Some union workers may have given George W. Bush the benefit of the doubt in 2000.

But organized labor leaders and the Democratic Party believe that when workers understand what Bush has done to them in the three-and-a-half years of his presidency, they may not be in the mood for re-electing the Texas Republican.

Following is a compilation of actions Bush has taken against the American worker from 2001-2004:

Bush proposed eliminating overtime for eight million workers. Bush’s proposal to overhaul overtime rules, expected to take effect next month, will reclassify workers as managers, administrative workers or professional employees, leaving them ineligible for overtime pay. A study by the Economic Policy Institute originally found that eight million workers would be affected by the Bush plan.

Lobbying by Democrats in Congress significantly reduced the number of workers affected to less than one million workers, mostly white collar. Nick Clark, the assistant general counsel of the United Food and Commercial Workers, called Bush’s overtime change “a massive giveaway for employers at the expense of workers.” (New York Times, 7/1/03; Economic Policy Institute, July 2003; Houston Chronicle, 3/28/03)

Bush has refused to extend jobless benefits. Citing the rosy job outlook for the U.S., Bush and Republicans in Congress have consistently refused to extend Unemployment Compensation for jobless Americans.

Jobless benefits were not extended by Congress after they ran out on Jan. 1. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of unemployed persons, 8.2 million, was essentially unchanged in June from the month before, and the unemployment rate held steady at 5.6 percent.

The lack of job growth in the U.S. has threatened to make President Bush’s administration the first since President Hoover’s in the Great Depression to realize a net less of jobs.

Bush rescinded federal regulations preventing federal contracts from going to companies that broke labor laws. In response to lobbying by the business community, Bush repealed a federal regulation that prevented federal contracts from going to contractors that had violated federal labor laws.

The rule had been issued by President Clinton in 2000 after an Associated Press analysis found that hundreds of contractors were eligible for federal contracts despite having convictions or lawsuits for defrauding the government. A General Accounting Office study found that in one year 261 federal contractors with 5,121 health and safety law violations received $38 billion in contracts. (Wall Street Journal, 4/2/01; Washington Post, 3/31/01; Associated Press, 1/3/02; National Journal’s Technology Daily, 1/2/02).

Bush rescinded a rule requiring disclosure of union-busting activities by corporations. In 2001, Bush rescinded a Clinton order that required companies to disclose materials they received to aid in stopping union organizing campaigns, such as pamphlets, videos, scripts, and strategy advice. (AFL-CIO)

Bush’s Labor Department relaxed enforcement of workplace laws. After heavy lobbying from business groups, Bush’s Labor Department said it would emphasize compliance assistance for companies, rather than enforcement of workplace laws. The department’s shift in focus from enforcement to compliance came after lobbying campaigns from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups. The business groups said department inspectors looked too closely at small infractions, requested too much data and used different standards in different places. (Wall Street Journal, 7/3/01).

Bush targeted organized labor from his first days in office. Less than a month into his administration, Bush issued four major anti-worker orders. Bush signed executive orders banning project labor agreements, requiring federal contractors to post anti-union notices, eliminating the National Partnership Council and revoking job protection for service industry workers that contract with the federal government. AFL-CIO president John Sweeney said that the orders were “mean spirited and anti-worker” retribution against unions for supporting Vice President Al Gore in the 2000 elections.

Two of the four executive orders Bush issued in February 2001 were later found to be illegal by federal judges. On Nov. 7, 2001, a federal judge ruled that Bush’s order banning PLAs violated the National Labor Relations Act. Then, on Jan. 2, 2002, another federal judge found that Bush’s order requiring federal contractors to post anti-union notices also violated the NLRA. (New York Times, 1/8/02; Washington Times, 12/13/01)

Bush issued an executive order banning unions in the Department of Justice. The president issued an executive order barring unions from representing workers in parts of the Department of Justice in January 2002. Bush’s order affected more than 500 federal workers at various agencies within the DOJ. Bush said that union contracts could restrict workers at the Department of Justice from protecting Americans and national security, even though federal law prohibits strikes among federal workers.

“We’re outraged by this,” said Steven Kreisberg, associate director of collective bargaining at AFSCME. “A lot of these Justice Department workers have been members of unions for 20 years and there’s never been an allegation of a problem.” (New York Times, 1/16/02)

Bush budget cuts Labor Department funding. In his 2005 budget proposal, Bush seeks a 5 percent decrease in funding – to $57.3 billion – for the Department of Labor, mostly because of a cut in projected spending on unemployment benefits. (Federal Funds Information for States, 2/9/04).

Bush sought inadequate resources for OSHA. After the president provided a token $4 million addition to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s budget, the agency announced that it won’t increase the number of inspections it performs. More than 4.7 million workers suffered injuries on the job last year, yet the Office of Safety and Health only has the resources to afford inspection to every job site once every 63 years.

With more than half of all U.S. workers at risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome, safety standards are being eroded as employers are no longer required to report repetitive stress injuries. (Campaign for America’s Future, 2/04; Bureau of Labor Statistics; OSHA; AFL-CIO).

Bush slashed worker safety training grants by 64 percent. Bush cut funding for worker safety and training grants by 64 percent, to $4 million in 2005 from $11 million in 2004. According to OSHA, the grants funds programs “to train workers and employers to recognize, avoid, and prevent safety and health hazards in their workplaces.” (Budget of the United States; OSHA; Campaign for America’s Future, 2/04; AFL-CIO)

Bush supported “Paycheck Protection” in campaign finance reform. As the Senate was preparing to take up debate on campaign finance reform, Bush sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott outlining his “statement of principles” on the subject. Bush said that as part of his campaign finance reform, he wanted to require labor unions to get members’ permission before their dues money could be used for political purposes.

Paycheck protection measures would subject unions to burdensome restrictions while not affecting corporate spending on political activities, even though corporations already outspend unions 11 to 1. (Washington Post, 3/16/01; AFL-CIO)