Bush Visit Could Cost Some Omaha Workers a Day's Pay

Stop on President's Tax Cut Tour Aimed at Neb. Senator Would Close Plant for Most of Two Shifts

By Mike Allen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, May 11, 2003; Page A09


SANTA FE, N.M., May 10 -- About 340 workers at an Omaha plastics factory will lose pay or have to work next Saturday to make up for time lost during a visit by President Bush on Monday to promote his "jobs and growth plan," their boss said today.

Brad Crosby, president of Airlite Plastics Co., said about 170 of his workers will lose a full day's pay and another 170 will be docked for part of their pay for Monday unless they make up the time they spend attending Bush's speech.

Airlite, which will shut down for its first shift and part of the second shift to provide a photogenic backdrop for Bush's speech, will be the Monday afternoon stop on a two-day swing by Bush to pressure senators to support a large tax cut as the measure heads to the Senate floor. Bush will stand near a production line that makes polystyrene containers for shipping steak, vaccines and other goods.

"Since we have another shift that will have to work, it would be difficult to just give credit to the people who didn't work while they were attending the event," Crosby said in a telephone interview. "The really good option was just to offer the chance to work on Saturday. We feel that's a more fair approach."

Airlite's plans were reported in today's Omaha World-Herald. It was the second time this week that Bush's aggressive schedule of photo opportunities brought unwanted publicity. Several Democrats on Capitol Hill complained last week that the president's May Day speech on an aircraft carrier had been a political use of military assets.

Crosby said he spoke to several of the company's 510 hourly workers about the decision this morning, and they were not concerned. "They're just thrilled about the visit," he said.

A White House official declined comment except to say that Bush looks forward to talking to the people of Nebraska about his plan to "put money in their pockets."

Bush said in his prerecorded radio address today that his message in his travels next week "will be simple: The surest way to grow this economy and create jobs is to leave more money in the hands of the people who earn it."

In the Democratic response, Gov. James E. McGreevey (N.J.) called for a "return to the days of balanced budgets, responsible spending and investments -- investments in education, roads and small businesses."

The president and first lady Laura Bush are spending the weekend in Santa Fe at the home of Roland W. Betts, a New York developer who was a Bush fraternity brother at Yale University and his partner when he owned the Texas Rangers baseball team.

Bush golfed today at a course beneath the snow-capped Rockies, and joshed coyly with reporters when they lobbed their customary questions at the first tee.

"When I say I'm not answering questions, it means I'm not going to answer questions," Bush said. "But thank you for asking. I understand you're trying to do your job." Later, when a reporter tried to ask about golf and began, "Uhhhh," Bush scolded, "I don't think you heard me correctly."

Highlighting different parts of his economic proposal, Bush will speak to small-business owners near Albuquerque on Monday, then hold a roundtable with families at Airlite in Nebraska before heading to Indianapolis, where he will meet with seniors on Tuesday. Bush's aides describe Omaha as the most crucial stop, since Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) has become their top lobbying target on the tax cut package.

Nelson said in an interview that he plans to push Bush to support a package that includes aid to states, including block grants for social services and a higher federal reimbursement rate for Medicaid.

Bush refers to Nelson as "Nellie," and the senator said he plans to try to renegotiate his nickname during the motorcade ride from the airport to Airlite. "I'd like something a little more macho," Nelson said. "Maybe 'Rocky' or 'Hunter.' "

© 2003 The Washington Post Company

Well, the decent thing to do would probably be to ask the workers if they wanted to participate in it and, as a result, loose money or do overtime, or let them choose not to participate and not loose money or have to do overtime. I would feel very bad if i was to be (uhm, how shall i put this) 'punished', for a lack of a better word, for something i have no control over.

Sounds to me like they get their choice.
1. Take a vacation day, and miss the pay.
2. Go see Bush speak if you like.
3. Work on Saturday if you want to make up the money.

An all-around fair deal. Some people pay thousands to see the president speak.

What if I do not want to take a vacation day or work on a saturday, due to a politician forcing my workplace to shutdown for a photo op? Personally I would not pay 2 cents to see Bush give a speech [img]tongue.gif[/img]

But not the choice to be able to do their regular jobs on the time they were expecting to do it. It's either go to see him and loose money or be punished by either loosing pay or working overtime. At least i think that if they go see him, then they should be paid. Those workers are still offering up their time, in wich they could have earned money for something they probably didn't ask for.

It says in the article hardly any of the workers have a problem with the choices...they want to see Bush speak, I guess...

<font color=deepskyblue>A few important points I noticed.

1) Most of the workers affected said they were not upset about the situation. So if the people being affected are not upset, I don't see much of a problem.

2) I heard on the radio this morning that Airlite IS offering employees the opportunity to skip the President's speech and work their regular shift in another factory next to the one being used by the President. So if <font color=orange>J.R.</font> or <font color=red>Rokenn</font> were employees of Airlite, they would be able to work their regular shift at their regular time without losing any pay or a Saturday in the deal. ;) </font>

[ 05-12-2003, 01:08 PM: Message edited by: Cerek the Barbaric ]

<font color="#f683ad">While I would appreciate a "business man" who would see this chance as a patriotic and historical event and donate time to it for his employees....it is thispersons business and he should not HAVE to pay for his employees to do something non-work related...</font>

What if I do not want to take a vacation day or work on a saturday, due to a politician forcing my workplace to shutdown for a photo op? Personally I would not pay 2 cents to see Bush give a speech [img]tongue.gif[/img] </font>[/QUOTE]<font color="#f683ad">The "Politician" didn't do squat. The business owner is the one calling the shots. The president didn't just tell the onwer...ok shut down your plant I want to grand stand (this next bit isn't just aimed at Rokenn)...sheesh cant you rabid anti-bush people have any perspective at all??

Oh and by the way, as is mentioned int he ORIGINAL article...the people may work their regular shift in a NEAR by plant. </font>

[ 05-12-2003, 01:09 PM: Message edited by: MagiK ]

Sure, as soon as you rabid pro-bush people show some [img]tongue.gif[/img]