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Dismembering the Sabbath in Wisconsin
Washington Monthly ^ | March 20, 2015 2:50 PM | Ed Kilgore

Posted on 03/21/2015 2:27:34 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

You’d think Wisconsin Republicans would reward themselves with some rest after pulling off—via a great deal of misdirection from Scott Walker—the enactment of a southern-style “right to work” law banning union shop agreements reached via voluntary free-market contract negotiations. But no: as The Nation’s Moshe Marvit explains, Badger State GOPers are back with a bill to revoke the right to a day off after seven days of labor.

The new bill, which is being sponsored by Republican Van Wanggaard in the State Senate alongside [Rep. Mark] Born in the Assembly, would add a provision to the “day of rest” law that could effectively nullify it. The bill would create an exemption that would allow employees to “voluntarily choose” to slave away for seven days in a row without at least twenty-four hours of rest.

Yeah, right, it’s “voluntary” because employers and employees are free agents conducting arms-length negotiations across a level bargaining table.

As Marquette University law professor Paul Secunda explained, the idea “completely ignores the power dynamic in the workplace, where workers often have a proverbial gun to the head.” Indeed, the reason Wisconsin had passed a “day of rest” law in the first place was because employers had been abusing employees by pressing them to work too many days without break. “Now this bill will force many workers to strike a bargain with the devil,” Secunda said.

Speaking of the devil, I don’t know about the religious views of the bill’s prime sponsors, but before it reaches his desk someone needs to remind the conservative evangelical Governor of Wisconsin of that item in the Decalogue about “remembering the Sabbath and keeping it holy.” Those Republicans who worship at the Church of the Golden Calf are important to his presidential ambitions, I suppose, but it’s going to be hard for him to pose as a “populist” if he’s for getting rid of the Sabbath and the weekend as protected areas of family life.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: economy; jobs; scottwalker; union; unions; wi; wis; wisconsin; work
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

What about the Sabbath day rest in the Bible Hebrews 4:9-13 There remains, then a sabbath - rest for he people of God, for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitude of he heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

You go to many businesses including hospitals the shifts are now 12 hours. The business environment is changing in that working hours are more in term of hours but less in terms of days. Many of a person must work a least one weekend a month in many businesses. What is the big deal that Walker wants to have workers have flexibility? I believe the presentation of Walkers desire is being distorted by the union, big government and the evil stupid democrats whom care less about God and more about control.


21 posted on 03/21/2015 4:49:07 AM PDT by hondact200 (Candor dat viribos alas (sincerity gives wings to strength) and Nil desperandum (never despair))
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

The only jobs that you truly can’t walk away from involve a government pay check.


22 posted on 03/21/2015 4:55:13 AM PDT by SampleMan (Feral Humans are the refuse of socialism.)
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To: hondact200

Hospitals are a different story, but for the life of me I can’t understand why a factory would have to operate seven days a week to begin with. As a business owner I wouldn’t even open my doors on Sunday, let alone require employees to come to work.


23 posted on 03/21/2015 4:56:27 AM PDT by Alberta's Child ("It doesn't work for me. I gotta have more cowbell!")
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
I don't see what the big deal is all about. I work in a union shop in Wisconsin, the unions actually waive the one day rest in seven requirement. I have worked many, many seven day work weeks back to back. In fact, all of the jobs I have had in Wisconsin were union jobs, and every one of them had signed wavers for the one day in seven requirement.
24 posted on 03/21/2015 5:10:26 AM PDT by MRadtke (Light a candle or curse the darkness?)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

How many states have a mandatory “day of rest” law? Probably not very many. Next, they’ll blame Walker for the snow in spring.


25 posted on 03/21/2015 5:11:38 AM PDT by txrefugee
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To: Alberta's Child

Large industrial operations like paper mills run very inefficiently if they have to shut down and start up often. It is more efficient to operate 24/7 and pay overtime than it is to shut down and start up once a week.

An exception is a foundry that I worked at, they shut down every weekend. But foundries are VERY maintenance intensive, and the maintenance crews work seven days a week.


26 posted on 03/21/2015 5:14:41 AM PDT by MRadtke (Light a candle or curse the darkness?)
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To: hondact200
I believe the presentation of Walkers desire is being distorted by the union, big government and the evil stupid democrats whom care less about God and more about control

The motivation is a simple hatred of Walker by the left and the media (I repeat myself). They have spent millions of dollars and many hours trying to defeat Walker in Wisconsin. They will do anything to keep him out of the White House. The Wisconsin media delivers daily hit pieces on Walker.

27 posted on 03/21/2015 5:15:06 AM PDT by Senator_Blutarski
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

WI has/had a law against working Sunday? Of was it just against working more than 6 days straight?

I’ve never heard of such a thing.

I have a brother that works in a steel mill, and has worked 12 hrs/7 days for several years without a day off.

I think he is insane, but it’s his choice.


28 posted on 03/21/2015 5:36:11 AM PDT by Beagle8U (NOTICE : Unattended children will be given Coffee and a Free Puppy.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Remember the Sabbath
by Dennis Prager
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKsvLpJxVTA


29 posted on 03/21/2015 5:36:11 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; We need a second party!)
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To: Senator_Blutarski; All
".......Stephanie Bloomingdale, secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO in Wisconsin, said the activists who hound Walker know they also risk increasing his appeal to Republicans.

“Sitting quietly on the couch with a sad face isn't going to help either,” she said." - Wherever Walker campaigns, protesters follow - March 20, 2015

30 posted on 03/21/2015 5:42:35 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Alberta's Child

“Hospitals are a different story, but for the life of me I can’t understand why a factory would have to operate seven days a week to begin with.”

Some machinery/equipment never shuts down, it would be stupid to not be producing product part of that time.

A factory full of machinery that cost 500K-1 million or more each can’t set idle and pay for itself.

A bakery, foundry, steel mill, power plant, and many others never shut down.


31 posted on 03/21/2015 5:56:41 AM PDT by Beagle8U (NOTICE : Unattended children will be given Coffee and a Free Puppy.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
It must be a legacy from the days of Beatlemania.

The Beatles had a song called "Eight Days a Week."

32 posted on 03/21/2015 7:37:26 AM PDT by Verginius Rufus
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

” Yeah, right, it’s “voluntary” because employers and employees are free agents conducting arms-length negotiations across a level bargaining table.”

But adding a thug (the government) with a gun on one of the negotiating member makes it a level bargaining table.


33 posted on 03/21/2015 7:41:35 AM PDT by aquila48
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

This hypocrite invokes the word “Sabbath “. I’m willing to bet he hasn’t set foot in a church in years.


34 posted on 03/21/2015 7:44:25 AM PDT by aquila48
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To: silverleaf

The irreligious and modern atheists “get all snicky” as you put it about all sorts of things they inherited from Judaism or Christianity without realizing it (the expectation that the world is intelligible and regular in its workings, and thus empirical science is feasible; the modern notion of personhood; the modern notion of human rights, including equality before the law; the abolition of slavery; and yes, a day off every seven days, or maybe two — Sabbaton and Kyriaki, the sabbath and the Lord’s Day).

The rhythm of the seven day week with a sabbath seems to be genuinely good for human beings. The “rational” French Revolutionaries tried a calendar with divisions into ten days and it didn’t work.


35 posted on 03/21/2015 7:45:02 AM PDT by The_Reader_David (And when they behead your own people in the wars which are to come, then you will know...)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

The real essence of this piece is not about having a day off but about business bashing and the helpless worker.

In his mind business owners would treat all workers like slaves, and the workers are totally impotent and if they want to eat they have to knuckle under and toe the line.

What the idiot doesn’t realize is that it is the thing that he’s against that frees and empowers the worker - free market and competition.

Most labor laws are no different than price fixing laws.


36 posted on 03/21/2015 7:58:47 AM PDT by aquila48
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Union workers already have five days of rest, Monday through Friday. They must be complaining about the Saturdays and Sundays when they’re expected to do work around the house.


37 posted on 03/21/2015 11:01:30 AM PDT by DPMD
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