Shocker: A Governor Scores a Big Victory for Workers' Rights

This year, we've been inundated with news of states stripping collective bargaining rights, slashing unemployment benefits, and generally reducing workers' rights. Connecticut, however, is bucking the trend.

Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy, a Democrat, announced on Tuesday that Connecticut will be the first state in the nation to mandate paid sick leave for employees. Malloy's bill says companies with 50 or more employees have to allow workers to accumulate an hour of sick leave per 40 hours worked, and the bill is expected to impact as many as 300,000 workers in Connecticut.

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Workers like Cheryl Folston were joined by business leaders like Louis Lista, owner of the Pond House Cafe in Elizabeth Park. He provides paid sick days because it wouldn’t be fair to his employees to make them work sick and would be bad business to put customers at risk of getting ill from sick workers. Louis told legislators he found that paid sick days saved money in the long run because of reduced turnover. He has dishwashers who’ve been on staff for more than five years—a rarity in the food service industry.

link:
http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/07/shocker-governor-scores-big-victory-workers-rights

This is the sort of issue where you need to take everything you can. These benefits will be so unpopular for politicians to take away, it will be almost impossible. While I think the "50 employee" limit is a little high, that's something that can be modified in the future. A lot of times slippery slope arguments are bogus, but in this case hopefully it's applicable.

I also am sure that Jon Green is right. Eventually employers will see that it's actually better for them if sick employees stay home. It's better for morale, and will stop the spread of disease, probably resulting in higher productivity.

Finally, a Governor with vision!

Recommended.

:kick: & Rec !!!

into Governor Malloy before you cheer for him since he is about to lay off between 5500-7500 state employees to help balance the state budget after the various state employee unions voted against the deal he offered them.

But on this issue I will cheer for him quite loudly

kandr.

NOW LETS PUT IT ON A NATIONAL LEVEL

:sarcasm: