Overtime cut undermines workers

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

JOHN SWEENEY
GUEST COLUMNIST

Yesterday, the biggest pay cut in American history took effect: The Bush administration's overtime pay cut became official. It's a new federal rule that could strip up to 6 million workers of overtime pay protection, forcing them to work longer hours without fair compensation.

Nurses, police lieutenants, chefs, team leaders, working supervisors, assistant managers and financial services workers are just some of the millions of workers who used to earn overtime pay when they worked more than 40 hours a week -- and who will now lose that eligibility.

Not only will these employees no longer get overtime pay -- they'll be working extra hours for free, earning only their base salary. That means a huge pay cut. Currently, time-and-a-half premium pay for overtime work accounts for 25 percent of the income of those who work overtime. That averages out to about $161 every week.

And what incentive will employers have to keep workers' hours reasonable if they don't have to pay extra for extra work? Workers without overtime pay rights are twice as likely to work more than 40 hours per week, three times as likely to work more than 50 hours and three times as likely to work more than 60 hours. The fact is that workers will have less time with our families, thanks to President Bush's new overtime rule.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/187543_overtime24.html

[Nay]

1. Well, maybe some of these folks will finally figure out that the

Repubs don't give a shit about them, their families, their "values" or their lives. And maybe they'll STOP VOTING REPUBLICAN.

But I'm not sure that will happen. I'm reading "What's the Matter with Kansas?" and it is depressing.