West Virginia State Democratic Party

West Virginia Democratic Party Platform

Labor Management

We honor the strong American work ethic that makes work more valuable than welfare, and since the time of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman, support the right of workers to organize and bargain collectively. We support this bargaining without the workers facing fear of intimidation.

Managers must work with employees to make the workplace safer, healthier, more satisfying and more efficient. More U.S. families are working more hours than ever before. With wages stagnant, benefits eroding and employers demanding excessive overtime, it is tougher than ever for working families to balance competing demands at home and at work.

Nearly three-quarters of working adults say they have little or no control over their work schedules. More than one-fourth of working women, including mothers, spend at least some of their nights and weekends at work. These demands on working families have made urgent the need for sound public policy on child care, elder care, family leave and greater worker control over their work schedules.

The Bush administration has finalized regulations to take away overtime pay from millions of America's workers, ignoring protests of millions of working families. Working families count on overtime pay for everyday needs like housing, food, transportation, health care and more. Without overtime pay these families will suffer a huge pay cut, a reality that has only increased as both wage growth and the economy have stalled. Under the Bush proposal, 8 million workers, including police officers, nurses, store supervisors and many other workers would face unpredictable work schedules and reduced pay because of an increased demand for extra hours for which employers would not have to compensate workers. The protections that workers are afforded under the Fair Labor Standards Act should not be weakened. The Democratic Party does not support mandatory overtime.

Workers should have a voice on a union which allows them to bargain with their employers for benefits to help them strike a balance on issues like work schedules, child and elder care help, family leave time and other benefits for working families. The idea of card recognition among workers is a tool promoted by the Democratic Party to allow the workers a voice on a union.

The West Virginia Democratic Party recognizes that most jobs are created by small business and that only in a profitable environment can business employ West Virginians. Management, labor and government have the responsibility to create an environment conducive to a safe, healthy workplace with stable, profitable employment.

We, the West Virginia Democratic Party, support the efforts of the Democratic leadership in Congress to raise the minimum wage and to continue to fight for the rights of the working class. It is critical to helping many West Virginia families survive and helping to lift them from poverty and welfare.