As the issue of worker justice and the role of trade unions
becomes more crucial in our country, it was especially
timely that Kim Bobo, executive director of the National
Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, lead a well attended
workshop at the EUC Assembly. It is a bad time for
working people in our country, said Kim, and it is especially
bad for low wageworkers, whose income levels have been
slipping even in a time of overall economic prosperity.
Especially vulnerable are workers in sweatshops, particularly
in the garment industry.
Furthermore, said Kim, we have an Administration that
is hostile to organized labor. One measure now being pushed
is a proposal by Labor Secretary Elaine Chau which would
eliminate the 40 hour work week (a bedrock of the
worker rights movement) and replace it with a law
which would allow a two week period of 80 hours total
work. Among other provisions averse to the working person,
the current time and a half provision for workers working
over 40 hours a week would be scrapped under this proposal,
which is clearly employer-oriented.
There is a bill in Congress to raise the Federal minimum
wage, Kim noted: The Minimum Wage Act of 2003. The bill
would raise the cu rent minimum wage from $5.15/hr to
$6.65/hr in two stages. Although this increase is far
from adequate, she added, it needs our support. Currently
the poverty level is $17,000/yr for a family of four.
For a realistic poverty level, it should be around $33,000.
Another opportunity to support low wage workers will
come next fall with the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride,
to be sponsored by two national unions and a host of churches
across the country. (The executive council of the Episcopal
Church has already endorsed this plan). Immigrant workers
will cross the country in buses originating from 8 cities,
and converge on Washington to push for an immigration
reform law that legitimizes and recognizes the rights
of immigrant workers. NICWJ will be taking a leading role
in this effort, and ENEJ will be publishing specific information
nearer the time for the Freedom Rides.
At the workshop, Kim covered other important topics such
as support for home health care workers, the campaign
of UNITE! (needle trades union), and the need to identify
and expose "union buster" firms working as consultants
for employers to defeat the union. The national interfaith
committee has a terrific website which details these and
other issues, and also enables an instant message to be
sent to the appropriate entity: www.nicwj.org
or call 773.728.8400
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