The right to overtime pay is fundamental for American workers, and is especially important in this difficult economy. Overtime pay protections help ensure that workers will not be forced to work excessive hours, and that they receive fair pay for any overtime they work. Workers depend on the existing overtime pay guarantees to make sure they have the time they need to spend with their families and the income they need to spend on their families. The Labor Department’s proposed rules would strike a blow against working families, directly ending critical overtime pay protections for millions of workers, and making them less secure for millions more.
Bush’s proposal would also rob our economy of yet another incentive for employers to create jobs, as it encourages employers to work existing employees longer hours rather than hiring new workers.
The Harkin amendment is the right measure for America’s workers because it stops the Bush Administration from taking away workers’ right to overtime pay, but would not prevent the Department of Labor from raising the threshold for low-income workers to receive overtime pay.
The Bush Administration has fought long and hard at corporation’s behest to strip workers and their families of their right to overtime pay and has even threatened to veto the Labor-HHS appropriations bill if it includes the amendment passed by the Senate. We hope President Bush will rethink his opposition to this critical measure protecting overtime guarantees for American workers and their families.
Now that the Senate has acted to support workers, we call on the Senate and House conferees to follow suit. Although a similar amendment was narrowly defeated in the House earlier this year, the case for blocking the Labor Department’s proposals is clearer than ever. The Senate has done the right thing. The House and the President should follow its lead.
For information: Lane Windham/Guillermo Meneses (202) 637-5018
