Interesting facts
from the AFL-CIO

*From 1989 to 1997, the number of temporary workers employed by temporary agencies increased from 1.3 million to 2.4 million.

*Thirty percent (30%) of the workforce hold non-traditional jobs (part-time, temporary, on-call and independent contracting.) The vast majority of part-time and temporary workers receive little or no benefits.

*Independent contractors is a term probably most of us are not familiar with in respect to the labor movement. Companies are using contractors as a way of getting around identifying them as employees thereby saving on pension and health benefits.

*An independent contractor is defined as one who obtains their own clients and customers to whom they supply goods or services. Independent contractors account for 8.5 million workers. Only three percent (3%) of workers classified as contractors receive health or pension benefits.

*In Maryland, Delaware and Virginia, hundreds of chicken catchers employed by Perdue Farms became "independent contractors" when Perdue reclassified them. After the reclassification, the employees were no longer entitled to overtime, medical or pension benefits, vacation or profit-sharing options.

*In many careers in which women work, they are paid at a lower wage scale than their male counterparts. It is reported that women earn 74 cents for every dollar men earn. Clearly that is wrong and we should support equal pay equity.

In unity there is strength.

B.J. McNelis (L-1594)
14600 Detroit Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44107-4250
Voice (216) 228-9400
Home (440) 930-8689
Fax (216) 228-5755
E-Mail: C_McGint@utu.org