Members have stake in federal funding
By JOHN MURPHY and SHERRY HALBROOK
After six years of neglecting domestic priorities, Congress is making new
investments in programs for working Americans that should increase funding for
PEF jobs in New York State.
PEF strongly supports the budget bills to increase this domestic funding for
federal fiscal year 2008, which begins October 1.
The House and Senate Appropriations Committees have each approved their versions
of the bill to fund the US Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS)
and Education. After these bills are voted on in their respective houses, a
joint conference committee will resolve the differences between them.
President George W. Bush has threatened to veto the final bill and all other
appropriations bills that exceed his FY 2008 budget request.
PEF and its international affiliates have been lobbying in support of the
proposed increases in Labor-HHS-Education spending.
Members’ safety at risk
In a victory for health care workers, the House committee
rejected an amendment to this bill that would have undercut worker protections
from potentially fatal airborne hazards. The amendment, offered by Rep. Roger
Wicker (R-MS), would have forbidden the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) from enforcing its requirement that hospitals and other
employers annually test the fit of respirators that protect workers who may be
exposed to tuberculosis.
Since 2003, Republican leaders have inserted a rider in the Labor-HHS-Education
bill to block OSHA enforcement of this requirement.
Employee Free Choice Act
The Senate GOP leaders used a filibuster to block the
Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 800) that would limit the ability of employers to
stop their workers from choosing to form or join a union.
While the Senate failed to approve EFCA, the vote of 51-48 to end the filibuster
was a milestone on the road to achieving labor law reform. The House passed H.R.
800 on March 1 by a vote of 241-185.
Workforce Investment Act
PEF has lobbied Sens. Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer and
NYS congressional representatives urging them not to support funding reductions
and privatization initiatives proposed by the president for the Workforce
Investment Act. PEF’s Legislative Department is working closely with AFT and
SEIU on this funding and programatic issue which directly affects services
provided by PEF members at the state Labor Department (DOL).
PEF opposes cutting, reducing or block-granting funding for WIA, eliminating
America’s Job Bank or privatization of any employment service programs.
PEF supports improved funding and continued adherence to the Wagner-Peyser Act.
PEF President Ken Brynien has written to the USDOL opposing privatization. And
the House and Senate passed legislation to stop Bush’s attempt to privatize
services administratively.