What if John Edwards Worked at Wal-Mart? by Ellen Bravo (link added)

[Omaha Steve]

What if John Edwards Worked at Wal-Mart?
By Ellen Bravo


http://www.aflcio.org/mediacenter/speakout/ellen_bravo2.cfm

Pundits opine over whether or not John Edwards should suspend his presidential campaign in the face of his wife’s recurrence of cancer—a personal decision that’s frankly none of our business. But here’s something that is our business, every one of us: What happens when ordinary workers' loved ones become sick with cancer, or for that matter, the flu?

Imagine that John Edwards worked as an associate at Wal-Mart—or any other nonunion retail outfit—stocking shelves 35 hours a week. Most weeks he’s scheduled for 40 hours or more but because he doesn’t work those hours year-round, he’s not full-time and not eligible for health insurance.

John has been on the job more than a year and is covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). That means he can take up to 12 weeks off to care for his seriously ill wife. Problem is, the time is unpaid. With the loss of income from his wife’s job while she undergoes treatment and medical bills piling up, he can’t afford to take much leave. Only 8 percent of workers in the private sector get paid family leave, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics—and John isn't among them.

If John wants to hold Elizabeth's hand during chemo, he’d have to hope the appointment falls on a day off. Because of the unpredictability of his schedule, John often doesn’t know until a day or two ahead of time which days and what hours he’ll be working in the coming week.

Why doesn’t he use his own sick days? John has some but, in his store, you’re not allowed to use your sick time unless you yourself are ill. As an hourly employee, none of his sick days are paid—like half the workforce, three-quarters of low-wage workers and five out of six part-timers. Taking off would not only cost John a day’s wages, but could trigger disciplinary action.

Or John could be one of the growing percent of workers at Wal-Mart and other employers whose weekly hours are kept at less than 25, removing him from FMLA coverage. That means he's not guaranteed any leave, even unpaid, even to be with his wife after surgery, even if her condition deteriorates.

FULL article at link.

Ellen Bravo, former director of 9to5, National Association of Working Women, teaches women's studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is author of Taking on the Big Boys: Or Why Feminism Is Good for Families, Business and the Nation (Feminist Press).




Cross posted in Labor.

[MADem]

1. Only thing is, John is so damned smart he'd be a regional manager inside of a year, and

in the top level of the WALMART heirarchy within five. I'll bet they have GREAT healthcare at those levels...

[Obamarama]

2. I think you forgot to put the link in your post...

I'm not seeing one. :-)

[yurbud]

3. this is a good approach for unions to take