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Wed 8 Jul, 2015 09:56 am
Robert Reich
Wisconsin Republicans, led by their Koch-puppet governor Scott Walker, are now taking their war on working people to a new level. They’re planning to get rid of the weekend. Their new legislation would allow employers to demand employees work 7 days a week without any day off at all.
Wisconsin has now become the exact opposite of the state that a century ago produced “Fighting Bob” La Follette Sr., the famed governor who led the way to a 40-hour workweek. By 1924, as presidential nominee of the Progressive Party, La Follette had become the undisputed champion of working people in America, the foremost opponent of the growing power of U.S. corporations over American workers and the U.S. government. Now, Walker is on his way to become the undisputed champion of Big Koch America and the foremost opponent of American workers.
Whatever happened to Wisconsin?
@edgarblythe,
edgarblythe wrote:
Robert Reich
Wisconsin Republicans, led by their Koch-puppet governor Scott Walker, are now taking their war on working people to a new level. They’re planning to get rid of the weekend. Their new legislation would allow employers to demand employees work 7 days a week without any day off at all.
Wisconsin has now become the exact opposite of the state that a century ago produced “Fighting Bob” La Follette Sr., the famed governor who led the way to a 40-hour workweek. By 1924, as presidential nominee of the Progressive Party, La Follette had become the undisputed champion of working people in America, the foremost opponent of the growing power of U.S. corporations over American workers and the U.S. government. Now, Walker is on his way to become the undisputed champion of Big Koch America and the foremost opponent of American workers.
Whatever happened to Wisconsin?
It's not just Wisconsin. It appears the Republican message this campaign cycle is that Americans don't work hard enough. Here is a link to an article that appeared on my Facebook page today:
Jeb Bush: Americans 'need to work longer hours'
Quote:"We have to be a lot more productive, workforce participation has to rise from its all-time modern lows," Mr Bush told the editors of the New Hampshire Union Leader in an interview that was broadcast online. "It means that people need to work longer hours and, through their productivity, gain more income for their families. That's the only way we're going to get out of this rut that we're in."
The only way for our country to prosper is to ask the poor to work two minimum-wage jobs, perhaps? greater exploitation of the undocumented workers, perhaps? Maybe then those who are struggling will have enough income to support their families?
I am disgusted. It is not prosperity when average citizens must work from dawn to dusk to support their families and to ensure that the billionaire class (that buys elections) can make more money. Trickle down economics does not work and hate-mongering tactics (divide and conquer politics) aren't nearly as effective and they used to be. I think the Republicans are digging their own holes.
I've seen that story. What's next? Child labor laws, maybe?
So when Jeb Bush said "people need to work longer hours" he meant people need better access to full-time employment instead of part-time. I believe him. His quote was misconstrued. Now, Jeb, tell us how you'll encourage businesses to make people full-time with benefits when it's more profitable to do the opposite.
Hmm. You can't force businesses to do it. Will you bribe them with tax incentives? Isn't that just big government messing with the free market? Sorry just thinking out loud. I'd love to hear his plan because I also feel more people should be full-time and that I should own an NHL team.
I could be wrong.
OK, I often am wrong.
But I was under the impression that, in this case, the workers may refuse the overtime work. (After all, they have to be paid overtime.) Until now, every time an employer wanted to ask an employee to work the extra days, he had to submit a request to a state agency for a 'waiver'. In the last few years, these waivers have never received a denial, making this particular legislation primarily a paperwork reduction measure.
Certainly there has been other legislation designed to restrict employees rights. But this one may not be in that group.
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