Katrina Coverage

From the AFL-CIO comes AFL-CIO News: Workers Win Fair Wages as Bush Backs off Davis-Bacon Suspension:

In response to working families and their unions, as well as community and religious groups and some members of Congress, President George W. Bush on Oct. 26 rescinded his executive order that allowed contractors to pay substandard wages to construction workers rebuilding Gulf Coast areas devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The order, which suspended the federal Davis-Bacon Act, now will expire Nov. 8.

Grassroots activists sent more than 350,000 e-mails and letters to their representatives demanding fair wages be reinstated for the Gulf Coast, where skilled, full-time workers average less than $20,000 a year in pay.

One of Bush’s first acts after Hurricane Katrina hit was suspending Davis-Bacon. Enacted in 1931, Davis-Bacon ensures high-quality work standards and community prevailing wage requirements for federally funded rebuilding projects. A few days after suspending Davis-Bacon, Bush also suspended affirmative action rules for Katrina contractors.

Oddly enough, I don't see anything there about Bush also allowing contractors to hire anyone regardless of immigration status. In fact, other than the LA Dems, no other Dems are complaining about that.

Yet, all those illegal aliens will serve to reduce wages for American hurricane victims, and will just serve as a backdoor way for major contractors to screw American workers. So, why doesn't the AFL-CIO say anything about that? Why don't those politicians who complained about this say anything? Are they afraid that MALDEF will call them "mean-spirited"? Don't worry, scared Dems. Here, I'll hold your hand as you try to reach down deep inside for that last little speck of patriotism.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 26th, 2005 at 11:59 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.