Payback: This Time It's for Real
Labor bosses are emboldened by last month's midterm elections and are looking for a return on their heavy investment in congressional and state races. "The AFL-CIO claims it spent $44 million in the 2006 election. The Service Employees International Union spent $65 million. And this money, which comes primarily from dues, is on top of what's raised by union political action committees, which totaled nearly $200 million for the 2006 elections."
Now it's payback time. And just like the commerical says, "this time, it's for real." AFL-CIO President John Sweeney sees the elections as a "mandate for a union agenda." The president of the UAW has this to say: "Members of our union worked hard during this election. Now we're going to work just as hard to make sure that the change we voted for means a change in direction in our nation's policy."
Today, the New York Times reports, "With the Democratic Congress expected to move quickly to raise the minimum wage, many Democrats, women's organizations and liberal groups are gearing up for a fight on another workplace issue: paid sick days. Supporters point to studies showing that nearly half of American workers do not receive paid sick days. But many Republicans and businesses complain that such legislation would impose another mandate on companies, driving up their costs."
Paid sick days? Labor wants Congress to pass additional employee benefit mandates, what some may consider a free lunch. A Washington Post columnist recently examined General Motor's costly benefits programs and opined, "A free lunch can be the most expensive meal in the world. For living proof, look at General Motors. A big reason that GM has gotten into such trouble is that the pension and health care commitments it made to employees decades ago seemed to be a free lunch."
If legislation is passed requiring employers to offer paid sick days, the greatest harm would be inflicted on our small businesses, which make up 97.7% of all businesses in the Commonwealth. Free Enterprise Watch strongly opposes this burdensome, anti-free market proposal.
Now it's payback time. And just like the commerical says, "this time, it's for real." AFL-CIO President John Sweeney sees the elections as a "mandate for a union agenda." The president of the UAW has this to say: "Members of our union worked hard during this election. Now we're going to work just as hard to make sure that the change we voted for means a change in direction in our nation's policy."
Today, the New York Times reports, "With the Democratic Congress expected to move quickly to raise the minimum wage, many Democrats, women's organizations and liberal groups are gearing up for a fight on another workplace issue: paid sick days. Supporters point to studies showing that nearly half of American workers do not receive paid sick days. But many Republicans and businesses complain that such legislation would impose another mandate on companies, driving up their costs."
Paid sick days? Labor wants Congress to pass additional employee benefit mandates, what some may consider a free lunch. A Washington Post columnist recently examined General Motor's costly benefits programs and opined, "A free lunch can be the most expensive meal in the world. For living proof, look at General Motors. A big reason that GM has gotten into such trouble is that the pension and health care commitments it made to employees decades ago seemed to be a free lunch."
If legislation is passed requiring employers to offer paid sick days, the greatest harm would be inflicted on our small businesses, which make up 97.7% of all businesses in the Commonwealth. Free Enterprise Watch strongly opposes this burdensome, anti-free market proposal.
posted by Free Enterprise Watch at 12/05/2006 11:44:00 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home