Valley Breeze

CUMBERLAND LINCOLN EDITION | VALLEY BREEZE | MARCH 24-30, 2016 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 19 For more than a hundred years the issue of worker's hours has been cen- tral to the civic condition of society. From the first strikes in Pawtucket to gain control of time worked, and span of the day, to the 8-hour day movement which forever altered and restored normalcy to the lives of America's working people. However as times and conditions change so must our laws. It is a reality that our worker's pro- ductivity has increased significantly in the last 30 years, however wages have not. It had been that productivity was linked to wages, as output increased so did compensation. In these last 30 years these two measures have been de-linked. American workers produce more with much less pay. This forces more members of a family to work and for longer hours and for less deferred or actual compensation. The new economy is deeply precarious for our neighbors. There is a current practice of sched- uling employees like inventory, using "to the minute" scheduling with complicated algorithms that measure every aspect of a workers day in order to minimize wage payments and to maximize profit. This system places workers in a terrible position. Firstly to refuse work for any reason includ- ing childcare or elder care diminishes opportunity to advance and control their schedule. You can see how the abuse would be directed at single moms or those with ill and or elderly family members. Secondly a lack pre- dictive and fair scheduling prevents a worker from taking on a meaning- ful second job, or going to school. To deny fair and stable shifts is to deny upward mobility and ensure negative outcomes both for a family's bottom line, but also family stability. A fair workweek is a family value. Children are the unforeseen victims of this new economy and its schedul- ing practice. There have been many studies about children's need for sta- bility. Children need a parent who is not "on-call" they need full parental presence. Children need to have regu- lar and reliable access to their parents; this uncompensated "on-call" shift sys- tem steals recuperative and emotional time away from children. "To the minute" scheduling makes childcare, home health care all but impossible to plan. This loss can lead to ill result in social, and intellectual development. We can do better. To refuse an "on-call" shift should not amount to penalty and should rightly be compensated for. This employee is after all unable to do any other economically productive work during the "on-call" period. An employer who uses this system is get- ting away with a great deal for them and a terrible deal for the employee. After all an unpaid employee who is simply available when you snap your fingers is a bargain, Faustian as it may be. In periods of economic crisis work- ers are told to tighten belts knuckle down and do not complain, because you know the economy. In periods of growth (which we are now in) workers are told don't complain, knuckle down because you know, the economy. That business is so fragile and fright- ened they cannot see the bottom line improvements of a fair workweek in the decreased absenteeism, increased loyalty, and decreased turnover (which can cost a business between $10,000 and $30,000 per replacement). The idea that providing employees with a predictable, stable schedule with a path to personal and family growth, along with the dignity of self-care is destructive is to not value the founda- tion of our state, our citizens. Now Ms. Violet (in her March 15 column "Another company-killing proposal rises in Assembly) offers the same old thoroughly debunked trickle down economic simplicities we have heard since child labor was elimi- nated. What is good for business will someday be good for employees. It is not simply in the having a job it is also the quality of the job and the qual- ity of life. To think otherwise shows a deep disconnectedness to the working families of Rhode Island. Saying that an employee should have no right to civil action in a case of discrimina- tion is to deny an employee a tool for equity. The ad-hominem attacks against Reps. Regunberg, Maldonado, Slater, and Williams is beneath civil discourse. Business owners are not the only constituency in Rhode Island. It is long overdue that we make an inclu- sive and up-to-date wage and hour structure in Rhode Island. MIKE ARAUJO Providence Araujo is the executive director of R.I. Jobs with Justice. State needs jobs with 'justice' for workers I am writing to you as part of a class project for the novel "The Watsons go to Birmingham." My classmates and I are contacting newspapers across the country in a state we chose to learn more about. I wanted to learn more about Rhode Island because I would like to go there someday and visit. I would like to visit Rhode Island's beaches, parks and zoos, including the Newport Cliff Walk, with my family and other sights around Rhode Island. I am writing to ask your readers to please write back and tell me why they like Rhode Island, interesting facts about the state, and what the visi- tors can do there. They can write to my school's address: Queen of Peace Catholic School, 4508 Vistula Road, Mishawaka, IN 46544. If they could also include a copy of the newspaper they saw my letter in, I'd greatly appreciate it. If you have any questions, please contact my teach- er's email at aweisser@queenofpeace. cc or you may contact her by phone at 574-255-0392, ext. 123. Thank you for your time and consid- eration. NOAH BIGGS Mishawaka, IN Indiana student wants to know why you like Rhode Island CUMBERLAND – The Cumberland Veterans Council is hosting a free Veterans Financial Seminar to help educate local vet- erans on financial issues including taxes, saving and investing, and vet- erans' benefits. Guest speakers will be Arthur Lambi Jr., certified public accountant, of Arthur Lambi & Associates, and Daniel C. Kuhn, financial adviser, Morgan Stanley, Andrew Nault, an attorney with Walsh, Brule & Nault, and representatives of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The seminar will be held at the American Legion Post 14, 695 Broad St., Cumberland, on Wednesday, March 30, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. All veterans and their spouses are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be provided courtesy of the Cumberland Veteran's Council. IN BRIEF Free seminar for veterans March 30 addresses financial issues PROVIDENCE – State Rep. Michael J. Marcello, a Democrat representing Scituate and Cranston, has introduced legislation (2016-H 7370) that would empower the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority to issue bonds to allow the refinancing and consolidation of existing eligible loans. The bill would also authorize RISLA to purchase and invest in its own bonds and notes. RISLA offers low-cost state-based education loans, free admissions and financial aid assistance through the College Planning Center of Rhode Island, and financial literacy guid- ance at high schools and colleges throughout Rhode Island. RISLA does not receive any funds from the state of Rhode Island. Marcello's legislation was referred to the House Committee on Finance. Marcello aims to ease student debt with SLA legislation Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor are welcome from readers. Please : • Limit to 500 words. Longer letters may appear online only. • Letters on local or state topics and issues will take precedence over those on national issues. • No more than one letter per person every 8 weeks, please. • All letters must be signed and include a hometown. Send by e-mail to: news@valleybreeze.com, or mail to The Valley Breeze, 6 Blackstone Valley Pl, Suite 204, Lincoln, RI 02865. SERVING YOUR DRIVING NEEDS SINCE 1953 Monday-Friday 6:30-5:00 p.m.; Saturday 7:30-12:30 p.m. CLASS LD: Light Duty Inspection Station, (Trucks 8,501 – 15,000 GVW) FULL SERVICE GAS ISLAND ERNIE'S COMPLETE AUTO CARE 401-769-1967 • 90 Winter Street, Manville, RI INSPECTION STATION • Alternators/Starters/Interstate Batteries • Brakes • Oil Change • Exhaust • Struts & Shocks • Tires • A.C. 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