Wage rules lifted

[Free4Life11]

Bush lifts wage rules for Katrina
President signs executive order allowing contractors to pay below prevailing wage in affected areas.
September 9, 2005: 11:43 AM EDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush issued an executive order Thursday allowing federal contractors rebuilding in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to pay below the prevailing wage.

In a notice to Congress, Bush said the hurricane had caused "a national emergency" that permits him to take such action under the 1931 Davis-Bacon Act in ravaged areas of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.

The Davis-Bacon law requires federal contractors to pay workers at least the prevailing wages in the area where the work is conducted. It applies to federally funded construction projects such as highways and bridges.

Bush's executive order suspends the requirements of the Davis-Bacon law for designated areas hit by the storm.

Bush's action came as the federal government moved to provide billions of dollars in aid, and drew rebukes from two of organized labor's biggest friends in Congress, Rep. George Miller of California and Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, both Democrats.

"The administration is using the devastation of Hurricane Katrina to cut the wages of people desperately trying to rebuild their lives and their communities," Miller said.

"President Bush should immediately realize the colossal mistake he has made in signing this order and rescind it and ensure that America puts its people back to work in the wake of Katrina at wages that will get them and their families back on their feet," Miller said.

"I regret the president's decision," said Kennedy.

"One of the things the American people are very concerned about is shabby work and that certainly is true about the families whose houses are going to be rebuilt and buildings that are going to be restored," Kennedy said.

I think this is a terrible idea. These contractors will have no shortage of work, so why should they have to pay below the prevailing wage?

I assume federal contractors are paid by the government? Who determines how much the jobs cost? If the contractors pay their employees less, will they pass on the savings to the government? Frankly I'd rather they pay their employees more. After we see how much we've spent in Iraq, I don't think we need to start short-changing honest workers here in the U.S.

 

[HaleyB]

Well really what fun is it to be Vice President if you can not personally profit from others suffering?

http://www.click2houston.com/news/4938485/detail.html

No the savings will not be passed on. The companies that will rebuild the area will just make more money.

Makes me sick.

 

[crazyforgoofy]

Hey, who needs prevailing wages? Who even needs minimum wage? Halliburton can really use all that extra money!

 

[Free4Life11]

No the savings will not be passed on. The companies that will rebuild the area will just make more money.

That's what I assumed. And the rich get richer...

 

[DawnCt1]

I think its a great idea. It allows non union workers to be able to get a job and it saves the tax payers money. I should have known that the unions would have a hissy fit over this. Good decision.

 

[Saffron]

Wow, I was just reading and posting about this on another thread. The gap between the "haves" and "have nots" just keeps getting wider and wider.

How can anyone justify such a thing?!?!?

 

[totalia]

OMG. Thats right, pay people less of a wage when people are already suffering from this. Make things WORSE. What is wrong with this man? The companies will hire whoever they need to hire to get the job done. The wage has nothing to do with it.

Screwing people over is such a nice thing to do during a crisis don't you think?

 

[Free4Life11]

Well before people jump all over you, it's not regarding the minimum wage. A prevailing wage is:

The hourly wage, usual benefits and overtime, paid in the largest city in each county to the majority of workers, laborers, and mechanics. Prevailing wages are established by the Department of Labor and Industries for each trade and occupation employed in the performance of public work. They are established separately for each county and are reflective of local wage conditions.

I still think it's a rotten thing to do.

The minimum wage is a joke to begin with...but that's a whole other topic.

 

[totalia]

*nods* amended already. Sorry, exhausted tonight.

 

[Free4Life11]

it saves the tax payers money.

It's going to cost a lot any way you look at it and I have a hard time believing the savings are even going to be passed on the tax payers. And what about the workers who are going to be paid less? They are taxpayers too...

 

[totalia]

Which is the problem. Screwing people over.

 

[Planogirl]

I don't get it.

I thought that residents could come back and take some of the many jobs that will be available and help themselves. But now the only question is "how low can they go?"

 

[catherine]

Wow, I was just reading and posting about this on another thread. The gap between the "haves" and "have nots" just keeps getting wider and wider.

How can anyone justify such a thing?!?!?

ITA

I cannot believe that he would do that! Has Bush not learned anything from what has happened already in NO? Silly question, obviously not!!!!

 

[Viking]

It perfectly fits into the picture: Bush, Cheney and their cronies don't leave out any opportunity to screw the country - and even find jerks applauding them for it

 

[shortbun]

I think its a great idea. It allows non union workers to be able to get a job and it saves the tax payers money. I should have known that the unions would have a hissy fit over this. Good decision.

I heard you weren't working, here's your big opportunity!!!! Next thing, you'll
be advocating child labor because we need everyone to pitch in to get the job done. Unions have served a great purpose in our society. They keep low life employers from taking advantage of their workers. What, you think everyone is smart and FAIR like you would be???? Think again! There are some real low life owners and managers out there. I work for some and if I didn't have a union to protect me, my job would be unbearable. People like Mike Brown running things with no skills at all.

 

[peachgirl]

I think its a great idea. It allows non union workers to be able to get a job and it saves the tax payers money. I should have known that the unions would have a hissy fit over this. Good decision.

What a surprise that you think so!

Another perk is that it allows those hand picked contractors to rake in even more profits.

Anyone want to take a guess who has already gotten to cherry pick a few lucrative gov't contracts for hurricane reconstruction? It's not hard at all...just think Iraq and 9billion dollars in profit while getting caught overcharging the governtment...translation...taxpayer...

 

[DawnCt1]

It's going to cost a lot any way you look at it and I have a hard time believing the savings are even going to be passed on the tax payers. And what about the workers who are going to be paid less? They are taxpayers too...

Are you familiar with the Big Dig; Mass.'s "big disaster". Only union workers and hacks got the jobs, excluding other very skilled workers that would have done well with those jobs. The "prevailing wage" standard is no doubt based on union wages which are often exhorbitant. I would rather see people working.

 

[Planogirl]

Who would take these low-paying jobs? Those who come in to work need to live too.

 

[N.Bailey]

I'm a Republican and this just burns me up!!! I don't understand how anyone can support this decision AT ALL. I am really getting about fed up with this administration, I really am!!!

Freakin minimum wage already doesn't = a living wage!!

 

[N.Bailey]

Who would take these low-paying jobs? Those who come in to work need to live too.

IMO, it only encourages illegal aliens.

I was so hoping that many of the displaced would be able to find work rebuilding their town. This is just so sad. I can't begin to express how angry I am right now.