A real Contract w/America: Kerry's 10-Point Workers' Bill of Rights

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John Kerry Unveils 10-Point Workers' Bill of Rights
Kerry to Focus on Economic Security and Tax Fairness for Working Families

January  07,  2004

For Immediate Release
Manchester, N.H. -

Democratic candidate for President John Kerry came to Bedford, New Hampshire today to outline his plan to protect the interests of working families in the economy he hopes to restore in America. Kerry is building on his message of economic hope and prosperity coming off a major speech in Iowa Monday.


Kerry's today laid out his 10-point Workers' Bill of Rights that will protect working families by providing tax fairness, safe workplaces, and retirement security and establish a White House Director of Family Economic Security to advocate on behalf of America's families.

"I'm running for President to replace George Bush's Special Interest Bill of Privileges with a Workers' Bill of Rights that gives fairness and a real opportunity to get ahead to everyone is willing to do their part," Kerry told the crowd at the New England Council's Politics and Eggs meeting today.  "When I'm in the White House, no one - not matter how powerful and well-connected they are - will get government help to put private profit before the public good.  It's time that somebody in the White House looks out for the worker on the factory floor and corner cubicle and not just the corner office."

Kerry is proposing a Workers' Bill of Rights to ensure that every worker, from cubicle to corner office, has the same protections and rights.  The plan includes:

* A Government that Protects Financial Security
* Allowing Workers to Share in the Prosperity They Help to Create
* A Tax System That is Fair to Workers and Their Families
* Opportunity to Raise Healthy Families
* A Safe and Secure Retirement
* A Fair and Safe Workplace
* Overtime Pay for Overtime Work
* Opportunity for Fair and Equal Pay
* Access to Affordable Health Care
* Fair Trade Agreements With Adequate Worker Protections

"As President, I will create a new senior post in the White House - a Director of Family Economic Security - a Pocketbook Watchdog in the White House - as the focal point of tough action to guard working Americans' pensions and retirement, to protect their personal information from identify theft, to ensure fair lending and housing, and to help people to build wealth and savings over a lifetime," Kerry said. "To fill this new position, I will appoint a powerful advocate whose job - morning, noon, and night - will be to look out for the everyday investors who are too often exploited to benefit a powerful few."

The speech is part of Kerry's two-day swing through the Granite State where he will visit worksites and talk one on one with New Hampshire workers about his plan to expand economic opportunity for working families. Kerry and his Real Deal Express will travel across the Granite State, meeting with workers and voters in Stratham, Merrimack, Concord, Manchester, Barrington, and Dover to discuss specific points in his plan to protect American workers. At each meeting, the discussion will focus on one or more of points in Kerry's plan.

"I'm running in 2004 to fight for Americans who need a President on their side.  Unlike George Bush, I believe America's strength doesn't just come from captains of industry or corporate leaders on the cover of Fortune," Kerry said. "I believe it flows from the dedication and productivity of millions whose lifestyles aren't rich or famous but who work hard and do what's right.  They get up each morning, go to work, raise their children and pay their taxes.  They don't ask for special favors or special recognition.  They simply want fairness."

Full speech and Bill details at www.johnkerry.com

[bigtree]

1. I like the way Sen. Kerry took on Bush

for his statements encouraging businesses to find ways around overtime. He is squarely on the side of the American worker. His commitment throughout his career to these and other issues is impressive.

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2. This is a GREAT hook for the election.

It doesn't rely on the economic numbers falling or rising, it directly effects every worker's QUALITY OF LIFE and PEACE OF MIND.

Hurray for a simple, effective plan. Wellstone would have LOVED this.

[Karmadillo]

3. Thanks for posting this. Kerry is getting

better and better. If he can connect with those who "work hard and do what's right", those who wrote him off may find they wrote too soon.

[sallyseven]

5. Keep you eye on him

He is honest. He will do the right thing. I know in my heart of hearts he would make a good president,. No flowery nonsense. Just good solid legislation. No anger just honesty in government. I trust him and always have.

[blm]

11. They wrote him off for the wrong reasons.

They believed a corporatist leopard governor changed his spots. Or rather had most of his spots sealed for 10 years.

[sandnsea]

4. Always looking to the future

This is the basis of a Democratic platform and is exactly what we need in order to pass on the kind of country to our kids that was passed on to us. He's got all the right ideas, hope the voters will take just a few minutes to listen.

[cryofan]

6. Kucinich is my man, but Kerry is a better choice than Dean

I like it!

If you won't vote for Kucinich, you should vote for Kerry (or possibly Clark or Gephardt).

[blm]

10. Thanks...I know you're very progressive

and a staunch Kucinich supporter, so your opinion means alot .

[JI7]

14. thanks for taking another look at kerry

i know you had questions about him. but i'm glad you are willing to take a look at his record and current plans. i like kucinich also.

[rucky]

7. That's all anybody's asking for.

Thanks, Kerry! THIS is how you connect with voters.

Now that you've got my attention, I'd like to see the details. I'd also like to see the phrase "living wage" mentioned by someone at some point.

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9. The full details are at this link

http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/workers/billofrights.html

btw...Kerry was picketing with maintenance workers in Boston a couple years back while they were asking for living wages.

He has maintained for years that the minimum wage should be indexed to the cost of living so it is taken OUT of the political arena and stopped from being used as a political football for either side.

THAT is a common sense solution and FAIR.

[flpoljunkie]

8. Kerry coming on strong when it matters. He will fight for worker's rights!

Kerry is proposing a Workers' Bill of Rights to ensure that every worker, from cubicle to corner office, has the same protections and rights.  The plan includes:

* A Government that Protects Financial Security
* Allowing Workers to Share in the Prosperity They Help to Create
* A Tax System That is Fair to Workers and Their Families
* Opportunity to Raise Healthy Families
* A Safe and Secure Retirement
* A Fair and Safe Workplace
* Overtime Pay for Overtime Work
* Opportunity for Fair and Equal Pay
* Access to Affordable Health Care
* Fair Trade Agreements With Adequate Worker Protections

We need a president who we can be sure will fight for the public interest against the entrenched special interests. Kerry has spent a liftime fighting for the public interest.

[Scott Lee]

12. 11) If you need to hide tax money off shore......

sorry, couldn't resist.

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13. It wasn't hiding. That stuff was legal back then. He took a loss just

to get out of it because he was uncomfortable with it. That's called being ethical. He later supported legislation regulating those areas that had been previously unregulated.

Thanks to him and what he learned about those banking practices and others he uncovered BCCI and IranContra. THAT'S what a real patriot does, Scott Lee.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

15. All excellent proposals. My only suggestion would be

that he needs to state the policies more vividly and specifically. He comes precariously close to Gore's often-repeated but ultimately hard to get a handle on phrase "policies that benefit working families."

For example, I would restate "a safe and secure retirement" as "saving Social Security and cracking down on pension fund mismanagement" and "a fair and safe workplace" as "guaranteeing the right to organize and enforcing workplace health and safety laws."

In fact "overtime pay for overtime work" is the only proposal that is specific enough.

[blm]

16. The detailed bill is at his site.

Thanks for checking it out, and if you have any more ideas send them to his campaign office.