Missouri Farm Bureau
|
Kevin Craig - "Liberty Under God"
|
| Davis-Bacon
Act and Prevailing Wage Laws |
|
| We
believe the Davis-Bacon Act, which requires payment of union scale
wages on any construction project that is being paid for in whole,
or in part, from Federal funds, should be repealed. It is in the
best interest of all concerned, especially the taxpayer, that
projects constructed in the public interest be awarded on a
competitive bid basis with no restrictions as to wage rates paid. We
oppose Missouri's "Prevailing Wage" law for the same
reasons. |
But these federally funded projects are
themselves unconstitutional and destructive of the Free Market. |
| We support
exempting projects in third class counties from Missouri's
prevailing wage law. |
|
| Farm Labor |
|
| We uphold the
right of farm workers to join or not to join a union
by their own conviction. |
|
| We favor
legislation which would allow each state the right to decide whether
agricultural employment should be brought under the National Labor
Relations Act. |
|
| We support
efforts to keep an adequate work force of seasonal agricultural
workers and to attempt to see that employers are not saddled with
unreasonable documentation and record keeping requirements, such as
the current Worker Protection Standards (WPS). |
|
| We believe
some of the restrictions included in the Worker Protection Standards
(WPS) are too stringent and will place undue liability on the
landowner/employer. We believe that Congress should make adjustments
in the WPS that will include limiting the liability of farmers who
make a good-faith effort to comply and limiting the scope of the WPS
to labor intensive crops. |
|
| We support
legislation to repeal the income tax withholding requirements for
farm workers. |
|
| Minimum
Wage |
|
| We
support a federal minimum wage law. However, we call upon
Congress to amend the present Fair Labor Standards Act to exempt
minors from the minimum wage law or provide for a youth
differential. We favor the further recognition of piece-rate
incentives as a factor in farm wage payment. |
Minimum
Wage laws hurt the poor |
| Organized
Labor |
|
| We do not
oppose organized labor, but believe that it is the basic right of
each person to choose his or her occupation without being forced to
join a union. We support legislation that would guarantee this
right. |
|
| We are
opposed to the Federal Government providing welfare aid or
subsistance payments of any kind to workers on strike or their
dependents. |
|
| We believe
that no union or trade group should be allowed to interfere in the
movement of commodities to or from foreign lands. |
|
| Public
Employees |
|
| We urge
strict enforcement of no-strike laws with regard to public
employees. A strike by such employees jeopardizes public safety,
public and private property and public health. |
|
| We believe
that a strike by public employees should be grounds for their
dismissal. In addition, we believe any penalty such as fines imposed
by the judicial system in such a strike should be strictly enforced.
We would favor de-certifying any union which refuses to pay a fine
resulting from a strike by public employees. |
|
| We are
opposed to collective bargaining for public employees. |
|
| Unemployment
Compensation Laws |
|
| Presently
payments into the unemployment compensation fund are made only by
employers. We support requiring both employees and employers to pay
into the fund on an equal basis. |
|
| The current
threshold for determining employer liabilities to the unemployment
fund should be indexed to reflect inflation and wage increases. |
|
| Workers'
Compensation |
|
| We believe
that tightly held family corporations and limited liability
companies should enjoy the same relief from the workers'
compensation law that sole proprietorships and partnerships enjoy
with respect to the right to exempt owners and family members from
required inclusion in the program. |
|