[Superman]

Sorry, John. I don't mean to belittle folks, except in a good-hearted way. I've always enjoyed a bit of good-natured ribbing and still do so, but folks used to know me. Now, the Pelican community is larger and there are downright nasty people here, so it's different. Again, I'm not really serious in my remarks about other folks' intelligence levels, regardless of how far below mine they might be. Perhaps I should stop with the sarcasm and exaggerations. Naw.......

Bod hit the nail on the head. I worked in my state's Wage & Hour unit at its labor department, and my former colleagues are as confused as anyone about the new rules. But part of my point is that the direction of the rules, and their intended beneficiaries, is a no-brainer (no joke). I'm not sure but what this president's very first executive action, 3.5 years ago, was to declare an "executive order" banning the negotiation of project labor agreements on projects with federal funding. So, what Island wants, the ability of workers to bargain wages, benefits and working conditions, is not something this president is ever ever going to support. In fact, the massaging of labor laws is primarily a method of avoiding labor matters that have sprung from the sources, the grass roots, the workers. Trust me when I tell you that in the absence of labor laws, there would be a WHOLE LOT of unionism in this country.

The current rules, impact the question of which workers are "exempt" from the minimum wage standards in federal law. That is, professional (truly professional like lawyers, for example) executive, etc., are not entitled to overtime pay for hours worked over 40 per week. But calling a worker "exempt" or "professional" does not mean they are exempt. They must fit into certain guidelines. Nebulous, qualitiative guidelines. Dubya's agenda is to push the line in one direction or another. Guess which direction.


There is a war on workers right now, and the General leading the charge is President Bush.