The Biggest Thing Going:
Anti-Labor Bill Heard in House
Due to a plethora of meetings on Thursday and Friday, the Labor Update was delayed this week. This may happen occasionally during session. Your patience is appreciated!
The House Committee on Commerce heard a bill in Committee this week that pulled off the rare feat of including something for EVERYONE in organized labor to hate. House Bill 555 filed by Representative Ed Lewis (R-Randolph) has been described as “the motherload of bad ideas.” It includes provisions to:
–Double the threshold for government construction projects to be subject to prevailing wage from $75,000 to $150,000.
–Delay the full implementation of voter-approved minimum wage increase until 2030.
–Cut earned sick time by increasing the number of hours have to work to earn an hour of leave.
The attack on prevailing wage is the latest part of a two decade long effort to continually chip away at a policy that allows local construction workers to work on local jobs. Jobs that THEIR taxes are paying to fund.
The attacks on minimum wage and earned sick time are not only attacks on some of the most vulnerable workers in this State, but they also try to directly overturn the will of 58% of Missouri voters who just 4 months ago overwhelmingly voted to put those exact laws in place!
The Missouri AFL-CIO is fully engaged on all of these issues and will be working hard to make sure none of these awful anti-worker policies pass.
