Word: bill
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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During his 14 years in the Senate, Biden has dug deep into a few issues that engage him, such as the SALT II treaty and the 1984 omnibus crime bill, which he helped steer to enactment through liberal-conservative cross fire. But he has never become a recognized leader on any single large question. He has a short attention span, say his critics. He is eclectic, reply his supporters. He has ambitions that the Senate hierarchy could not satisfy, chorus...
...most hotly debated proposals is a Senate bill introduced by Ohio Democrat Howard Metzenbaum. It would force companies to notify unions up to six months in advance of plant closings and substantial layoffs. A version that passed the House Labor Committee last week goes even further, requiring employers to consult with unions before making such decisions. "With advance notice, workers can begin to look for new jobs," says AFL-CIO Secretary- Treasurer Thomas Donahue. But critics charge that the bills would sharply limit management's flexibility. In an editorial, the Detroit News called the legislation "Metzen-bomb." Executives at Pittsburgh...
Equally controversial is a bill that would prohibit the widespread construction-industry practice known as "double-breasting," in which companies operate two subsidiaries, one unionized and the other nonunion. Critics charge that this practice is merely a way for firms to circumvent collective-bargaining agreements. If the proposed bill passes, these companies would have to choose to be either exclusively union or nonunion. Labor leaders believe the law would produce more unionized shops, but some companies indicate they might try to shut out their unions. Such is the case at Phelps Inc., a 2,000-employee construction firm based...
Nearly 3.5 million Americans could be directly affected by a bill that would raise the minimum wage nearly 40%, to $4.65 an hour, by 1990. Supporters note that the minimum has been $3.35 since 1981. Opponents argue that such a law would discourage firms from hiring unskilled young workers...
Another costly bill that makes businesses queasy is Kennedy's plan to require them to pay at least 80% of employees' insurance premiums for hospital care, physicians' fees and diagnostic tests. Says John Sweeney, president of the 850,000-member Service Employees International Union of the AFL-CIO: "The bill promises relief for low-wage earners, part-time workers and taxpayers who have had to pick up the tab" for medical costs. But the bill would lay a new $20 billion-a-year burden on businesses, which currently are not required to offer health-care benefits...