Hopal wrote:Louisianan wrote:Speaker Pro Tempore: "The Aye's have it. The Chair invites Mr. Douglas to the floor to introduce the bill."
Representative Richard Douglas
[Democratic-Farmer-Labor - 4th District of Minnesota]
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today far too many Americans work with conditions that are unsafe and that endangers their own life. They are put in these working conditions without regard to their well being or will, they work there because they have to. As they often can't find any other job, and are forced into applying for these job, only so they can make some money for their families and themselves. But these jobs don't even pay awfully too much as the purpose of them is to exploit workers and to make as much profit as possible for greedy overlords, corporations, or employers. They leave these workers in danger and unaccounted for because they want to make profit, this is an intentionality of the system. I have seen it myself, my father worked in a coal mine in Northern Minnesota and I have seen the atrocious and inhuman working conditions that people are left in. So we must make it up for the American people, we must fight to unsure they can live and work in peace and safety, not having worry if they'll come from work."
"This bill attempts to do just that, laying out a framework for the Department of Labor to investigate unsafe workplaces. It gives the Department of Labor the authority to investigate any workplace that they may see as being possibly unsafe, as well as giving the workers the ability to report workplaces that are unsafe to the Department of Labor for investigation. It gives workers the ability to report their workplaces anonymously to give employers less of a chance of finding out and punishing workers for reporting unsafe workplaces, as well as empowering workers and making them feel secure when reporting. It also requires local municipalities to investigate workplaces every once in a while to make they are safe and meet safety requirements and labor standards. It also gives the Department of Labor more authority while conducting investigations so that they can make a more through and accurate investigations not allowing employers to hide unsafe practices. It also lays out possible consequences for employers for failing these investigations and being found of having unsafe practices and working conditions. All of this is meant to discourage workplaces from employing unsafe practices and working conditions creating safer workplaces and better conditions for workers."
Speaker Pro Tempore: "Questioning period has begun."
