|
Trade Unions Rip Bush Policies
By Tom
Ramstack - THE WASHINGTON TIMES Published February 4, 2004
Leaders of
the nation's industrial unions lashed out at the Bush administration yesterday
for the loss of manufacturing jobs.
Democratic
members of Congress who met with the union leaders denounced the
administration's policies on international trade and Medicare.
"It is time
to get them out," said Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Illinois Democrat, during a
legislative conference with AFL-CIO national labor federation representatives at
the Cannon House Office Building. The main issue that angered union
leaders is international trade agreements that result in the export of American
manufacturing jobs. They also complained about Bush administration proposals to
rewrite overtime rules for hourly employees. "American manufacturing remains
deeply troubled," said Richard Trumka, the AFL-CIO's Industrial Union Council
chairman. "We've lost 2.6 million manufacturing jobs since George Bush took
office." The administration announced on Jan.
17 a plan to strengthen U.S. manufacturing with tax cuts and litigation reform.
"This is our strategy to remove the
barriers that are holding back American manufacturers and costing jobs,"
Commerce Secretary Donald L. Evans said on announcing the plan. Union leaders said, however, that the
plan is a revamped version of long-standing Bush administration policies
intended to improve his image but doing little to retain American jobs. "It was more duct tape," said Mr.
Trumka, during a speech at the Washington Hilton and Towers Hotel. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, California
Democrat and House Minority leader, said, "The best way to create jobs is
simple, to fire George Bush as president." Democratic members of Congress also
said Medicare reform legislation signed by Mr. Bush in December risks
diminishing the quality of care for the elderly. The legislation offers modest
prescription-drug coverage and increases federal government payments to
health-maintenance organizations for care of seniors. Rep. John D. Dingell, Michigan
Democrat, said yesterday that the law relies too heavily on HMOs as health care
providers for the elderly. "There are whole large areas of this
country where there are no HMOs," Mr. Dingell said. He urged union members to use
Medicare as an issue to get rid of the Republicans who supported the legislation
in the upcoming election. The AFL-CIO put together a checklist
of proposals for Congress that includes legislation to make it easier for
workers to orHMOs as health care providers for the elderly. "There are whole large areas of this
country where there are no HMOs," Mr. Dingell said. He urged union members to use
Medicare as an issue to get rid of the Republicans who supported the legislation
in the upcoming election. The AFL-CIO put together a checklist
of proposals for Congress that includes legislation to make it easier for
workers to orlection. The unions also want the
administration's proposed revisions to overtime laws scrapped. The revisions, they say, would
eliminate time-and-a-half pay for 8 million hourly employees. The administration says the revisions
would extend overtime pay to 3.5 million low-income workers who now lack it. Other demands include legislation to
ensure that China is obeying fair trade treaties and international labor
standards in free trade treaties. Other demands include legislation to ensure that China is obeying fair trade treaties and international labor standards in free trade treaties.
|
||