Congress Locks Out Workers
by Bill Onasch
Federal employees are forbidden by law from striking. In 1981, President Reagan fired virtually all air traffic controllers and decertified their union–who had endorsed him in his Presidential campaign–for defying this repression of a basic human right. But there is no restriction on Congress using the power of the purse to lockout hundreds of thousands of Federal government workers and forcing even more to toil for IOUs.
The workers, as always, are the first victims of such shenanigans as being currently played out in a fierce factional division within the two boss parties. But they are not the only ones suffering. Nutritional programs for infants and their mothers; Head Start; OSHA workplace inspections; USDA food preparation inspections; most of the work of the Environmental Protection Agency; FAA inspection of aircraft; the Bureau of Labor Statistics are just a few examples of programs totally or mostly shut down. The unconscionable backlog of veteran disability claims is on hold. No new claims for Social Security benefits can be filed. And, of course, national parks, museums, monuments, and the Zoo are now closed to visitors.
We are told many “essential” workers remain on the job. Workers at the Post Office and those processing Social Security payments are still working because they are not paid through Congressional appropriations. Their useful services are completely self-financed through postage or dedicated payroll taxes. This is another exposure of the lie promoted by politicians of both parties in all branches of government that these essential programs are at the heart of the deficit crisis.
Other workers such as airport security, meat inspection, and those processing passports and visas are on the job because they too are paid by packing employers, airline ticket fees, or fees for travel documents.
Most other workers kept on for essential work will likely be paid with promises instead of cash.
House Republicans claim a powerful mandate from the people–based on the last House election–to stop what they call ObamaCare. This is bogus. When you add up all the votes cast in the last Congressional election the Democrats got more than the GOP. The Republicans skillfully used the majorities they won in many state legislatures in 2010 to redraw congressional districts that enabled their minority party to again win a majority of seats.
I’m no fan of the Affordable Care Act that creates a bonanza for the insurance company robber barons while contributing little to actual health care. We need to replace commodity health care with something at least as good as our Canadian sisters and brothers fought for and won through their labor party.
We need to expose the Affordable Care Act for the fraud it is–and perfidious Democrat “friends” who stuck us with it. But the Republican enemy of ObamaCare is not our friend either. Their sabotage of government is despicable.
We say to the politicians of both boss parties--End the lockout of workers and curtailment of useful services now!
And, as if we needed another, our side needs to respond to this wake up call by reviving the movement for a party of our own–a Labor Party.
by Bill Onasch
Federal employees are forbidden by law from striking. In 1981, President Reagan fired virtually all air traffic controllers and decertified their union–who had endorsed him in his Presidential campaign–for defying this repression of a basic human right. But there is no restriction on Congress using the power of the purse to lockout hundreds of thousands of Federal government workers and forcing even more to toil for IOUs.
The workers, as always, are the first victims of such shenanigans as being currently played out in a fierce factional division within the two boss parties. But they are not the only ones suffering. Nutritional programs for infants and their mothers; Head Start; OSHA workplace inspections; USDA food preparation inspections; most of the work of the Environmental Protection Agency; FAA inspection of aircraft; the Bureau of Labor Statistics are just a few examples of programs totally or mostly shut down. The unconscionable backlog of veteran disability claims is on hold. No new claims for Social Security benefits can be filed. And, of course, national parks, museums, monuments, and the Zoo are now closed to visitors.
We are told many “essential” workers remain on the job. Workers at the Post Office and those processing Social Security payments are still working because they are not paid through Congressional appropriations. Their useful services are completely self-financed through postage or dedicated payroll taxes. This is another exposure of the lie promoted by politicians of both parties in all branches of government that these essential programs are at the heart of the deficit crisis.
Other workers such as airport security, meat inspection, and those processing passports and visas are on the job because they too are paid by packing employers, airline ticket fees, or fees for travel documents.
Most other workers kept on for essential work will likely be paid with promises instead of cash.
House Republicans claim a powerful mandate from the people–based on the last House election–to stop what they call ObamaCare. This is bogus. When you add up all the votes cast in the last Congressional election the Democrats got more than the GOP. The Republicans skillfully used the majorities they won in many state legislatures in 2010 to redraw congressional districts that enabled their minority party to again win a majority of seats.
I’m no fan of the Affordable Care Act that creates a bonanza for the insurance company robber barons while contributing little to actual health care. We need to replace commodity health care with something at least as good as our Canadian sisters and brothers fought for and won through their labor party.
We need to expose the Affordable Care Act for the fraud it is–and perfidious Democrat “friends” who stuck us with it. But the Republican enemy of ObamaCare is not our friend either. Their sabotage of government is despicable.
We say to the politicians of both boss parties--End the lockout of workers and curtailment of useful services now!
And, as if we needed another, our side needs to respond to this wake up call by reviving the movement for a party of our own–a Labor Party.
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