The Bush administration on Thursday proposed changing federal overtime rules and eroding the 40-hour workweek -- reducing overtime protections and cutting the pay of hundreds of thousands of America's workers.  But you wouldn't know that from many of the newspaper articles today, which trumpet the press releases from Bush's Labor Department with headlines like "Overtime plan benefits low-wage workers."

Although the Bush proposal includes long-sought expanded overtime coverage for low-wage workers, it does so at un unacceptable price: excluding many white-collar workers from overtime pay. The Bush administration estimates that some 640,000 workers earning $65,000 or more would lose overtime protection, but union analysts predict that number will be far higher and it will be easy for employers to deny overtime pay to virtually everyone who fails this new "means test."

"It's an absolute disaster for white-collar workers who deserve protection under these regulations," said Nick Clark, senior assistant general counsel with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. "It's going to gut protections for many workers in the military, airlines, energy, financial securities and health care industries."

With a failing economy, millions out of work and staggering health care and prescription drug costs, this is a burden America's workers should NOT have to bear. The overtime rules protect workers from bosses who would impose unbearably long hours if they didn't have to pay extra for overtime work. Many workers would have less predictable work schedules because of the increased demand for overtime work.

CALL TO ACTION -- Overtime pay is important to many working people in America who rely on it to support their families. Please take one minute right now to register your opposition to harmful changes in the federal overtime rules by sending a fax to President Bush and a copy to your senators and representative. Working families struggled for years to win the 40-hour workweek, the weekend and other job protections like this. We must fight to keep President Bush from eroding that important protection with the stroke of a pen.

The Bush overtime reform proposal:

• Excludes previously protected workers by reclassifying them as managers, administrative or professional employees who are not eligible for overtime pay;

• Fails to automatically include large numbers of low-income workers;

• For the first time, excludes certain middle-income workers from overtime protections by adding an income test;

• Removes from overtime protection large numbers of workers in the aerospace, defense, health care, high tech and various other industries;

• Makes schedules less predictable for some working moms and dads; and

• Proposes confusing standards for low-income supervisors.

The Women's Committee of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO is seeking applications for scholarships to The Evergreen State College's Summer School for Union Women, and nominees for the annual Elsie Schraeder Award for the advancement of women in union leadership roles.

SCHOLARSHIPS: The Women's Committee is offering two scholarships to the 14th Annual Summer School for Union Women at The Evergreen State College, which takes place June 25-29. Each scholarship includes payment of school tuition, travel expenses and lodging. The committee is asking affiliates to publicize the scholarship application in newsletters and mailings, and to submit the names of union members -- or members of their families -- for scholarship consideration. Applications (available online in MS Word format) must be submitted by May 16.

The 2003 Summer School for Union Women at TESC's Olympia campus will look critically at labor and community alliances, the right to organize in the workplace, and how the economy looks to different groups of workers. The goal is to explore the history of union women and explore creative ways to build organizing and leadership skills that strengthen the labor movement. Registration is limited to 60. The $450 residential registration fee includes room and board (participants will stay in the college's residence halls). A $360 "commuter" fee is also available, but organizers prefer residential participation because of the community-building nature of the program. For more information about the conference, contact the TESC's Lucilene Whitesell at (360) 867-6055.

AWARD: In 1996, the WSLC Women’s Committee instituted the Elsie Schraeder Award for Outstanding Achievement in Labor, and presented the first award at the WSLC's Constitutional Convention. The committee plans on presenting the award again this year at our Aug. 21-23 convention in Wenatchee. The award is given for the advancement of women in leadership roles and/or for activism on behalf of women within the labor movement.  

Nominees for this award must meet at least three of the following criteria:

• Served a minimum of two years in a leadership/activism role with their local union;

• Performed an outstanding service, which commands recognition, within the labor community;

• Served in a leadership role on the passage of legislation benefiting organized labor and/or the community;

• Took a leadership role in advanced critical issues such as worker safety, minimum wage, comparable worth, human services/needs, environmental health, prevailing wage

• Participated in educational projects either through their local union or through some other labor organization

• Served as a leader in organizing either through their local union or through some other labor organization.

WSLC-affiliated union organizations may submit nominations for this award (download the form in MS Word format) between now and May 30.

If you have questions or require further information about either the scholarships or the awards, please contact Kairie Pierce, Women’s Committee Staff Liaison, at (360) 943-0608.

The 6th Annual Construction Apprenticeship Academy is a one-week, hands-on overview of the construction trades offering free room-and-board and campus-style living. But more importantly, it is an opportunity for young men and women to begin a family-wage career by accessing apprenticeship programs that allow them to "earn while they learn." It is also an opportunity for teacher/counselors to learn about apprenticeship and how they can assist young people in pursuing these programs.

This year's two Sunday-Friday sessions will be at the Northwest Laborers Training Facility in Kingston on July 13-18 and July 20-25. Applications -- which are available at the L&I Apprenticeship website -- must be received by June 13.

Who is eligible?

Young men and women ages 18-26 who are:

• On track to graduate in 2003 or currently have H.S. Diploma or GED

• Strong interest in Construction and Enjoy Working Outside

• Valid WA driver’s license

• Age 18 by August 1, 2003

• Drug free and in good physical condition

• Responsible for own transportation to and from the Academy

• Work clothes (no baggy clothes), work boots and positive attitude

• Willing to return to your school to talk with other students about the Construction Apprenticeship Academy experience

• Academy application includes: HS transcript, attendance profile, letter of recommendation from teacher/counselor (if still in school), Parent or guardian signature (if still living at home)

Teacher/counselors who are:

• Strong interest in Construction and Enjoy Working Outside

• Valid WA driver’s license

• Drug free and in good physical condition

• Responsible for own transportation to and from the Academy

• Work clothes (no baggy clothes), work boots and positive attitude

• Willing to return to your school to talk with other students about the Construction Apprenticeship Academy experience

For more information please contact the L&I Apprenticeship Section at (360) 902-5320 or email thum235@lni.wa.gov.

The University of Washington's Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies will present "Labor, War and the Civil Rights Movement: 35 Years Since Martin Luther King, Jr." on Thursday, April 3 in both Tacoma and Seattle. The event will feature a screening of the film "At the River I Stand" followed by speakers and a discussion of local labor and civil rights struggles.

The Seattle event begins at 6 p.m. at the UW's Ethnic Cultural Center, 3931 Brooklyn Ave. N.E. 
The Tacoma event begins at 7 p.m. at the Keystone Auditorium of the UW Tacoma campus, 19th and Pacific Ave. Both events are free and open to the public.

Martin Luther King died 35 years ago on April 4, 1968, supporting the right of black sanitation workers to organize a union in Memphis. He was in the midst of the struggle to end America's military intervention in Vietnam, and organizing his Poor People's Campaign for Economic Justice. To honor and continue King's work, anti-sweatshop groups, unions and labor and peace and civil rights groups have all begun to mark April 4 as a day to speak out about these issues today.

For more information, contact the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies at (206) 543-7946 or pcls@u.washington.edu.

While the urgent need for jobs and health care goes unaddressed, the Bush administration instead is focusing on tough new financial reporting rules. Is this Bush's response to the corporate accounting scandals that have rocked Wall Street, shattered investor confidence and cost millions of Americans their retirement security?

No. The new rules target unions.

Absurdly burdensome regulations are the new priority at the U.S. Department of Labor. The new rules would require unions to track and categorize massive amounts of information and publish these general ledgers on the Web for all union enemies to see. Many believe the effort is pure politics, designed to soak up union resources so the administration's corporate, anti-worker agenda can move forward.

Last month, DOL Secretary Elaine Chao stunned more than 100 international union leaders at the AFL-CIO Executive Council meeting when she lectured them for several minutes about the importance of new financial reporting requirements to address the suddenly urgent problem of "union corruption." Chao's tirade angered and offended all present, and managed to alienate even the handful of Bush administration supporters present.

Meanwhile, corporate accounting and financial reporting reforms proposed when Enron, WorldCom, Arthur Anderson and other scandals made headlines have quietly been watered down by the Republican-controlled Congress to nearly nothing. Now that Americans are focused on war and the horrendous Bush economy, new emerging corporate scandals at firms like HealthSouth barely rate a media mention.

Why is the Bush administration -- which is rolling back health and safety standards, overtime regulations and the Family and Medical Leave Act -- opposed to regulations except when they cover working people?  It's a question we have to ask NOW.

CALL TO ACTION: This is your opportunity to tell the Bush administration what you think. The Department of Labor is accepting comments from the public between now and this Thursday, March 27 on these new regulations. It is very important for union members to make their voices heard in this official process. Please take a minute right now to tell the government how you feel about this proposal by following this link. Thank you.

If you have news items regarding unions or workplace issues in Washington state that you would like to see posted here, please submit them via e-mail to David Groves or via fax to 206-285-5805.

Copyright © 2003  Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO