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Pete Stark on Labor Issues
Pete Stark is a tireless champion for the American worker. He believes in the continued right to freely associate and organize and in the power of collective bargaining to create safe and financially stable job opportunities for American workers. Rep. Stark has fought hard over the past three decades to stop the outsourcing of good paying American jobs to foreign countries. He opposes trade agreements and tax loopholes that create incentives for companies to move jobs offshore. He supports increased working standards at home and abroad so that eventually American workers are competing on a level playing field with others around the world.
Pete has been working in Congress to pass the Fair Minimum Wage Act, a bill that would increase the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour. He is also the author of the Paid Family & Medical Leave Act. This bill builds on existing law by adding pay for workers to take up to 12 weeks off from work if they or a family member falls ill. He knows that the only way to make family medical leave a reality for most workers is to assure they are paid during their time off. His legislation is modeled on successful state law in California which provides up to 6 weeks of paid family medical leave.
Two of the biggest issues facing the workforce are the growing costs of childcare and health care. Workers can’t do their jobs if they are sick, or if their children don’t have access to adequate child care. Mr. Stark supports many legislative efforts to improve the quality, availability and affordability of child care in our communities. Pete is also a long time advocate for universal health coverage, and is the author of numerous bills to attain that goal. With a universal health care system there will be more money available for salaries and other non-health fringe benefits.
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