'La bonne cuisine est la base du véritable bonheur.' - Auguste Escoffier
(Good food is the foundation of genuine happiness.)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
Posted on 01/12/2007 12:52:23 PM PST by GeorgiaDawg32
Video link on foxnews website, www.foxnews.com left side of the screen..
According to FoxNews, pelosi now says Samoa is INCLUDED..
Her trickle-up theory apparently won't go over very well with the people there, as their representative had this to say (pay attention to para 2) regarding the devastation of the Samoan economy if this goes through:
"In a statement in response today, Faleomavaega (American Samoa delegate) said "despite recent claims made by the Washington Post which suggest that American Samoa is exempt from the federal minimum wage process, I wish to set the record straight." He says since 1956, the Wage and Hour Division of the US Department of Labor has conducted Special Industry Committees every two years in American Samoa to determine minimum wage increases.
"While these Industry Committees have been phased out in other US Territories due to their more diversified economies, American Samoa continues to be a single industry economy. In fact, more than 80% of our private sector economy is dependent either directly, or indirectly, on two U.S. tuna processors, Chicken of the Sea and StarKist. As has been repeatedly stated at our Special Industry Committees, a decrease in production or departure of one or both of the two canneries in American Samoa could devastate the local economy resulting in massive layoffs and insurmountable financial difficulties," the Congressman says.
"For this very reason, I do not support efforts to apply mainland minimums to American Samoa at this time. The truth is the global tuna industry is so competitive that it is no longer possible for the federal government to demand mainland minimum wage rates for American Samoa without causing the collapse of our economy and making us welfare wards of the federal government."
It is going to be both interesting and instructive to see how Stretch response the increased scrutiny.
Doesn't matter what she says, what does HR 2 say?
"aren't the 100 hours up yet?"
At 2 hours a day 3 days a week it will take a while.
"how can they be INCLUDED in the bill but EXCLUDED from compliance?"
Ever heard of illegal immigrants??
"For this very reason, I do not support efforts to apply mainland minimums to American Samoa at this time. The truth is the global tuna industry is so competitive that it is no longer possible for the federal government to demand mainland minimum wage rates for American Samoa without causing the collapse of our economy and making us welfare wards of the federal government."
But what does that mean? It sounds like they aren't going to be included in the legislation, despite Nancy saying they will be included.
OK, so they admit equal enforcement would be harmful in one industry in one area. The exemption remains! and continues to ignore the equal problem in other industries in other areas. They're not off the hook yet...
(3) if such employee is employed in American Samoa, in lieu of the rate or rates provided by this subsection or subsection (b) of this section, not less than the applicable rate established by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with recommendations of a special industry committee or committees which he shall appoint pursuant to sections 205 and 208 of this title. The minimum wage rate thus established shall not exceed the rate prescribed in paragraph (1) of this subsection;The law that was just passed by the House says the following:
AN ACT
To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide for an increase in the Federal minimum wage.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007'.
SEC. 2. MINIMUM WAGE.
(a) In General- Section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1)) is amended to read as follows:
`(1) except as otherwise provided in this section, not less than--
`(A) $5.85 an hour, beginning on the 60th day after the date of enactment of the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007;
`(B) $6.55 an hour, beginning 12 months after that 60th day; and
`(C) $7.25 an hour, beginning 24 months after that 60th day;'.
(b) Effective Date- The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 3. APPLICABILITY OF MINIMUM WAGE TO THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS.
(a) In General- Section 6 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206) shall apply to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
(b) Transition- Notwithstanding subsection (a), the minimum wage applicable to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands under section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1)) shall be--
(1) $3.55 an hour, beginning on the 60th day after the date of enactment of this Act; and
(2) increased by $0.50 an hour (or such lesser amount as may be necessary to equal the minimum wage under section 6(a)(1) of such Act), beginning 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act and every 6 months thereafter until the minimum wage applicable to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands under this subsection is equal to the minimum wage set forth in such section. Passed the House of Representatives January 10, 2007.
It is the Northern Mariana Islands that is losing their exemption to the minimum wage, not American Samoa.
Sure he will, it just won't smell so fishy...
'La bonne cuisine est la base du véritable bonheur.' - Auguste Escoffier
(Good food is the foundation of genuine happiness.)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
Bingo! Why is the tuna industry any different than thousands of other businesses having to compete in the world market?
Looks like Nancy's in the pocket of "Big Tuna." During my 10 years in the Army I had the privilege of working with a bunch of Samoans...they make fine warriors. Maybe that's the democratic plan...hold them down economically by depriving them of the minimum wage and limit their educational opportunities to West Point so they have to join the military and get stuck in Iraq...
Nancy stinks of tuna. She needs to douche.
or the NFL
huh? protecting Starkist? I think you have it backwards here. Nothing has Starkist glued to Samoa other than the bottom line. If she did anything, she protected the Samoan people that understand economics and a business's freedom to move better than the grandstanders in DC.
I don't get it either .. the Bill has already been voted on and passed
Fish Anyone?
I don't think anything has changed; Nancy might PRETEND it's changed by saying that Samoa is not exempt, but the legislation a freeper posted here doesn't read that way. They're still exempt and from earlier legislation.
She was for it before she was against it.
I think Nancy is going to find out that when you're in the national spotlight every move is scrutinized.
She will rue the day she became the house madam.
--aren't the 100 hours up yet?--
You obviously don't realize that is 100 "working hours" ...
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