Dems allow Bush to destroy overtime pay

[hangover]

I don't know how this got under the radar. I just saw it today, but it happened in 2004. Just another example of the cons turning this country into a banana republic, and dems too dumb to stop them.

What about Bush* ending overtime pay in the US?

I posted this yesterday in GD, to little response. Since I only posted after not seeing any other posts about this, I've been wondering why this issue isn't resounding at DU. No one here can relate to it? Lost among too many other stories?

Leading Democrats Go AWOL on Overtime Vote

Seven House dems, including Gephardt, missed the vote on guaranteed overtime pay. The measure, which passed 213-210, would deny overtime pay to between 1 million and 8 million American workers. Kucinich was present for the vote and voted against it.

". . . Under the new rules, backed by the Bush administration and campaigned for heavily by business lobbyists, those employees would still have to put in extra hours. They just wouldn't get any extra pay. Instead, some would qualify for comp time—try paying the rent with that—and others would simply be reclassified as executives, even if they wield little managerial authority."
The article states that the bill is likely to pass the Senate and that none of the Democratic candidates except Kucinich and Dean returned phone calls. The author isn't particularly happy with them, either, since they haven't made this a major issue and only Kucinich promises to reverse this bill when elected. The White House, on the other hand, worked overtime to do away with overtime pay.

". . . The president took a high-profile stand before the House vote, threatening to veto the education, health, and human-services spending bill if an amendment blocking his new overtime rules wasn't lifted. For a president who has presided over the largest net job loss since Herbert Hoover to show such determination to cut workers' overtime pay is, in the words of UFCW chief lobbyist Michael Wilson, "handing the Democrats an issue."

"If only. The day after the defeated amendment in the House, Wilson did show some fire in his belly toward the Democrats, and Gephardt in particular. Wilson said he now wants all the candidates to state publicly that on the day they're elected president, they will immediately announce the reversal of the Bush policy. So far, only Kucinich has said unequivocally that he will."

What about Bush ending overtime pay in the US - Democratic Underground

 

[hangover]

Obama is trying to raise the limit from $23k to $50k for workers allowed to get overtime. Bet the cons fight it.

THE ISSUE
Following President Obama’s order to “modernize and streamline” federal overtime rules, the Labor Department has proposed regulations that would greatly expand the number of workers covered by overtime.

Under current rules, employees making up to $455 a week ($23,660 a year) are automatically entitled to overtime pay when working more than 40 hours a week. Managers and professionals who make more can be declared exempt from overtime, but only if they meet certain conditions such as having supervision of other workers as their primary duty. The update would raise the wage threshold to about $970 a week ($50,440 a year).

NRF is opposed to the proposal because it threatens to reverse progress seen since a 2004 update that eliminated vague and outdated language and ended an outbreak of lawsuits over disputed overtime that began in the late 1990s.

WHY IT MATTERS TO RETAILERS
The retail industry is concerned because the expected change in wage levels could bring many store managers or assistant managers under overtime rules, taking away their ability to use their own discretion in deciding whether to put in the extra hours sometimes needed to do their jobs. And putting managers under overtime rules could undermine their status as career professionals rather than hourly workers.

A recent survey of retail managers conducted for NRF found that the majority oppose overtime expansion, with 75 percent saying it would diminish the effectiveness of training and hinder their ability to lead by example.

Another study conducted for NRF found that expanded overtime would drive up retailers’ payroll costs while limiting opportunities to move up into management. Given the tight economy, many employers would limit hours or reduce base pay to compensate, meaning most workers would be unlikely to see an increase in take-home pay, the study said. In addition, the use of part-time workers to cover extra hours could increase, and retailers operating in rural states could see a disproportionate impact.

NRF ADVOCATES AGAINST OVERTIME EXPANSION
NRF believes the proposal would limit career opportunities by “turning managers into rank-and-file hourly workers” and has vowed to “fight a subjective problem with quantifiable facts” during the Labor Department’s comment period on the plan.

NRF has argued that employers have spent much of the past decade reclassifying their workers to reflect the 2004 update and that the overtime system — once plagued by turmoil and lawsuits — is working well. Overtime expansion would upset that well-established system, add to employers’ costs, undermine customer service, hinder productivity, generate more litigation opportunities for trial lawyers and ultimatelyharm job creation.

NRF has explained the implications in the news media and on Capitol Hill, and brought former Labor Department Wage and Hour Administrator Tammy McCutchen, who supervised the 2004 update, to address the proposal with retailers at the 2014 Retail Advocates Summit in Washington.

Overtime NRF

 

[Care4all]

I remember this happening in 2004, and it was a tumultuous Debate in congress...!!! And it was in the news back then too....

It felt like another stab in the back from the Republicans under Bush, on the lower middle class and a favor to Businesses....

I didn't know that about the Dems not making the vote...ty for letting me know...

 

[LA RAM FAN]

I remember this happening in 2004, and it was a tumultuous Debate in congress...!!! And it was in the news back then too....

It felt like another stab in the back from the Republicans under Bush, on the lower middle class and a favor to Businesses....

I didn't know that about the Dems not making the vote...ty for letting me know...

which Obomination has continued what Bushwacker got started since its a corrupt ONE PARTY SYSTEM of demopublicans and reprocrats designed to look like two so the sheep think they have a choice in who gets elected.

these criminals in washington are like pro wrestlers,inside the ring they pretend to hate each other but in reality,they are friends.

Outside the ring,they get together at a bar and have a brewski outside the ring.same thing with these alleged different parties.they are supposed to have the opposite views but each incoming president,never prosecutes the previous president for their crimes which they easily can do Obama should have given Bush the middle finger when he got in and not go anywhere near him.

whats he do though instead? Him,the clintons,and the Bushs get on a jet and fly around the country partying having a jolly old good time together.

 

[Harry Dresden]

i was working in the PO at that time...i believe the employee was given a choice,OT or Comp time.... i dont know of anyone who took comp time it was not worth it....

 

[hangover]

i was working in the PO at that time...i believe the employee was given a choice,OT or Comp time.... i dont know of anyone who took comp time it was not worth it....

Wife works for the USGS, don't get that choice no more. Just comp time. She used to work for USFS, but that's ridiculous. Think of all the fire fighters working 16 hours a day seven days a week on 100,000 acre fires that don't get overtime any more. I think seasonals still do till they get to $23k.

 

[rdean]

I don't know how this got under the radar. I just saw it today, but it happened in 2004. Just another example of the cons turning this country into a banana republic, and dems too dumb to stop them.

What about Bush* ending overtime pay in the US?

I posted this yesterday in GD, to little response. Since I only posted after not seeing any other posts about this, I've been wondering why this issue isn't resounding at DU. No one here can relate to it? Lost among too many other stories?

Leading Democrats Go AWOL on Overtime Vote

Seven House dems, including Gephardt, missed the vote on guaranteed overtime pay. The measure, which passed 213-210, would deny overtime pay to between 1 million and 8 million American workers. Kucinich was present for the vote and voted against it.

". . . Under the new rules, backed by the Bush administration and campaigned for heavily by business lobbyists, those employees would still have to put in extra hours. They just wouldn't get any extra pay. Instead, some would qualify for comp time—try paying the rent with that—and others would simply be reclassified as executives, even if they wield little managerial authority."
The article states that the bill is likely to pass the Senate and that none of the Democratic candidates except Kucinich and Dean returned phone calls. The author isn't particularly happy with them, either, since they haven't made this a major issue and only Kucinich promises to reverse this bill when elected. The White House, on the other hand, worked overtime to do away with overtime pay.

". . . The president took a high-profile stand before the House vote, threatening to veto the education, health, and human-services spending bill if an amendment blocking his new overtime rules wasn't lifted. For a president who has presided over the largest net job loss since Herbert Hoover to show such determination to cut workers' overtime pay is, in the words of UFCW chief lobbyist Michael Wilson, "handing the Democrats an issue."

"If only. The day after the defeated amendment in the House, Wilson did show some fire in his belly toward the Democrats, and Gephardt in particular. Wilson said he now wants all the candidates to state publicly that on the day they're elected president, they will immediately announce the reversal of the Bush policy. So far, only Kucinich has said unequivocally that he will."

What about Bush ending overtime pay in the US - Democratic Underground

The Iraq war? Democrats fault for not stopping it.
Deficit creating Bush Tax cuts? Democrats fault for not stopping them.
You can look at every GOP failure and they will say "but Democrats could have stopped it".

 

[warf]

It's clear we need a party that actually works for working people. But since most working class voters keep themselves ignorant and vote according to the ads and media blather
It's not likely anything will get better.

What can be done to change that?

 

[Harry Dresden]

i was working in the PO at that time...i believe the employee was given a choice,OT or Comp time.... i dont know of anyone who took comp time it was not worth it....

Wife works for the USGS, don't get that choice no more. Just comp time. She used to work for USFS, but that's ridiculous. Think of all the fire fighters working 16 hours a day seven days a week on 100,000 acre fires that don't get overtime any more. I think seasonals still do till they get to $23k.

just talked to a buddy still working in the PO....he said they get OT for anything over 8,he said if they still offer comp time he never gets asked about it....maybe it is now a contract thing with the Union....

 

[Harry Dresden]

I don't know how this got under the radar. I just saw it today, but it happened in 2004. Just another example of the cons turning this country into a banana republic, and dems too dumb to stop them.

What about Bush* ending overtime pay in the US?

I posted this yesterday in GD, to little response. Since I only posted after not seeing any other posts about this, I've been wondering why this issue isn't resounding at DU. No one here can relate to it? Lost among too many other stories?

Leading Democrats Go AWOL on Overtime Vote

Seven House dems, including Gephardt, missed the vote on guaranteed overtime pay. The measure, which passed 213-210, would deny overtime pay to between 1 million and 8 million American workers. Kucinich was present for the vote and voted against it.

". . . Under the new rules, backed by the Bush administration and campaigned for heavily by business lobbyists, those employees would still have to put in extra hours. They just wouldn't get any extra pay. Instead, some would qualify for comp time—try paying the rent with that—and others would simply be reclassified as executives, even if they wield little managerial authority."
The article states that the bill is likely to pass the Senate and that none of the Democratic candidates except Kucinich and Dean returned phone calls. The author isn't particularly happy with them, either, since they haven't made this a major issue and only Kucinich promises to reverse this bill when elected. The White House, on the other hand, worked overtime to do away with overtime pay.

". . . The president took a high-profile stand before the House vote, threatening to veto the education, health, and human-services spending bill if an amendment blocking his new overtime rules wasn't lifted. For a president who has presided over the largest net job loss since Herbert Hoover to show such determination to cut workers' overtime pay is, in the words of UFCW chief lobbyist Michael Wilson, "handing the Democrats an issue."

"If only. The day after the defeated amendment in the House, Wilson did show some fire in his belly toward the Democrats, and Gephardt in particular. Wilson said he now wants all the candidates to state publicly that on the day they're elected president, they will immediately announce the reversal of the Bush policy. So far, only Kucinich has said unequivocally that he will."

What about Bush ending overtime pay in the US - Democratic Underground

The Iraq war? Democrats fault for not stopping it.
Deficit creating Bush Tax cuts? Democrats fault for not stopping them.
You can look at every GOP failure and they will say "but Democrats could have stopped it".

the democrats could have stopped the 5 billion dollar payment the PO has to pay every year,instead they co-sponsored the dam thing....

 

[Harry Dresden]

It's clear we need a party that actually works for working people. But since most working class voters keep themselves ignorant and vote according to the ads and media blather
It's not likely anything will get better.

What can be done to change that?

easy....cut the cord and vote out everyone with a D or an R besides their name and vote in people not beholding to any of the 2 parties.....might shake them up a little,then these 2 parties might realize their shit stinks like everyone elses does.....

 

[warf]

It's clear we need a party that actually works for working people. But since most working class voters keep themselves ignorant and vote according to the ads and media blather
It's not likely anything will get better.

What can be done to change that?

easy....cut the cord and vote out everyone with a D or an R besides their name and vote in people not beholding to any of the 2 parties.....might shake them up a little,then these 2 parties might realize their shit stinks like everyone elses does.....

That sounds good. But then there is the problem with voters refusing to educate themselves and allowing themselves to be guided by ads funded by deep pockets. Then they go to the polls and vote against their own best interests.

Until this problem is solved we will have only bad government.