The Presidential Candidates
on Labor Issues
by Jeff Burman
Al Gore
When the AFL-CIO endorsed Al Gore in October ’99, it was clear that despite disagreements with the Vice President on trade issues, there was simply no other pragmatic alternative. The union’s resolution put it plainly. "During his seven years in the Senate – where he represented a state in the heart of the anti-union South – Al Gore voted with working families and our unions 88% of the time. He has
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The Right to Organize: Al Gore believes that organizing and bargaining collectively are fundamental American rights. As President, he has promised to stiffen penalties for employer interference with the right to organize.
Banning Permanent Striker Replacements: Gore supports legislation to ban companies from hiring permanent replacements for striking workers and has said that he will make such legislation one of his top priorities.
Protecting Workers’ Access to the Political Process: In 1998, Gore worked with labor leaders to defeat the so-called "paycheck protection" ballot initiative in California that would have restricted the ability of unions to speak out on issues important to America’s working families.
Opposing "Company Unions":"In 1995, Gore opposed Congressional Republicans’ efforts to pass the TEAM Act, which would have permitted the formation of "company unions." As President, he has promised to veto any attempts to revive company unions.
Enforcing Labor Laws: Gore has stated that he will protect wage and hour laws, including the forty-hour work week and overtime requirements. He has also proposed reforming government contracting rules to ensure that taxpayer dollars do not go to companies that break basic labor laws. He supports strong whistle-blower protections for workers who identify workplace violations.
Increasing the Minimum Wage: Gore supports raising the minimum wage by $1 over two years, combined with regular reviews to make sure that it keeps up with a changing economy.
Ensuring Equal Pay: As President, Gore has said that he will work to close the pay gap between men and women and will support legislation that would allow women to hold employers accountable for pay violations.
George W. Bush
George Bush’s stand on labor is difficult to summarize because he’s been silent on so many union issues. The best indicator of his likely tack may be what he’s done as Governor of Texas.
Texas AFL-CIO legal director Rick Levy described his work with the Texas legislature this way, "We approach every session knowing that whatever we get passed will stand a good chance of being vetoed by the governor. I can’t think of a single issue of substance where he has been on our side." Dispiriting statistics point to the Texas Governor’s indifference to making improvements in public health, public education, and other issues that affect the working poor. In each of these areas, Texas’ record is among the worst in the nation.
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Union Membership: Texas has been a right-to-work state since 1993. It’s ranked 49th in its rate of union members as a percentage of its population, according to the Bureau of National Affairs. Employees in a right-to-work state cannot be required to join a union or pay union dues. This makes union security clauses illegal and collective bargaining virtually impossible. In 1999, Texas had 6% of its population in trade unions, while California had 16% and New York State had 25%.
Minimum Wage: Mr. Bush opposes increasing state or national minimum wage levels. He also calls for individual states to have the right to "opt out" of a federal minimum wage. Texas agricultural and domestic workers are covered by a state minimum wage of $3.25/hr, well below the federal minimum of $5.15.
Workers’ Compensation: Texas is the only state that allows employers to "opt out" of its workers’ compensation system. According to a 1996 survey by the Texas Research and Oversight Council on Workers’ Compensation, about 39% of Texas employers do not carry workers’ compensation coverage.
Ralph Nader
Consumer activist Ralph Nader’s campaign has served to move the election year debate to the left, embracing issues near and dear to union members. He opposes international agreements that make job flight easier. He supports the establishment of a Living Wage, and calls for the repeal of the anti-labor Taft-Hartley Act.
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Revisiting International Trade Agreements: Nader calls for the end of trade abuses by corporations, under the guise of "free trade." Instead, he supports "fair trade", which provides for much stronger worker and environmental protections worldwide. He believes that trade policies should be based on raising world standards rather than lowering US standards – in direct opposition to trends under NAFTA.
Fighting for a Living Wage: In large companies, workers are now earning $1, on average, for every $416 taken home by the CEO. In 1940, it was $1 for every $12. Today the financial wealth of the top 1 percent of households exceeds the combined wealth of the bottom 95 percent of American households. A Living Wage would begin to alleviate these inequities.
Pat Buchanan
Buchanan has assailed corporate excesses from the right, calling increased disparities in income "unpatriotic."
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Opposing Disparities in Wealth: Buchanan finds the gulf in income between corporate executives and average workers to be divisive and inflammatory. "If middle-class and working-class folks were seeing a steady increase in their standard of living, as they did in the fifties and early sixties, I don’t think people would pay much attention to someone making a lot of money. But they do if they’re slipping themselves. You look at some of these corporate executives. When their companies do badly, their incomes remain astronomical. There’s a sense that an enormous rip-off is going on. I think it increases the national – almost contempt – of the capitalists. Eventually, this will translate into contempt of the system. We’re getting to the point where big corporations are seen as increasingly unpatriotic."
Despite populist sentiments on labor issues, critics point to Mr. Buchanan’s numerous anti-union comments. He has opposed increases in the minimum wage and opposes a worker’s fundamental right to strike. "The job does not belong to the guy who walks out on it," he argued in a 'Crossfire' debate on CNN. On the same show he celebrated Reagan’s firing of PATCO workers, claiming that "his approval rating soared" because of it.
Vote on November 7th
Go to the polls and exercise the right that many Americans hold most sacred. IATSE President Tom Short urges unanimous support for Al Gore. His "support of the working family made the decision easy," said Short.
Jeff Burman is a Guild Board Member representing assistant editors.
He can be reached via email
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Ballot Measure Endorsements | |||
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Prop. 32 |
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Veterans' Bond Act |
Yes |
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Prop. 33 |
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Legislative Retirement |
Yes |
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Prop. 34 |
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Campaign Finance Reform |
Yes |
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Prop. 35 |
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Contracting Out Public Services |
No |
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Prop. 36 |
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Substance Abuse & Crime Prevention |
Yes |
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Prop. 37 |
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Polluter Protection Act |
No |
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Prop. 38 |
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School Vouchers |
No |
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Prop. 39 |
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School Facilities |
Yes |
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www.calaborfed.org | |||
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www.nysaflcio.org | |||
Reprinted from
The Motion Picture Editors Guild Magazine
Vol. 21, No. 5 - September/October 2000
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Copyright © 2000, All Rights Reserved by The Motion Picture Editors Guild, IATSE Local 700