House Dems Score in Overtime Pay Dispute

AP News

October 2, 2003
House Dems Score in Overtime Pay Dispute
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 8:21 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Democrats hailed a House vote Thursday opposing administration plans to rewrite decades-old rules on overtime pay, saying it was a clear signal to the Labor Department that new rules denying benefits to millions of workers were unacceptable.

The 221-203 vote to block the rule changes has no binding effect: it merely states the House position in upcoming House-Senate negotiations on a $137.6 billion spending bill for health, education and labor programs for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1.

But coupled with a 54-45 Senate vote against the rules last month, the House action complicates both passage of the spending bill and implementation of the rules. President Bush has threatened to veto the spending bill if it includes the prohibition on the overtime changes, which are strongly backed by business groups


..more at article.....

Someone remembered us little people

the comptime bill was a way to exploit the workers by forcing them to work long hours withour OT pay. Most of the people that depend on OT are holding low wage jobs, and often the OT is what makes ends meet.

since I would much rather have time off than work 60 hour weeks!

and then give you your vacation time all at once, later (like maybe after they lay you off).

taking 4 months a year off...and the last time I got laid off, I ended up in a better position. Having a range of non-exportable skills is helpful.

shocking as that may be.

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

cheap labor conservatives today....
Thanks!

What happens now?

There will be a conference committee of members of both Appropriations Committees. There, they will make a comprimise bill, combining the two seperate bills. However, it doesn't have to include the overturn of the overtimes rules.

However, both Houses are on record of supporting the overturn after this vote in the House of Representatives so it will be hard for the republicans to defend taking it out.

Also, Senators Ted Stevens and Arlen Specter will be on the conference and both republican senators want to overturn Bush's new rules. So, the two of them can, with the democrats, force the provision to remain in the appropriations bill if they want to.

But Bush is threatening to veto any bill that overturns his new overtimes rules so that might be interesting. He hasn't vetoed anything else before though so I don't know if he would do it this time either.

:bounce:

This will let loose a firestorm! The little prick is spiteful enough to do it, too. Of course, I'm saying this knowing full well he signs whatever his handlers tell him to.

Looks like calling my senators and reps may have helped ;)