Tell Congress: Protect Wages, Not Contractor Profits and Millionaire Tax Cuts

The Bush administration has removed wage protections for construction workers who will rebuild the Gulf Coast—while protecting profits for well-connected contractors and tax cuts for millionaires.

 

That's just not right.

 

Please send the following message to your members of Congress, urging them to tell President Bush to restore the Davis-Bacon wage protections he revoked. A copy of your message will go to the White House.

 

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Tell President Bush to Restore Davis-Bacon Wage Protections

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I was extremely disappointed by your vote for the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which was a disservice to working families. Working families need you again now, and I hope you will not fail them this time.

Please use your power as a national leader to urge President Bush to restore Davis-Bacon wage protections for the construction workers who will rebuild the Gulf Coast.

Lowering wages for people already in severe economic distress is an outrage and must be reversed. It's also reaching for a false economy. Prevailing wages for construction specialties in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama average just $9.50 an hour--and why should Gulf Coast workers earn less than that?

Denying Gulf Coast workers protection for these modest wages is nothing but an unfair gift to the companies receiving federal reconstruction contracts. It is especially unjust in light of unwillingness by the administration and its allies to roll back massive tax breaks for America's wealthiest taxpayers. New tax cuts slated to take effect Jan. 1 that will benefit only the wealthy will cost us $70 billion that could be spent rebuilding the Gulf Coast. When totaled, administration-backed tax breaks for the very wealthy will cost America more than even the highest estimated costs for rebuilding the Gulf Coast.

Please help working people in the Gulf Coast rebuild their communities and their lives by doing all you can to restore Davis-Bacon wage protections.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
September 22, 2005


Background Information

Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc in the lives of millions of Gulf Coast residents. Rather than helping these communities cope with the tremendous upheaval, the Bush administration is using the catastrophe as a starting point for attacks on working people.

President George W. Bush already has issued an executive order taking wage protections away from construction workers who will rebuild the Gulf Coast. Lowering wages for those who most need them will not help workers in their recovery efforts. It will be a real boon, though, for the unscrupulous contractors who will reap windfall profits at working families' expense.

In addition to the wage protection rollback, the administration already has handed out no-bid contracts to companies with ties to the administration and Republican Party while deferring affirmative action requirements and weakening preferences for small and minority-owned business.

The Bush administration also has suspended requirements that petroleum products travel on U.S.-flagged ships while operating in U.S. coastal waters and eased rules on how many hours truckers can drive when transporting fuel.

Bush's people also are using the disaster to forward their agendas on school vouchers, tax credits, health care--and even Social Security privatization.

Hurricane Katrina's victims deserve real help in their time of need--not this administration's cold-hearted actions.