Voters approved sick leave mandate by 58%, but lawmakers are caving to lobbying by the state’s chamber of commerce

Being sick is a costly business for Bill Thompson, who worked in the fast-food industry in Independence, Missouri, for more than 30 years, and recently worked at Guitar Center until early July, when he was laid off as.

“As an older worker, I have health issues from working on my feet and with my hands for many years with no breaks for eight to 10 hours a day. I have done it for 38 years now, living paycheck to paycheck,” 54-year-old Thompson said, noting in Missouri, workers are not mandated breaks of any kind during work.

So when Republicans in Missouri repealed a paid sick leave mandate that the state’s voters approved by 58% after an aggressive lobbying campaign by the Missouri chamber of commerce and industry and other business industry groups, he said, “It was a literal gut punch.”

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[–] 151 points 1 year ago (19 children)

Even on a day where Missourians sort of overwhelmingly voted for Donald Trump, Josh Hawley and Governor Kehoe, they also overwhelmingly voted for an increase in paid sick days.

So they elected candidates who historically have opposed labor protections and government benefits, and then expected to get paid sick leave?

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  • [–] 76 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    Fox news tells them the GOP are pro-worker and the Democrats actually hate America and workers.

    It's infuriating :/

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  • [–] 22 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    There's a lot of lead pipes here still. And massive swaths of empty land that votes against anyone that might try to maintain or replace them via the necessary step of raising taxes.

    Kansas city and St Louis didn't vote for Republicans. Unfortunately both blue patches aren't quite half the States population. But were close enough that there governor is looking to take away our representation.

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  • [–] 14 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    I'm a school bus driver and our shop is union (Teamsters). My coworkers rabidly support our union, but are opposed to all other unions (except police unions of course) including even the teachers' union in our district. They're also mostly MAGA. They're just so fucking clueless about their own self-interest, leaving aside their utter selfishness. Our dispatcher is a lesbian who proudly talks about her wife, and she's the most rabid trumper of them all. I had one painful conversation with her where she insisted that it's the GOP that brought about same-sex marriage.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    KC here... I'm frankly fucking AMAZED we're still not a "Right to Work" state... for how quickly everything else has been overturned blatantly I'm amazed Gov Heehaw didn't find a way to gut it on the way out.

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  • [–] -3 points 1 year ago* (5 children)

    So they elected candidates who historically have opposed labor protections and government benefits

    In the USA, all candidates oppose labor protections and government benefits; it's not as if the Democrats provide relief.

    (min. wage 7.25, no sick leave, no maternity leave, no vacation, fire at will, no union protections, unions down to 10% (from 40% in 70s))

    Both parties are not the same, but they are both pro-corporate and anti-labor

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  • [–] 25 points 1 year ago* (1 child)

    Minimum wage

    Democrats have consistently advocated for its increase. Including a proposal to raise it to $15/hour in the 2024 platform.

    https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/10/07/can-harris-stop-blue-collar-workers-from-defecting-to-donald-trump?

    Paid medical/family leave

    This seems to be mostly determined by states. Several have mandated times. Plus, the Democrats push FAMILY act, which would federally require 12 paid weeks.

    The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act was passed in 2022 - requiring better accommodations for pregnant women.

    Unions

    Democrats push the Protecting the Right to Organize Act - aims to expand collective bargaining rights and strengthen penalties for labor violations.

    Executive actions under Biden:
    Repealed Trump-era EOs that weakened collective bargaining

        Raised the pay floor for federal workers to $15/hour
    
        Appointed pro-union guy to the labor relations board
    

    Pay equity

    Passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2009 and the Paycheck Fairness Act - both attempting more equality in pay.

    Trying to equate the Republicans and Democrats on these issues is absolutely asinine, completely indefensible and based on sheer ignorance. People like you, too lazy to do the slightest research and subsisting on lazy assumptions and memes, are why a convicted pedophile is currently the president.

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  • [+] -8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

    Democrats have consistently advocated for its increase. Including a proposal to raise it to $15/hour in the 2024 platform.

    Yes, they advocate for many things that they will not do. Biden had a majority for two years, proposed it, a few Democrats voted against, and that's that. Did they try to at least raise it a little, say to nine an hour? No, why bother? It's always a few Democrats; Super PACs don't have to pay everybody. Just enough.

    This seems to be mostly determined by states. Several have mandated times. Plus, the Democrats push FAMILY act, which would federally require 12 paid weeks. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act was passed in 2022 - requiring better accommodations for pregnant women.

    That's neat, but did you know that we are surpassed by the entire first world with worker benefits, and now even eastern Europe? That's pro-labor? No. No, it is not. If Poland increases their minimum wage another dollar, they will surpass the USAs "labor party" in results in every way.

    Democrats push the Protecting the Right to Organize Act - aims to expand collective bargaining rights and strengthen penalties for labor violations. Executive actions under Biden: Repealed Trump-era EOs that weakened collective bargaining

    Union membership has fallen down to 10%, from 40% in the 1970s. Union membership does not rise under D administrations, that's a fact.

    Trying to equate the Republicans and Democrats on these issues is absolutely asinine

    They are both pro-business and anti-labor, and anyone who disagrees (specifically you) should be under supervised care and hidden from the public. Japan, Australia, Canada, South Korea, United Kingdom, Western and Eastern Europe all prove that you are wrong. They have real labor parties, not the shallow mockery of one we have in the USA.

    completely indefensible and based on sheer ignorance.

    Only a dimwitted ignoramus would think that the Democrats are "pro-labor" when compared to the rest of civilization as we know it. You bring shame to yourself and your family

    People like you, too lazy to do the slightest research and subsisting on lazy assumptions and memes, are why a convicted pedophile is currently the president.

    People like you will always lick the boot, because you're fine with union membership and pay dropping every year, immune to the suffering of labor all around you in spite of mountains of evidence to the contrary, and eager to believe that things are different than they really are. They should take away your driver's license.

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  • [–] 12 points 1 year ago* (2 children)

    The Democratic party is, but at the local and state levels, there absolutely are progressive, pro-labor Democrats. Whereas all Republicans right now are fascists (the few non-fascists left or were forced out).

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (1 child)

    Yes, local and state is filled with decent progressive Democrats, also socialists, libertarians, green party, and more.

    Federal? One pro-labor Democrat has been allowed to take office, yay.... and she agrees with me (that Democrats have abandoned labor).

    Leadership "allows" them to exist, after all you can't just load them all into work camps. Yet.

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