Published September 2003 — Download PDF of the original newspaper column
Byrd's-Eye View By U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd Paycheck Protections for Working Families
Across West Virginia and the nation, families face an unsure economic future. In the last three years, nearly 3 million jobs have vanished from the American economy and are unlikely to return any time soon. Companies, in light of smaller profits and tough financial pressures, often are turning to their employees and retirees for concessions. Now, despite all of the challenges facing working families, the Bush Administration is pushing a plan that would take away overtime pay for millions of Americans. This Administration has turned a deaf ear to the working families of this nation. The Administration's push to cut overtime pay follows in the footsteps of other initiatives that would eliminate worker protections and benefits. For instance, the White House has sought to prevent federal workers from unionizing and has consistently blocked an increase in the minimum wage. This is not the record of an Administration that understands the needs of working families. On the contrary, this Administration has not the faintest idea about what it takes for working, middle-class families to get ahead. The President's proposal would repeal the 40- hour workweek, established by the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, and take away the right of employees to earn time and a half for extra hours worked. The Bush plan would eliminate overtime pay protections for as many as 8 million American workers who currently are eligible for overtime pay. These hard-earned overtime dollars often make the difference between workers just making ends meet and being able to provide a better life for their families. For many employees, overtime pay constitutes one-quarter of their wages. It is the extra cash to take care of elderly parents, a new baby, or unexpected medical costs. It is the money that is set aside for a child's college education. That is why I worked in the Senate to win approval of legislation that would block the Administration's plan from taking effect. Overtime pay is one of the _ hardest-won achievements of the American labor movement. It was that extra help that families needed to stay afloat during the final years of the Great Depression, and it continues to bolster American families today. For those who stay on the job after the five o'clock whistle blows or the shift ends, overtime pay is the reward for hard work. These critical dollars belong in the pockets of the workers who earn them. September 24, 2003