taxes.html
Romneys Economic Plan Includes $6.6 Trillion Tax Cut For The Rich And Corporations
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/09/07/313068/romneys-tax-plan-cost-6-6-trillion/
Gingrich's tax plan: Big cuts, big deficits
http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Tax-VOX/2011/1213/Gingrich-s-tax-plan-Big-cuts-big-deficits
liberal N proud
(60,300 posts)jwirr
(39,215 posts)wage to health care workers working in the homes. I worked as a care provider and was only paid $2 a day but all I was doing was riding the elevator in my building down one floor, open the door and lay the days pills on the counter of one of the other residents. Did not even see her.
When I worked as a homemaker - cooking or cleaning for seniors in their homes I always earned over m-wage.
Response to ProSense (Original post)
Post removed
Vanje
(9,766 posts)surrealAmerican
(11,340 posts)Federal income tax is not the only tax. It is misleading to imply that people who don't earn enough to pay federal income tax are not paying other taxes. That's just not true.
Dewey Finn
(176 posts)So it's apparent that "truth" is not your strong suit.