Guest commentary: Stiffing Workers on Overtime Pay

From the Center for American Progress*

The Bush Administration has once again deployed an executive agency to encourage Big Business to stiff average workers - this time on overtime pay. Specifically, AP reports that the Department of Labor is publishing documents that "suggest ways employers can avoid paying overtime to some of the 1.3 million low-income workers who would become eligible this year." Among the options for employers: "cut workers' hourly wages and add the overtime to equal the original salary." The revelation is part of an emerging pattern of using American taxpayer resources to help stiff American workers.  Just last month, the Commerce Department sponsored a conference encouraging American companies to ship jobs to China.

CONCERTED EFFORT:The Labor Department efforts come just as the Administration's plan to eliminate overtime pay protections for more than 8 million workers becomes law. The plan was vigorously opposed by both conservative and progressive lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) said "this is a bad time to be cutting back on overtime when so many workers are relying on overtime for their sustenance" and "wondered whether it is wise to cut workers' discretionary spending now, 'given the fragility of the economy.'"

FOX IN THE HENHOUSE: The Department of Labor's mission statement describes it as the primary agency to "promote the welfare of the job seekers and wage earners." In other words, it is an agency established solely to represent the interests of average workers. It is troubling, then, to note that Ed Frank, the Labor Department's top spokesman in the effort to gut overtime laws, was previously the top spokesman for the National Federation of Independent Business – the main special interest representing businesses who pushed for the overtime changes.

*The Center for American Progress publishes The Progress Report, a free daily e-mail dealing with progressive policy issues. Interested activists and policy experts should sign up for email delivery of The Progress Report.

Suggested NOW action:There is still time to contact Members of Congress to ask them to include protections for overtime pay in the omnibus spending bill that will be considered by the Senate as early as January 20. The Department of Labor Regulations on overtime pay are due to go into effect in March so we must act on this now.