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New Bill Would Aid Many of the 57 Million U.S. Workers Without Paid Sick Leave |
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Unlike workers in 21 of the richest nations in the world, U.S. workers have no guaranteed paid sick leave to care for themselves or a family member who is ill.
Although union members can bargain for paid sick leave and some firms offer paid leave, nearly half of private-sector workers in this country have no paid sick days. Low-income workers fare even worse—76 percent have no paid sick leave. Overall, 57 million private-sector workers have no paid sick days, and 94 million cannot use their paid sick leave to care for an ailing child.
Today in the House, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) reintroduced the Healthy Families Act, which would require employers with 15 or more employees to allow workers to earn up to seven paid sick leave days a year to take care of themselves or a family member. Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) is expected to reintroduce the Senate version of the bill later this week.
Big Business vows to fight the legislation as hard as when its was introduced during the Bush administration. But this time, they don’t have a presidential veto pen in their vest pocket to guarantee the bill’s defeat. President Obama supports paid sick leave for workers. As DeLauro told the New York Times:
The last eight years, you kept clawing and scratching and didn’t get anywhere, but we have a real opportunity now. There’s something wrong when people have to choose between their jobs and taking care of themselves or their families when someone is sick.
Last month as the H1N1 (swine flu) virus was spreading, health officials urged workers to stay home if symptoms showed up that could indicate an H1N1 virus. But millions must report to work or risk losing their jobs. Says Kennedy:
Everyone is at risk when the people who serve our food, clean our offices and care for our elderly can’t take time off and get well.
A report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) shows the United States lags far behind other developed nations in providing paid time off for workers to care for themselves or sick family members. Jody Heymann, who authored the study for the CEPR, says:
The lack of paid sick days puts Americans at substantially greater risk of contagious diseases—from the flu, which kills thousands annually, to diarrheal disease, respiratory infections and the threat of new diseases like the H1N1 flu virus.
The economic costs of a serious flu outbreak are potentially enormous. We can’t afford to wait any longer before providing American workers with paid sick days.
Click here for the full report from CEPR.
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Paid Sick leave
I asked my boss for a day off, because my child was sick.
I said make it a sick day, vacation, or you can pick.
She said hire a nurse or get some one else to stay!
Come to work right now or you will get no pay!
I weighed the choice she gave me, it was oh so very clear,
My darling baby daughter needed her mother to be near.
So I stayed home after we went to see the Doc.
Loosing one days pay would only put me in hock.
To my surprise, on my return she was now going to write me up!
I was now to be on attendance control and better not screw up.
The next absence, a suspension and a couple of days without pay;
For taking care of my baby daughter this is just not fair I say.
Not any paid time off for the family that they cannot take away.
No vacation, Paid time off or any time; it is just not right I say.
No, No, says the Boss our sick leave is only just for you.
We won’t pay you and you can’t use your vacation too.
You better be here every day; we have work for you to do,
Or with our attendance control we’ll just get rid of you.
The ideal employee is one who is Single By Choice.
Company employees should sing in one single voice.
.
We did not hire your Family, not mom, dad, husband or wife.
No Family commitments! Now that’s for all your working life.
If you get sick or have a family don’t bother to apply.
You must be here each and every day until your fired or die!
Working families, we need to lobby congress and the legislatures too.
We need a law so are jobs are protected when our children gets the flu.
Don’t loose heart we fought back and we did win at the ballot box.
We got a new sick leave law in San Francisco, the city that rocks.
We won in San Francisco you can win in your city too.
We can win in the states; but it will take work to win there too.
In the House and in the Senate the bills have been put in..
Stick together and fight for our families and together we will win.
By David G. Hurlburt, CWA Local 9410
One Sick Kin Away From Being Fired
It is hard for a family to make both ends meet,
Both of us working so we are not on the street.
Minimum wage workers need every single dime;
They also need some emergency kin care time.
We work hard, and at night and we’re so tired,
Just one sick child away from being fired.
Why can’t we use sick leave to care for our kin,
When the Bosses fires us for that is a just a sin.
Not any time off, with pay, for short time family care;
When the roll is called up yonder will these managers be there?
We work hard and at night and we’re so tired.
Just one sick spouse away from being fired.
Companies protect and defend at all costs their mighty corporate right;s
So when you take time off for your family, be prepared to join the fights.
Working families, we need to lobby congress and the legislatures too.
We need a law so are jobs are protected when our child gets the flu..
We work hard and at night and we’re so tired,
Just one sick parent away from being fired.
Providing time for families doesn’t cost it will pay.
It reduces turnover because more employees stay.
It, increases loyalty, dedication and it is caring and kind.
A benefit employees value and it’s one that’s hard to find.
We work hard and at night and we’re so tired.
Just one sick self away from being fired.
Too many times we’re fired and end up in the street.
Loss of jobs or pay and our bills we can’t meet.
Bankruptcy from medical bills or the loss of a job,
We loose heart and hope and our kids learn to rob
You can pay to build families or tear them apart.
The dollars spent on sick leave are just a start;
Childcare, after school programs to care for our kids
And medical care for every one even those on the skids.
If you don’t do these things you will still pay the price.
In court costs and prisons and that is not very nice.
A nations economy must serve all the people in the land;
Not greed or the wealthy, government must take a stand.
The social safety net is not just for the poor,
It protects us all from the thief at our door.
By David G. Hurlburt CWA local 9410
President Obama, Vice-President Biden, and House Speaker, Woman Nancy Pelosi:
I agree with you and the people in passing the Employees’ Free Choice Act. I believe that if the Employees’ Free Choice Act Bill is passed by President Obama, it will rapidly help the United States economy remedy many of its economic crises. I believe our economic crises is a derivative of unfair labor practices by the Corporate Industries, Banks, CEOs, corrupt magnates, corrupt employers in the private industries and government establishments (sectors), and corrupt supervisors in the private industries and government establishments. I believe that through education and higher learning for all citizens, we can quell this cancer of avaricious, corrupt, deceptive, and thievery magnates, CEOs, employers and supervisors by arming the honest, industrious, ethical, and moral workers with ammunition they need to combat these corrupt and unfair magnates, corrupt and unfair CEOs, corrupt and unfair employers, and corrupt and unfair supervisors. I believe the President must pass the Employees Free Choice Act to put God’s work back into the working heart’s of men and women.