Obama delivered a Labor Day speech in Boston, where he traveled to unveil a new executive order he signed forcing companies who contract with the federal government to provide paid sick leave to their employees.
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“I’m calling on Congress: take a cue from the rest of the world, work together in a bipartisan fashion, find a way to make paid family and medical leave a reality for all Americans”, he said.
According to the Obama administration an estimated 44 million workers in the private sector or about 40% of all of the workforce in the private sector do not have paid sick leave.
“Not only is it in the best interest of the employee to take care of themselves or their family member, it benefits their colleagues and employers”, DeLauro said in a press release. Democrats introduced the bill in both the House (H.R. 932) and Senate (S. 479) earlier this year, but it has not moved forward under a Republican-dominated Congress.
This year’s Labor Day weekend had glimpses of 2016 US Presidential candidates at their hardworking best to continue garnering support from USA residents all over. So far, Obama has upped the minimum wage for workers on federal contracts to $10.10, banned contractors from retaliating against employees who discuss their compensation, and established protections for gay, lesbian, and transgender employees at federal contractors.
Obama has signed little over 200 such orders, and at the current rate gives them out less frequently than any other president dating back to Grover Cleveland, according to the University of California’s American Presidency Project.
And he warned Republicans against shutting down the government at the end of the month by insisting on defunding Planned Parenthood – a brewing battle among conservatives that GOP leadership is trying to tamp down. The President seemingly chose Boston for his announcement because Massachusetts approved similar paid sick leave legislation past year.
And Vice President Joe Biden, who is considering entering the Democratic presidential primary, was to echo the labor rights theme in a march with AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on Monday at a Labor Day parade in Pittsburgh.
“Even Brady’s happy he’s got a union”, said Mr Obama, to laughs and applause in Boston.
Neither the president nor officials in his administration have specified the price tag of extending paid sick leave, but the order itself portrays the regulations in terms of cost savings. Glen Broussard of Lafayette says it’s a win-win for all Americans.
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“We have to do better, and we can do better”, said White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett during a press call Sunday.
