FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, February 18, 1997
CONTACT: 202-456-7035
VICE PRESIDENT GORE SENDS MESSAGE TO BUSINESSES:
Record of Labor Relations and Employment Practices Counts in Contracting
LOS ANGELES, CA - In remarks to the AFL-CIO Executive Council, Vice President Gore today (2/18) pledged that the federal government will change its rules on federal contracting to take into account businesses' record of labor relations and employment practices and policies.
"How you treat your employees and how you treat unions counts with us. If you want to do business with the federal government, you'd better maintain a safe workplace and respect civil, human and union rights," Vice President Gore said.
The Vice President said the old rules allowed federal contractors to get reimbursed for the costs of trying to persuade employees not to join unions and fighting unfair labor practices allegations. "But today, we're going to start changing those rules because they're just plain wrong. The larger principle is clear: the right to organize and the right to strike are fundamental - and nobody's tax dollars should be spent undermining these rights."
The Vice President promised the Administration's commitment to flextime and to fighting proposed measures that attempt to silence labor's voice in the political process. He reiterated President Clinton's pledges to veto any bills that gut worker protections, permit sham unions, or repeal the Davis Bacon or Service Contracts Act.
"If employees work hard and play by the rules, they ought to be able to share in the prosperity of the country. And unions are a crucial part. They are critical to helping reverse the trend toward inequality. They are essential to making sure that every worker has the chance to lead a decent life," Vice President Gore said.
# # #