Labor fights to preserve Davis-Bacon

[atommom]

Among the litany of regulations in line to be eased or suspended during the daunting rebuilding process on the Gulf Coast are several that have greatly alarmed labor unions, whose furious lobbying efforts are hitting a brick wall of conservative might.

Union officials are concerned that President Bush’s Sept. 8 suspension of the Davis-Bacon Act, which requires federal contractors to pay construction workers a prevailing wage, was only the beginning. Further hurting the union cause is GOP lawmakers’ support for broad bureaucratic relaxation in the Labor Department, a push rooted in the long-standing bad blood between unions and Republican think tanks.

“I think this is a mean-spirited attack on the labor movement. The right wing has never been able to touch us in the legislative arena on Davis-Bacon. They saw an opportunity and took it,” said Don Kaniewski, political director for the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA).

http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/091505/labor.html

[napi21]

1. Does the Congress have the ability to ovver-rule Shrub on this?

I am pretty knowlegable about most authority things, but I sure don't know this one!

[fasttense]

2. Bye, bye 200 years of safety and labor regulations

"The Labor Department is examining still more areas in which existing rules can be suspended for Katrina relief to accelerate. Official word from Secretary Elaine Chao of new 401(k) hardship loans for Gulf workers and waiver relaxation at state work-force investment boards, in addition to other moves, could come as quickly as today.

“We are looking at ways to release red tape to deliver needed resources to workers who have been affected,” said Labor Department spokesman David James."

Ok how about suspending child labor laws, workmen's comp and fire safety standards? Should really cut the red tape if you don't have to worry what age your workers are. Not to mention you wont have to carry insurance if they lose an arm or leg. How about that big road block the government puts up about having a safe working environment. Need to stop requiring companies to meet fire regulations. Who cares if we have another shirtwaist factory fire.

[KoKo]

3. That's already in the works. They are working hard in Bush's last three

years to dismantle all that. :scared: