SB 2018-175: The Federal Government as a Model Employer Act (Rejected)
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  SB 2018-175: The Federal Government as a Model Employer Act (Rejected)
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Author Topic: SB 2018-175: The Federal Government as a Model Employer Act (Rejected)  (Read 2551 times)
Lumine
LumineVonReuental
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« on: March 29, 2018, 11:04:43 AM »
« edited: April 09, 2018, 06:21:51 PM by Princeps Senatus Lumine »

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Sponsor: Senator Pericles.
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Pericles
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« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2018, 03:51:09 PM »

I'd like to make a short statement in favor of this bill to start things off. So, originally I intended for this idea to be an executive order, but I wasn't elected President. Instead though, we can legislate this proposal into law under this bill to achieve the same goal. The federal government should be a model employer, and can use federal contracts to influence the behavior of federal contractors and this can have flow-on effects on private sector behavior. Under this bill, the federal government will preference contractors that pay at least $14 an hour, that affirm, rather than impede, the unionization of their workers, that provide stable, full-time hours and provide a full, standard benefits package. The federal government can do these things, and so it should be doing them. This will strengthen our middle class and working people, and with a bit of a push from the federal government, we can level the playing field in the workforce and start reducing the excessive inequality we see today and instead have a stronger middle-class in Atlasia.
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Mr. Reactionary
blackraisin
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« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2018, 07:47:54 PM »

Can we get a cost estimate? This wont be cheap.
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Wells
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« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2018, 09:43:45 PM »

Can we get a cost estimate? This wont be cheap.

It's funny you would mention cost, which was one of my concerns when Pericles first brought up this idea to me. However, according to this article, cost might not be as big of a problem as you'd think:

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I can't speak for what the GM department will find, but in real life this hasn't been a huge burden at all.
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Mr. Reactionary
blackraisin
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« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2018, 09:58:16 PM »

Can we get a cost estimate? This wont be cheap.

It's funny you would mention cost, which was one of my concerns when Pericles first brought up this idea to me. However, according to this article, cost might not be as big of a problem as you'd think:

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I can't speak for what the GM department will find, but in real life this hasn't been a huge burden at all.

I imagine the GM department will have fewer biases than the Center for Soros Progress.
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Pericles
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« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2018, 10:03:33 PM »

Any analysis has to be a dynamic analysis to account for the higher wages resulting, let alone the potential for an increase in private sector wages. Also, those are multiple studies, and should not simply be dismissed.
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Pericles
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« Reply #6 on: March 29, 2018, 10:42:54 PM »

There have been recent cases where federal contractors are grossly underpaid, to the extent that they have to rely on food stamps to survive. Meanwhile, executive pay has risen among federal contractors. This is a disgrace. And it's not even rational on a cost-saving basis, as the federal government racks up increased costs on programs like SNAP to compensate for their contractors under-paying their workers. In fact, the number of federal contract employees who aren't earning enough to support themselves and their families is nearly 2 million, more than the number of private-sector employees in Atlasia at Wal-Mart and McDonalds combined. There's a ripple effect as low-paid workers and their families have little money to spend, hindering economic growth that could be creating more jobs(and this increases the deficit). These federal contract workers contribute less in taxes and more likely in public benefits. All Atlasians would benefit from an economy where federal contract workers earn fair wages—and we have a special responsibility to ensure that the people working on behalf of our nation are paid and treated fairly. Raising standards for people working on behalf of our nation is one important piece to providing opportunities for workers to reach the middle class.
Here are links to read more;
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/08/03/opinion/make-the-government-a-model-employer.html
http://www.demos.org/publication/underwriting-bad-jobs-how-our-tax-dollars-are-funding-low-wage-work-and-fueling-inequali
http://www.nelp.org/content/uploads/2015/03/NELP-Taking-Low-Road-Federal-Contracting.pdf
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Mr. Reactionary
blackraisin
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« Reply #7 on: April 02, 2018, 07:11:58 PM »

I am inclined to oppose this for the following 10 reasons:

1.) It will be very expensive and we have a deficit.

2.) It crowds out new/minority owned firms.

3.) It offers unnecessary graft and kickbacks to unions just because they are unions.

4.) It appears to engage in viewpoint discrimination regarding funding, with vague language too.

5.) It ignores the realities of cost of living differences, and will disproportionately hurt Southern businesses.

6.) It penalizes contractors in fields where a stable, 40 hr a week job may not be possible given the nature of the work.

7.) Parts conflict with existing law, particularly the list of minimal essential coverage which deviates from the minimal essential coverage required by Atlascare.

8.) It purports to offer what appears to be an unconstitutional legislative veto in 2-2(c).

9.) It allows absolutely no time for the bureaucracy to adjust to such a drastic change. It's not as though all government contractors are in a database which track working conditions. All contracts would have to be canceled to ensure compliance which would shut government procurement down for months at best.

10.) Possible exemption is solely limited to cost and not other factors such as potential conflicts of interests.
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Lumine
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« Reply #8 on: April 02, 2018, 08:34:33 PM »

At this point I don't quite see myself voting for this out of my own views on the economy (and in that sense I echo some of the concerns put forward for Reactionary) and particularly on the role of the unions, but I'd like to ask about a practical point:

The bill states that:
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, and I wonder, Pericles, how did you envision this taking place in game terms? Does it mean a report from the President or the Secretary of the Interior? Any such report would probably also include some significant input from the Game Moderator too, most likely.

Could you expand a bit on how do you see this working on a practical level, Pericles?
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Not_Madigan
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« Reply #9 on: April 02, 2018, 08:39:18 PM »

I'm definitely questioning this bill, especially because of the Minimum wage section.

As far as I know, the South lacks a minimum wage at this point, Lincoln's minimum wage only exceeds 14$ in the cities, and I'm unsure on the exact Federal Minimum wage, but I'm pretty sure it's below 14$ as well.  Can someone tell me Fremont's minimum wage as well?  I'd like to know if this bill is going to only preference one Region's companies and Cities, and even if it doesn't, I don't believe that the minimum wage requirement should be that high.

Also, in regards to this section: 
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Isn't it already illegal for companies to impede Union membership?
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Mr. Reactionary
blackraisin
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« Reply #10 on: April 02, 2018, 09:21:30 PM »

I'm definitely questioning this bill, especially because of the Minimum wage section.

As far as I know, the South lacks a minimum wage at this point, Lincoln's minimum wage only exceeds 14$ in the cities, and I'm unsure on the exact Federal Minimum wage, but I'm pretty sure it's below 14$ as well.  Can someone tell me Fremont's minimum wage as well?  I'd like to know if this bill is going to only preference one Region's companies and Cities, and even if it doesn't, I don't believe that the minimum wage requirement should be that high.

Governor Dip was kind enough to point me to the Real Living Wage Act.

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As an aside, I wish to note that because of the hardships of that particular federal law, the Southern Region has been unable to implement the Minimum Wage Commission Act, which would provide for minimum wages set by cost of living on a county-by-county determination. We believe this would be the best way to boost wages where needed without pricing out workers in lower cost areas. I will likely be introducing a bill soon to allow the Southern Region to opt-out and implement our law.
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At-Large Senator LouisvilleThunder
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« Reply #11 on: April 03, 2018, 09:19:20 AM »

I disagree with much of this bill for a lot of the reasons Mr. Reactionary gave. I do think it is possible to improve the wording of this bill to address those concerns.
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Mr. Reactionary
blackraisin
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« Reply #12 on: April 05, 2018, 09:30:47 PM »

I hereby request unanimous consent to proceed to a final vote on this bill.
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Pericles
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« Reply #13 on: April 05, 2018, 10:24:01 PM »

I will address the points made soon and may introduce amendments to the bill, so object to Mr Reactionary's request.
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Mr. Reactionary
blackraisin
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« Reply #14 on: April 05, 2018, 10:43:41 PM »

Boo!
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Lumine
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« Reply #15 on: April 05, 2018, 11:23:32 PM »

Unanimous consent denied via objection.
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Mr. Reactionary
blackraisin
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« Reply #16 on: April 06, 2018, 06:36:56 PM »

I motion that we proceed to a final vote on this bill.
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At-Large Senator LouisvilleThunder
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« Reply #17 on: April 06, 2018, 06:48:23 PM »

I motion that we proceed to a final vote on this bill.
I second it.
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Not_Madigan
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« Reply #18 on: April 06, 2018, 07:43:17 PM »

Thirded
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Pericles
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« Reply #19 on: April 06, 2018, 07:54:10 PM »

First of all I addressed the cost issue in previous posts. Secondly, with the issue of federal government discretion, I'm trying to get a balance between allowing appropriate discretion while preventing the government from actively gutting the bill and just ignoring it. I'm mindful of the issues irl Obamacare is having in this regard. However, what would be best is that rather than this being a reason for a nay vote, other Senators can work to improve this bill and we can amend it appropriately. I do think a transition period of around 1 year would be appropriate so may also introduce an amendment to that bill. This bill is not the final product, and we should amend it to make it even better. Therefore I object to holding a final vote on it-and invite Senators who have concerns to work with me and make a good bill into a great bill.
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Lumine
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« Reply #20 on: April 06, 2018, 09:34:35 PM »

Motion to final vote recognized. Senators have 24 hours to object (I realize Pericles's post can of course be read as an objection, but for the sake of the rules it is better if he formally objects).
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Mr. Reactionary
blackraisin
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« Reply #21 on: April 06, 2018, 09:59:55 PM »

I withdraw my motion for a vote.

I hereby motion for cloture to end debate.

My bad yall.
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Lumine
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« Reply #22 on: April 06, 2018, 10:02:48 PM »

Pursuant to the rules, we will now vote on the Cloture motion (to end debate on this bill). Senators, please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.
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Pericles
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« Reply #23 on: April 06, 2018, 10:03:14 PM »

Nay.
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Mr. Reactionary
blackraisin
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« Reply #24 on: April 06, 2018, 10:11:05 PM »

Aye
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