Posts Tagged ‘workers’

A Minimum Wage is…

Tuesday, May 24th, 2011

A minimum wage is the absolute minimum amount of money that someone can be paid for a specified job. It was created to ensure that no one is unfairly compensated for their work. As of July 2009, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.

In the U.S., the minimum wage is regulated by the federal agency called the Department of Labor, but states have the flexibility to set their own higher (or in special cases, lower) minimum wage. There are also exceptions to who must receive the minimum wage. Waiters and other workers who regularly receive tips have a much lower minimum wage ($2.13/ hour). And sometimes employers can pay workers who are under 20 only $4.25 per hour for their first 90 days on the job.

Midwest Workers To Governors: We’re Not Paying For Your Deficit

Thursday, February 24th, 2011

wisconsin-union-protest.jpg
(photo credit: marctasman)

State governments around the country are facing serious budget deficits, and something needs to be done. But unionized workers in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Indiana are pretty sure that that something shouldn’t include eliminating their right to organize.

  • Republican-sponsored bills in the three states propose to chip away at budget deficits by limiting or eliminating the power of private and public-sector workers to unionize.
  • Most of the bills would curtail the right to collective bargaining. This is the process by which a group of employees in a particular company or industry can negotiate with business owners for better pay, improved working conditions, or greater job security (among other things).
  • Collective bargaining was critical to reform in an era when children worked in factories and most workers were glorified indentured servants. Today, opponents say it’s unnecessary and costly. Supporters argue that without it, they are at risk of the same historical abuses that led to the union movement in the first place.

Facts & Figures

  • The Wisconsin bill would save the state an estimated $300 million over two years
  • The state’s budget deficit for that period is approximately $3.6 billion
  • Tens of thousands of protesters have packed the capitals of the three affected states in recent weeks
  • In Wisconsin, Democratic legislators actually fled the state to prevent the budget bill from being passed

Best Quote

“Governor Kasich decided he wants to squash unions and found a creative way to do it, but he has to realize that we’ve fought this battle before and he will not stop us because we will fight to the very end.” – JoAnn Johntony, President of the Ohio Association of Public School Employees

What do you think?

Are unions still necessary? Do you know anyone who is a member of a union?

Is limiting the right to collective bargaining a good long-term solution for these states, or a quick fix?

Get to it!

Union disagreements aren’t limited to factory workers, firefighters, and public school teachers. Check out Amy’s explanation of a potential strike of NFL players here.