AGAIN Senate Votes to Roll Back Worker Protections

On March 8th, we shared that the Senate voted 49-48 to eliminate a regulation requiring federal contractors to disclose and correct safety violations.

Again on March 22nd, the Senate voted against worker protections and work place safety, this time by a 50-48 vote.  In this case, the vote was to nix an OSHA rule that allowed up to five years to penalize a company for failing to report harmful incidents.

Republicans are using the Congressional Review Act to take a hammer to rules instituted under the Obama White House. The law allows them to overturn recently published regulations with a simple majority. 

Democrats counter that Republicans are putting special interests above worker safety.  Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) argued that the move to nix the rule was "shameful."  "The pattern that is emerging is pretty clear. Republicans have no plans to improve the lives of American workers. Quite the opposite. Republicans are increasing the odds that workers will be injured or even killed," she added.  

Congressional Republicans are planning to go after more than a half dozen additional regulations in an attempt to significantly limit the ability of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to protect workers. 

ACTION: Just two votes switching directions would have changed the outcome of the most recent worker safety vote. Look up how your Senator voter on this resolution here. Call them and either thank them for opposing this Resolution and supporting American workers, or tell them how disappointed you are that they put the financial interests of businesses ahead of the safety of workers and that you hope they will support the health and well-being of American workers going forward.

There will be many more votes rolling back important rules to protect Americans in many facets of our everyday lives. We need to stay vigilant to not get bogged down in scandals and corruption charges while Ryan and McConnell dismantle the government.

Source:  http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/325313-senate-nixes-obama-era-workplace-rule