There is no way a just America should let the wages of working people who will rebuild the Gulf Coast be cut to protect the profits of wealthy contractors like Halliburton and tax cuts for millionaires.
President Bush removed Davis-Bacon wage protections for construction workers on Gulf Coast rebuilding projects. Those protections are supposed to ensure workers will be paid a "prevailing wage" for their work--not a union wage, not a high wage. Prevailing wages for construction specialties in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama average about $9.50 an hour--less than $20,000 a year for full-time work. Is that too much for the men and women who will rebuild those states to ask?
Cutting wages for Gulf Coast construction workers will make it even harder for working families devastated by Hurricane Katrina to rebuild their lives. But it will ensure bigger profits for companies like Halliburton that are getting lucrative rebuilding contracts--including many no-bid contracts being awarded to politically well-connected companies.
While lowering pay for workers, the administration and its congressional allies refuse to limit massive new tax breaks for millionaires. New tax cuts slated to take effect Jan. 1 that will benefit only the wealthy will cost us $70 billion that could be spent rebuilding the Gulf Coast. Households that take in more than $1 million a year--the richest 0.2 percent of us--already are getting tax cuts averaging $103,000 this year. The new tax breaks will give them another $20,000 a year.
Instead, the president and his allies want to pay for hurricane rebuilding efforts with cuts in the very programs devastated working families need most--Medicaid, job training and more.
Please take a moment to urge your members of Congress to tell President Bush to restore these modest wage protections now. Click here: http://www.unionvoice.org/ct/Ndai2_61hu5F/
Washington state Gov. Christine Gregoire's administration is reportedly negotiating with the multi-national labor contractor Global Horizons to allow the company to continue bringing in Thai guest workers to work in state agriculture. Global Horizons operates in 25 states and has a history of breaking the law and exploiting its workers.
Just last year, while employing approximately 160 Thai guest workers in the Washington state apple industry, Global Horizons was accused of:
Operating during most of 2004 without a farm labor contractor's license.
Failing to pay additional wages to workers designated to drive other workers to fields.
Failing to provide all state-required information on workers' pay stubs.
Making improper deductions for both state and federal taxes.
Underestimating the number of workers brought into Washington State and thereby underpaying workers compensation premiums.
Underpaying workers by $216,650.
According to the state Department of Health, these workers were forced to live in outrageously crowded and unsanitary conditions--with only 21 beds for 45 people at one location, no cooking facilities at multiple locations and workers forced to wash their clothes in trash cans. Now, instead of revoking this company's labor contractor license and barring it from doing business in the state, the Gregoire administration is reportedly negotiating a financial settlement that will allow the firm to continue operating in Washington state. That would set a dangerous precedent, allowing corporations to keep doing business even though they cheat their workers.
Demand that Gov. Gregoire bar this company from doing business in Washington state. Global Horizons and other companies must obey the law.
