Hey-hey, ho-ho, the forty hour week has got to go

[EC]

Hey-hey, ho-ho, the forty hour week has got to go!
by Chris Bowers http://www.mydd.com/

I imagine that when Santorum runs his re-election campaign television ads, he will boast he about introducing legislation to increase the minimum wage. What he won't tell you is that he moved to destroy the 40-hour work week and exempt several million workers from the Fair Labor and Standards Act in the process. However, that is exactly what he aims to do and, as such, has amazingly managed to make an already horrible piece of legislation even worse: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=512&ncid=716&e=6&u=/ap/20050305/ap_on_go_co/minimum_wage


Senate to Vote on Minimum Wage Proposals

Sat Mar 5,12:37 PM ET Politics - U. S. Congress


By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - The Senate is gearing up for a vote on whether to raise the minimum wage for the first time in eight years as Democrats and Republicans offer competing proposals they want to add to bankruptcy legislation.



Looking ahead to the expected votes Monday evening, the Democratic plan would increase the current $5.15 hourly minimum by more than $2. The GOP proposal couples a more modest raise with a change to the 40-hour work week.


The plan from Sen. Rick Santorum (news, bio, voting record), R-Pa., also includes tax and regulatory breaks for small businesses. His amendment would lift the minimum wage by $1.10 over 18 months, in two steps of 55 cents.

[TahitiNut]

1. Santorum's amendment is a corrupt ploy.

If Democratic Senators vote against the erosion of the 40-hour-workweek, the GOP will say they voted against the Federal Minimum Wage increase. These people are criminals.

Federal Wage & Hour Standards must exempt FEWER people, not more. The work-week should be reduced to 36 hours, with double pay for hours over 36 in a week or 9 in a day. The Federal Minimum Wage should be raised by $0.50 each year for 4 years.