GOP blocks OT debate. The GOP-run House of Representatives blocked debate on President Bush’s plan to cut overtime pay for U.S. workers.

The move by the House earlier this month came several days after the U.S. Senate voted to block Bush’s plan, which will go into effect in August without a veto by Congress.

The fight on the overtime issue isn’t over yet. Rep. George Miller’s proposal to debate the issue was defeated, but he said the Republicans “may have succeeded today, but this fight is not over. It is obvious the House Republican majority is rubber-stamping the orders of the Bush administration.”

The AFL-CIO was more pessimistic. It said the May 12 House vote it may be the only chance lawmakers have before Aug. 23 to go on record for or against overtime.

The overtime take-away rules don’t affect workers with a collective bargaining contract.

Jobless benefits renewal fails. By one vote on May 11, the Senate failed to take a step towards reinstating an extra 13 weeks of federal jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed.

The 59-40 tally was one vote short of approval needed to attach the jobless benefits amendment to a business tax bill.

“The economy is still down 1.5 million jobs since January 2001,” said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.). “The share of long-term unemployed, who have been out of work for 27 weeks, is at 22 percent and it has never been as high for so long.”

Added AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney: “Many of them have exhausted their unemployment benefits and the Bush administration has callously refused to support an extension.”

The benefits extension was designed to help the long-term jobless and would provide 13 weeks of federal benefits to workers who exhausted their 26 weeks of state benefits.

Federal benefits ended Dec. 31 and the GOP-run Congress has refused to extend them. The percentage of long-term jobless has not been this high since 1983, an AFL-CIO analysis said.

With long-term joblessness staying high, labor stepped up its campaign to restore federal unemployment benefits. The federal jobless fund has a $13 billion surplus.

Such a restoration meant breaking special Senate rules limiting the federal budget. Breaking the rules required 60 votes among the 100 senators. They didn’t make it, getting 59.

Employer-friendly rules. The House of Representatives, in a series of GOP-led party-line votes, approved measures on May 18 making employer-friendly changes in workplace safety rules.

The Wall Street Journal said one bill would allow a company to miss “by mistake, surprise… or excusable neglect: a 15-day deadline to respond to OSHA citations.” Democrats said that would allow employers to drag out cases.

The second bill would increase from three to five the number of members on the presidentially appointed Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Democrats say this will allow the president to “pack” the panel with friendly appointees.

Another bill would require OSHA to pay attorney fees in case it loses. Republicans say the bill would make OSHA think twice before taking a case to court, Democrats say the bill would chill OSHA’s enforcement efforts and would encourage employers to litigate.

A Democratic aide said the bills have little chance of passage.

Trades build with humanity. The AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department and union construction workers are teaming up with Habitat for Humanity to address the crisis of unaffordable housing in low-income neighborhoods.

The unions will share resources and skills with the housing organization
and use Habitat building sites as “living laboratories” for apprentices.

During Labor with Habitat Week, May 16-22, union workers helped build homes in cities across the country, including Cincinnati, where BCTD President Edward Sullivan kicked off the national partnership May 17.