MARY ON THE ISSUES

MINIMUM WAGE

All working families deserve a Living Income. Many working families in NC do not have such an income, and Mary believes it is the responsibility of the Commissioner to work with the expanded community to attain that goal.

Last summer (2007), the General Assembly considered and passed legislation to increase North Carolina’s minimum wage. When the current Labor Commissioner was asked her position, she responded that decision was the responsibility of the General Assembly; she just implemented the laws. While that is literally correct and one can look at the job of Labor Commissioner in that way, Mary does not. The Commissioner is North Carolina’s Chief Executive of the Department who is most responsible for the relationships between employers and employees on such issues. That Chief Executive ought to know that the minimum wage protects workers. She ought to know that there are studies that have calculated the amount of a living income in each of our counties. While it is a complicated subject to discuss how employers and employees are impacted by increases in the minimum wage, Mary believes it is the responsibility of the Commissioner to engage all aspects of government in a discussion about how we individually and collectively accomplish this objective. Mary knows that the wages are only one aspect of that equation. Employer-funded health insurance, other employer benefits, tax credits, and other government benefits all must be considered in establishing the appropriate support for working families while encouraging our current employers to expand their North Carolina operations and encouraging new business to locate here.

COOPERATION AMONG EMPLOYERS AND GOVERNMENT

The larger community must include large and small private business, which are the source of our jobs today and the jobs, which will be created in the rest of this century. Through Commerce and other Executive and Legislative groups, Mary believes we are providing incentives to try to bring the right mix of new business to all parts of our state, but we must make sure that our workers are provided the education to be prepared to work in those businesses and assure they are competitive in the global market place.

TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES

When Director of the Department’s Research and Policy Group during Harry Payne’s term as Commissioner, Mary helped develop proposed regulations to address ergonomic issues. Those regulations recognized that many North Carolina workers are at risk from carpal tunnel syndrome whether they are working in a chicken processing assembly line or at keyboards for most of an eight-hour day. While some may think that such regulations are designed only to protect workers, Mary has met with employers throughout the State and knows that almost all of them are responsible and want a Commissioner who is assuring that the research is done to provide them with the most productive workers, and that means health and safety regulations which keep their employees healthy.

As we see knew and expanding industries, it is important that the Commissioner lead its research group and inspectors to identify the new risks employers and employees will face. With the biotech industry already expanding in our State, Mary knows that The Department’s staff must have the equipment and the training to work with those employers. Mary is convinced that these new industries will want to work with a Commissioner who is committed both to work with other government agencies to provide trained workers and to assure that the Department’s staff understand how the industry protects its workers. Cooperation and training at all levels and in all Departments is the key to attracting businesses with 21st century technologies to provide new opportunities for our workforce.

A NEW APPROACH TO ENFORCEMENT

Mary is concerned that the current Labor Commissioner is not utilizing the Department’s resources appropriately and effectively. As just one example, the current Commissioner announced that she elected not to adopt the ergonomic regulations developed by her predecessor. Mary would assure that appropriate studies are conducted to determine if the current regulations are detecting carpal tunnel injuries and providing employees guaidance and employees protection against these known problems. If not, Mary will assure that the appropriate procedures are followed to determined if those regulations would improve health and safety.

There has also been extensive publicity suggesting that the Commissioner is not undertaking appropriate enforcement where one company has repeatedly violated our health and safety standards. This publicity reflects poorly on the conscientious inspectors in the Department. Mary believes that it is important to elect a new Commissioner who will review these and other enforcement activity. If the policies are deficient, they must be changed. If the enforcement staff do not have sufficient training or personnel, the Commissioner must work with the General Assembly to correct those deficiencies.

The below link provides one example of Mary’s concerns.

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/health_science/story/945916.html

FARMWORKER ISSUES

During the 2007 Session of the General Assembly, our legistlators responsibly funded additional positions to assist in the investigation of working and living conditions for migrant farmworkers. Unfortunately, our current Commissioner did not want that staffing and has shown little interest in understanding the issues for both the farmworkers and our farmer who need those workers. She refused to meet with advocates for farmworkers.

Mary does not believe that any one side has all of the information on these matters, but she does believe that it is the job of the Commissioner to listen to those who have investigated the issues and have a stake in the outcome.

APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

Mary is very proud of her work with the Department in the 1990’s to develop an apprenticeship program. As the jobs change in our communities, the skills of our workers must change. Mary observes that the State has made progress in coordinating between Commerce and the Community Colleges to provide training for the jobs new employers will bring to our communities. But we haven’t gone far enough. It is important for the Commissioner to work with Education, the Governor and the General Assembly to expand significantly vocational training in our high schools. Education and successful employment will enhance our entire State’s financial success and will ripple through every aspect of our society.