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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsGuess who is the largest employer of underpaid workers in America?
Last edited Sun Jun 2, 2013, 04:09 PM - Edit history (1)
The President can give everyone of these hard working Americans a raise with the stroke of his pen. It only takes signing an Executive Order for President Obama to require all federal contractors comply with the same Service Employment Act which requires all other federal workers make a living wage.
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http://www.progressivecongress.com/action/obama-executive-order/?akid=4189.827.A1Ouev&rd=1&t=1
Cirque du So-What
(26,333 posts)I thought it already was the law that federal contractors were paid prevailing wages for wherever the job was located. I signed this gladly.
Buzz Clik
(38,437 posts)That's still pretty interesting, and disconcerting.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)private contractors. That doesnt remove them from responsibility. The government has the power to require the contractors to meet certain standards if they want to do business with the government.
HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)indepat
(20,899 posts)contractors, not to pay living wages, and those contractors become benefactors of the politicians.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)seeing their jobs turned over to contract workers that make lower wages while the company owners get big bucks.
Amonester
(11,541 posts)to the non-governing, but fund-raising politicians.
We all know how 'it' works (not for us).
Occulus
(20,599 posts)The USPS (okay, okay; quasi-governmental, but subject to the fickle fates of Congress nonetheless) is currently in the process of replacing its entire full-time-regular workforce with temporary, at-will employees they call PSEs. Those employees make half the pay of a full-time career position, do exactly the same work, never know from week to week what their days off are, can be moved to a different shift at will and usually arbitrarily, and have little union protections.
I should note that postal management is doing this only because it can, thanks to not only the APWU, but the NPMHU and the NALC as well. In the single greatest example of a general failure to adequately represent the interests of its members I am aware of through all of United States history, the upper echelons of the American Postal Workers Union (and the others), in the name of "austerity", to coin a phrase, knowingly consented to the official addition of this class of employees in its most recent contract negotiations. It is my firm belief that, were such a case ever to be seriously pursued, the negotiators employed by the three unions, the actual participating upper-level individual representing the members from all three unions during those negotiations, and the unions themselves in general could quite easily be found at fault in any halfway-competent class-action suit regarding their failure to adequately represent, and would be found at fault by any reasonable jury if even a halfway competent and willing attorney were to be retained by the unions' remaining membership.
They sold us out. They bargained away postal workers' very job security, in what was (past tense) one of the very few unskilled labor jobs that had job security. They "compromised without a fight" (SOUND FAMILIAR?). They handed postal management more than half the store and doomed the very idea of postal work as a career you could stay in for years as a result. That deserves a very stiff and lasting punishment, preferably applied also and in particular to the individuals involved in those negotiations. There is no excuse for that level of fundamental member betrayal on any union's part. It is a flagrant violation of one of the core purposes of any union that ever was, and I for one want back every penny of dues I ever paid to that union, times three in punishment. I'd bankrupt the APWU if I could for that and that alone, and seeing my former union's President never be able to work in that area ever again would have me breathing a sigh of relief.
Useless idiots, all of the upper tiers. I don't know why we ever bothered to vote- appointing the positions by drawing names out of a hat would have resulted in a better pool of intellect than the bozos the APWU has at the top right now.
No, for the record, I don't hate unions, but we all have good reason to demand accountability for this monumental shirking of responsibility. After all, they're the ones who made certain the situation could not ever be fixed.
Egalitarian Thug
(12,448 posts)friends who get the contracts.
cherokeeprogressive
(24,853 posts)rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)1-Old-Man
(2,667 posts)There is the Davis Bacon Act that demands that prevailing wages be paid for certain contracted activities, which means in effect that federal contractors working hands on are paid Union wages for the contracted activities and then there is the Service Contract Act that covers contractor personnel who work in the service industries. So this all sort of sounds like nonsense to me.
Exen Trik
(103 posts)Wouldn't be the first time that what should be an all encompassing protection amounted to nothing due to shenanigans. Unfortunately I don't know the laws or the statistics involved here, we need someone with knowledge of both to proofcheck this.
sulphurdunn
(6,891 posts)also requires that private contractors only do work for the government it can't do cheaper or better. You might want to look at this.
http://www.pogo.org/our-work/letters/2013/20130415-feds-vs-contractors-cost-comparison.html
alfredo
(60,092 posts)Has there been any repeal or modification of the act?
Lasher
(27,832 posts)alfredo
(60,092 posts)rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)1-Old-Man
(2,667 posts)Virtually every Contract(or) (and subcontractor) we (U.S. Department of Energy) had was audited for compliance. I know of no Agency who gave the matter any less attention than us and we paid very close attention. So I really don't buy into this nonsense for a minute.
dotymed
(5,610 posts)apply but they do not here in the South. Much of the construction on Ft. Campbell, Ky. pays prevailing wage (not all) but they also have private contractor security. They look like Wal-Mart employees. Nothing military about them.
They are paid about $8 hourly. All of the AAFES employees on post earn practically nothing also.
Occulus
(20,599 posts)You just redefine those jobs right out of any covered category. The requirements don't change for the job being done, but now it's different, see, and since it's different, it's not covered.
Neat, huh?
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)or subcontract stuff from china to fill their contracts. Or use subcontractors.
Support President Obama, he asked congress to raise the Federal minimum wage to 9.00 an hour. Then all the states have to raise to match that minimum wage.
Of course wages are to low in the USA, the states have to raise their minimum wage and if the Federal wage goes up, the states have to match.
jeff47
(26,549 posts)Sunlei
(22,651 posts)I meant have the contract goods made in another country. Cheap visa labor workers are usually people from a close country.
jeff47
(26,549 posts)if it's most of the MIC jobs.
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)The Federal gov hands out millions of contracts to fill orders, everything from clothes, foods, uniforms a lot of those goods are not made by American workers.
jmowreader
(50,731 posts)Sunlei
(22,651 posts)alfredo
(60,092 posts)local labor. They hired the undocumented and then stiffed them.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/11/06/162694/-Halliburton-Using-Illegal-Labor-in-Katrina-Cleanup-Subcontractors-Stiff-Workers
GULFPORT, Mississippi (AP) -- A pattern is emerging as the cleanup of Mississippi's Gulf Coast morphs into its multibillion-dollar reconstruction: Come payday, untold numbers of Hispanic immigrant laborers are being stiffed.
Sometimes, the boss simply vanishes. Other workers wait on promises that soon, someone in a complex hierarchy of contractors will provide the funds to pay them.
Nonpayment of wages is a violation of federal labor law, but these workers -- thousands of them, channeled into teams that corral debris, swaddle punctured roofs in blue tarps and gut rain-ravaged homes -- are especially vulnerable because many are here illegally.
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)Came back after the hurricane to find foreigners doing their jobs.
malokvale77
(4,879 posts)I have one of those jobs. Home healthcare, through Medicaid, contracted by one of those faith based organizations. $7.25 an hour, 30 hours a week. It's been nearly 4 years with no raise. I usually work extra hours, but I can't claim it on my timesheet.
It's the hardest work I've ever done in my long years. I'm a 100 pound woman, and trying to bath a full grown male invalid is strenuous and exhausting to say the least.
My supervisor drives a Mercedes though, so I guess it's pretty lucrative for some.
xynthee
(477 posts)I wish I could say something other than, "So sorry you're being exploited!"!! Alas, I can't, so I'll just thank you for doing such important, unappreciated work, and hope that things get much, much better soon!
malokvale77
(4,879 posts)Skeeter Barnes
(994 posts)How are they getting away with not paying you for some of those hours?
Sorry you are having to put up with being nickle and dimed when you are already being paid such a low hourly rate. Thank you for the important work you do.
malokvale77
(4,879 posts)Sometimes my patient needs more. I either walk or eat it.
This is Texas. They have their own rules.
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)My family kept my Mom at home for years as she declined from alzheimer's. We all shared primary caregiver 24/7, and Medicaid healthcare Aids came in daily to assist w/ feeding/ bathing.
Some wonderfull Aids, one named Shirley she was awesome and told us 7.25 an hour and the boss limited her hours. Some of the aids were horrible, stuff was stolen, they wouldn't show-up, they would bring their criminal kids along and her phone got charged with jail calls. Couple times mom had brusing and we noted meals were skipped. She did have a wonderfull Doctor who did home call routine check-ups.
My heart goes out to disabled persons without local family to help and the underpaid good healthcare workers.
Medicaid should pay the workers directly, screen them, pay more and manage the workers at a national location, without a local 'for profit'-middleman.
bvar22
(39,909 posts)AND you object to the policies that condone this,
[font size=3]Thats just TOO BAD, SUCKER
Cause YOU ain't GOT NO CHOICE![/font]
The Leadership of BOTH dominant Political Parties SUPPORT the NeoLiberal "Free Market" policies that PRODUCE this result.
Think back about Campaign 2012.
Were the policies of "Free Trade" and "Free Markets" even mentioned in ANY of the debates or Campaign Commercials for EITHER Party?
New Rule (Passed by Congress and signed by President Obama) signals Kiss of Death for Pensions
http://www.cnbc.com/id/100694955
Wealthy win lion's share of major tax breaks
http://www.boston.com/business/news/2013/05/29/wealthy-win-lion-share-major-tax-breaks/Ua0UyYle21EUXub7g1suCI/story.html
Half of America is in poverty, and its creeping toward 75%
http://www.alternet.org/economy/real-numbers-half-america-poverty-and-its-creeping-toward-75-0
Wealth gap widens as labor's share of income falls
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/wealth-gap-widens-labors-share-income-falls-1B6097385
As the Economy Recovers, the Wealth Gap Widens
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/rick-newman/2013/03/11/as-the-economy-recovers-the-wealth-gap-widens
Top One Percent Captured 121 Percent Of All Income Gains
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/12/top-one-percent-income-gains_n_2670455.html
Corporate Profits Hit Record High While Worker Wages Hit Record Low
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/12/03/1270541/corporate-profits-wages-record/?mobile=nc
[font color=firebrick][center]"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans.
I want a party that will STAND UP for Working Americans."
---Paul Wellstone [/font][/center]
[center][/font]
[font size=1]photo by bvar22
Shortly before Sen Wellstone was killed[/center][/font]
You will know them by their WORKS.
KoKo
(84,711 posts)Dontcha...Know?
midnight
(26,624 posts)ctsnowman
(1,903 posts)Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)president's pen. Congress has to ok the budget for salaries. Not only is there a freeze on federal pay, an increase in federal pay depends on congressional approval.
salib
(2,116 posts)"As a federal government employee" you should know the difference between an employee of the Govt. and a contractor.
Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)and federal government employees. But as we've seen with military contractors, a lot of those salaries were cut because government budgets were cut (sequestration). I have several friends who are contractors for DOD. They are not immune to what's going on with the cuts. Again, sequestration is hurting everyone--federal government employees and their contractors.
Program funding that affect salaries--whether government employee or contracting--does require on congressional action. No degree of hatred against the president will change that fact.
Your rude response was uncalled for.
KansDem
(28,498 posts)...of dollars and give themselves multi-million dollar bonuses, get back to me...
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)wages than any private employer. More and more government work is being done by contractors whose CEO's are raking in millions. I guess I didnt get your point.
KoKo
(84,711 posts)understand what is going on...but, it's not their fault...it's that it's hard to be informed when one is working 24/7...and little time except for a bit of a break.
Thanks for posting this. The Private Contractors and Third Party that are benefiting from Outsourcing are driving down the real Govt. Employees Wages.
It's as if all is being Outsources for Higher Salaries our Govt. Pays and they claim this is "Downsizing the Govt." THE BIG LIE!
bvar22
(39,909 posts)....more and MORE CEOs with connections in Congress get to knock down Multi-Million Dollar salaries.
Nice "work" if you can find it.
You will know them by their WORKS.
sulphurdunn
(6,891 posts)politics is the root of all evil in a republic. If that flaw isn't corrected, no others will be, and the system will eventually collapse violently.
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)madville
(7,413 posts)Governments (federal, state, county, city) typically award contracts to the lowest bidder that meets the qualifications. I have worked for a state and a federal contractor and am currently a federal employee, all in the same field. The lowest paid I have been is as a federal employee but I have decent health benefits and a pension.
I'm curious how with "the stroke of a pen" the President can instantly alter existing contracts.
kelliekat44
(7,759 posts)especially good paying jobs for women and minorities. /the work had to be done so they contracted out a lot of Fed work to contractor cronies of the /RW. It's the private sector contractors that pay the low wages and little benefits...exactly what the GOP has wanted ever since Reagan was in office and the Grace Co took over a huge hunk of government jobs as career gov't workers either retired or took the low=paying jobs being offered by the contractors or found other work., It's called "contracting out." All this because the GOP hated the fact that the government was the largest honoree of Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity for women and minorities (think blacks here). Can't have those undeserving folks have good paying, meaningful jobs. That ruins things for the wealthy ...
midnight
(26,624 posts)jeff47
(26,549 posts)Yeah, not so much.
Now, you could make an argument about some EO for future contracts.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)crazy.
jeff47
(26,549 posts)The subject is the "hard working Americans" that are currently working on a contract. To give them a raise by EO would require the President to unilaterally change that contract.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)existing contracts. I am sure everyone understood that.
jeff47
(26,549 posts)That's what your quote claims. So how, exactly, does that happen without a new contract?
xchrom
(108,903 posts)karynnj
(59,556 posts)It also does not say what they define as a living wage. In addition, the 2,000,000 do not work for ONE company - so the first sentence is not technically true. There is also a question as to the idea that Obama can change the requirements of EXISTING contracts immediately.
I DO think the right idea is to put the requirement in ALL contracts going forward. It bothers me when a great idea and a good principle is presented like this - as an attack on Obama. The worst part is that they are likely not accurate in saying Obama can change this with a stroke of a pen - he likely can't - and when he doesn't, he will be attacked.
ctsnowman
(1,903 posts)Race to the bottom.
Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)I can attest to that. The vast majority of fed employees are now hired on as temporary/part-time so you've no chance at getting benefits or pensions. My last 2-week paycheck was a whopping $206.00. woohoo! But after being unemployed for almost 3 years it's better than nothing which is what I was getting before.
alarimer
(16,245 posts)In reality, it doesn't save the government money at all; it probably costs more because the contractor has to take their cut.
shawn703
(2,702 posts)Or is it called something else? My Google searching on it only brings up links to a Civil Service Employment Act in Canada. Thanks ahead of time.
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)shawn703
(2,702 posts)If I found the right law, the McNamaraO'Hara Service Contract Act,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McNamara%E2%80%93O'Hara_Service_Contract_Act
it looks like this applies only to the contractors and subcontractors. Is there a law that requires government employees to be paid a living wage?
Puzzledtraveller
(5,937 posts)I am full agreement on fed and state level. This is what it has come to for us. Sad.
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/pay-raise-for-kentucky?source=s.em.mt&r_by=7957492