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Labor Matters
Compiled by Jeff Burman
A Sea-Change in Washington
"Washington is awash in corporate IOUs, all waiting to be cashed in, and George W. Bush can’t argue that the Democrats will block the payoffs," says former Labor Secretary Robert Reich in an op-ed piece in the New York Times. "Business is in complete control of the machinery of government." First on the hit list was the Department of Labor’s Ergonomics rules – ten years in the making and gone in two days. Next came the chilling of airline negotiations. President Bush issued an executive order blocking walkouts at any major carrier this year, completely undermining labor’s negotiating position. Unions must now be mindful of a less than accommodating Department of Labor and a National Labor Relations Board about to be diluted by appointees likely to oppose its mission. Just a few months ago, we saw unions winning the moral high ground, organizing both those of modest means and those in high tech (sometimes one and the same). Now, without allies in the White House or Democratic majorities in Congress, labor will turn for leadership to an invigorated, outspoken AFL-CIO led by John Sweeney.
For more see: www.nytimes.com
The AFL-CIO’s Response
Sweeney has thoughtfully decried a flawed election, divisive cabinet appointees and a tax plan that revealed an "utter disregard for the urgent priorities facing America’s working families." Like any public advocate worth its salt, the AFL-CIO offered a well-crafted alternative. It presented a "prosperity dividend" of $400 for every man, woman, and child, to more fairly distribute the federal budget surplus. "The President’s proposal gives an average of $42,000 to the richest 1 percent and an average of $42 to the bottom twenty percent. This is morally and economically backward," said an AFL-CIO position paper. House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, who later declared the "end of bipartisanship" after witnessing the ruthlessness of the ergonomics debate, conferred with the unions’ executive council and "passionately" expressed his belief that the greatest number of Americans should receive the benefits of the tax cut.
For more see: www.washingtonpost.com
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Photo by Scott Roeben |
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WGA & SAG: To Strike or Not to Strike
As we go to press, the Writers Guild and SAG negotiations are in limbo. No one knows if there will be a strike and how long it will last. But the signs are not good. Even if there is no strike, the producers have ‘front loaded’ their production schedules to put as much material as possible in the can before a strike. This means that there will probably be a production slowdown whether or not there’s a job action. The Guild urges members to proceed with financial caution. Save your pennies. This is not a time to make extravagant purchases. The Magazine’s schedule makes it impossible to post late breaking news here but the Guild web site is updated nearly every day. We encourage you to check it regularly – www.editorsguild.com
Campaign Finance Reform
The AFL-CIO opposes a McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform bill that, in the light of recent campaign mischief, has a better chance of passage than ever. As Senator John McCain points out, if voters want the issues to be decided by them and not by soft money, reform is essential. But in doing so, whose ox is to be gored? Organized labor has substantial problems with portions of the bill that restrict coordination among candidates, parties and outside interest groups. The federation also opposes provisions to limit issue advocacy commercials by unions and business 30 days before a primary or 60 days before a general election. The provision "is written so broadly that it could outlaw virtually any union activity, including legislative and other types of advocacy that the government viewed as having a ‘connection’ with a federal election," an AFL-CIO position paper stated. "Lobbying visits, candidate appearances before union audiences and public demonstrations concerning pending legislation would entail great risk."
Republicans have blocked reform for years. Despite problems with the legislation, this may turn out to be the country’s last and best chance to enact legislation for the foreseeable future.
For more see: www.nytimes.com
For more see: www.washingtonpost.com
In France, Legislative Efforts to Stave off Unemployment
As Labor steps in to fill the leadership vacuum left by the "reengineering" of the White House, the French government is committed to collective bargaining and full employment. Its strategy is to reduce the workweek, and by redistributing work time, create new jobs.
To reduce one of the highest unemployment rates in the European Union, the French National Assembly passed measures mandating a 35-hour workweek, with the intention of creating 500,000 jobs by 2003. This is being done by subsidizing social security payments for firms that agree to recruit low-skilled workers or refrain from dismissals. Low-wage, full-time employees are paid at a 39-hour rate for a 35-hour shift, an increase of about 11%.
The latest figures from the French government and 'Libération' show some positive results. While it is difficult to ascertain to what degree improvements can be attributed to these reforms, overall job creation for 2000 topped 518,000. Weekly working time declined by 3.7% to 36.6 hours, but monthly income has only increased by about 1.9%. According to 'Le Monde', the cost of subsidies for 2000-2001 could be as high as 63.9 billion francs.
Imagine a coalition even attempting this here, where we worship "productivity" and send manufacturing abroad, and the new president pushes for "optional" minimum wages.
Nike’s Shop of Horrors
Indonesians who assemble and sew athletic shoes for Nike were the subject of a study that found workers at nine of the company’s 35 contract factories in Indonesia were suffering verbal and physical abuse. In addition, female employees at two of the factories were coerced into having sex with managers to get hired and promoted, according to a report by a group funded in part by Nike itself. Workers also complained about forced overtime, the refusal of medical care requests by factory health clinics, and requirements to clean toilets or run laps if they arrived late.
"It’s unacceptable to us," said Dusty Kidd, Nike’s vice president for corporate responsibility. He said the company would take "severe measures against managers that engage in these practices."
The report was conducted by university researchers in Indonesia for the Baltimore-based Global Alliance for Workers and Communities. Global Alliance is a group formed to improve the working and personal lives of factory employees, and is funded by Nike, Mattel Inc., Gap Inc. and other companies that have large manufacturing operations in developing countries.
For more see: www.washingtonpost.com and www.theglobalalliance.com
Jeff Burman is a Guild Board member
representing assistant editors.
He can be reached via email
Reprinted from
The Motion Picture Editors Guild Magazine
Vol. 22, No. 2 - May/June 2001
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Copyright © 2001, All Rights Reserved by The Motion Picture Editors Guild, IATSE Local 700