Just a week ago, Americans enjoyed a long weekend, in honor of Labor
Day. Now, as the busy season ramps up for most of us, President Bush
is threatening the very concept of the weekend.
That's right -- he's gutting the rules requiring overtime pay for
people who work more than 40 hours per week.
Your Senators can stop him, but they need to hear from from you right
away. They're both swing votes, and the Senate is expected to vote
tomorrow, Tuesday, September 9th.
Please call them now. [If you're in Ohio,] we've arranged for a special toll-free number:
Senator Mike DeWine
Toll Free: 877-331-1224
Direct: 202-224-2315
Senator George V. Voinovich
Toll Free: 877-331-1224
Direct: 202-224-3353
Make sure their staffers know you're a constituent, then urge them to:
"Please SUPPORT the Harkin amendment to protect our overtime pay."
Please let us know you're calling, at:
http://www.moveon.org/
If President Bush gets his way, it will have at least three terrible
consequences:
1. Eight million hard-working families could have a big bite taken out
of their livelihoods. People struggling to get by will have an even
tougher time making ends meet than they do now.
2. Many people will be compelled by their employers to work inhuman
hours. That's because managers will have every incentive to stretch
the hours of each employee whose benefits and other overhead costs
they're already paying.
3. The same incentives will make it less likely that existing employers
will create new jobs. Fewer new jobs -- just what we need now.
Yet President Bush has even threatened to veto an amendment sponsored
by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) -- or any similar legislation -- that
would protect our right to overtime pay by reversing the Bush rule.
The Harkin amendment will need every vote. Please call your Senators
right away.
One final note -- if you are NOT a labor union member, please say so
when you call. It's important that we demonstrate broad support for
overtime, the weekend, and jobs.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
- Carrie, Eli, Joan, Noah, Peter, Wes, and Zack
The MoveOn team
Monday, September 8th, 2003
P.S. In case you don't get through by phone, you can use this website
to send a free fax to your Senators:
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/moveon
We thank the AFL-CIO for providing both the toll free phone number and
the fax service.
P.P.S.: For more information on this issue, see this article:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=3383181
...or this study:
http://www.epinet.org/content.cfm/briefingpapers_flsa_jun03