For Immediate Release
Monday, July 08, 1996
AFSCME President Takes Stand Against "Wisconsin Works" Welfare Reform
Washington —With only days before the public comment period ends, Gerald W. McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO, today again took a stand against the controversial "Wisconsin Works," or "W-2" welfare reform plan recently signed by Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson. Under the plan, Wisconsin has requested that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) waive provisions that guarantee displacement protections for government and other employees while denying coverage under labor laws for welfare recipients working under the program.
"While we support the goal of constructing welfare programs which move welfare recipients into jobs," McEntee said, "W-2 raises serious concerns about retaining the safety net and protecting the wages and working conditions of all low-wage workers."
Of particular concern to AFSCME are waivers requested by the state that would allow filling job vacancies with welfare recipients, would allow private companies to administer the new program, and would deny labor law protections for welfare recipients working under W-2.
At its 32nd biennial convention in Chicago, more than 3,000 AFSCME members sent letters to HHS stating their strong concerns about the controversial proposal.
"It is critical that real jobs paying real wages and benefits continue to be protected from becoming transient, three to six month work slots at subminimum wages, whether or not an employee is in that job at that particular moment," McEntee said. "We must protect these jobs so unsubsidized employment will exist for welfare recipients and other unemployed people.
"AFSCME's position remains unchanged, that all anti-displacement protections contained in federal law -- including protecting unfilled vacancies -- should not be waived. HHS should deny this waiver request," McEntee said.
The W-2 proposals also include establishing different work categories for welfare recipients working in "community service jobs," (CSJ) and "transitional jobs" (W-2 T). Under the plan, these workers could be excluded from coverage under numerous labor laws, and denied eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). W-2 does not specifically establish CSJ workers as "employees," and in many respects would deny them the same rights as other employees in the state.
"The right of welfare recipients in work programs to coverage under the Fair Labor Standards Act is one of the many labor protections which should be afforded these workers," McEntee said. "In addition, coverage under the Family and Medical Leave Act, occupational safety and health laws and unemployment compensation must also be firmly established for these workers."
"We continue to urge HHS to deny these waiver requests by the state of Wisconsin so that these vital worker protections can be maintained," McEntee concluded.
AFSCME, whose 1.3 million members include some 100,000 social service workers, is the nation's largest public employee and health care workers union.
