President Obama showed greedy corporations how
workers should be treated by responding to a We The People petition by
federal employees with an executive order giving workers the day after xmas off.
The federal workers argued that they have dealt with
three years of pay freezes and furloughs due to the sequesters, so they
would like the day after xmas off, so that they can have a four
day weekend.
The petition stated,
Federal Employees have dealt with pay freezes
and furloughs over the past few years. Giving federal employees an extra
holiday on Dec. 26th, 2014 would be a good gesture to improve morale of
the federal workforce. Some bases are forcing their employees to take
leave or LWOP because of base shut-downs on this day. This is also
consistent with past practice. President Obama provided a full-day
Monday Dec. 24, 2012 and a half-day off on Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009.
President George W. Bush provided a half-day holiday on Wednesday, Dec.
24, 2002, as well as several full days off the day before or after xmas: Tuesday, December 24, 2001, Thursday, December 26, 2003,
Tuesday, December 24, 2007, and Thursday, December 26, 2008. We urge
President Obama to issue an executive order.
The president responded by issuing an executive order giving federal workers the day after xmas off. It was a nice gesture for workers who have been yanked around for years by the sequester and government shutdown.
This executive order doesn’t help the 25% of American workers who will have to go to work on xmas
and the day after. With income inequality at a historic high, the
concept of holidays off has vanished for millions of workers. Millions
of workers aren’t given the option to work or spend the day with their
families.
It was nice that the president was able to do make
sure that federal workers get a few family days over xmas. What
would be even better is if more companies put aside their greed for a
day, and followed the president’s lead.
Workers are devalued in American culture. People
tout the value of hard work without ever acknowledging the plight of
those who are working hard, but barely getting by.
Our culture must change. If the nation values
families and communities it collectively must stop rewarding greedy
corporate behavior that puts profit ahead of families. Workers deserve a
living wage and a chance at a decent life. The United States has
returned to a Gilded Age level of income inequality and poverty.
In order for change to come the American people must
stop accepting the unacceptable, and stop rewarding the greed of the
few at the top that has fostered a family destroying epidemic of
inequality and poverty.
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