The first memo Obama approved said rules Bush promulgated in his final days would be suspended pending review for another 60 days, and those which have not yet been officially published would be yanked.
Among the Bush rules that Obama halted were a scheme to lengthen the number of hours truckers spend consecutively on the road, and a plan to make it harder for workers to show they\'ve been exposed to toxic substances on the job.
They also include rules pushed by business, and adopted by Bush Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, to make it tougher for workers to take family and medical leave and to let their bosses demand workers\' medical records, as well as a proposal for mandatory drug and alcohol testing for almost all coal miners.
Another Bush midnight brainstorm would have added further onerous reporting requirements for local, state and national union officers. The first reports under that rule are due this coming March.
"No proposed or final regulation should be sent to the Office of Federal Register for publication unless and until it has been reviewed and approved by a department or agency head appointed or designated by the President after noon on January 20, 2009, or in the case of the Department of Defense, the Secretary of Defense," the memo, issued by Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said.
The move elated foes of the midnight rules, including the Teamsters – who have opposed Bush\'s years-long efforts to make truckers drive longer hours – the AFL-CIO and the National Partnership for Women and Families. NWPF has led the fight to protect the family and medical leave law. Withdrawal of Bush\'s midnight rules "was one of the recommendations on our transition document, so we\'re very excited about this," said AFL-CIO spokeswoman Alison Omens.
"The new administration should immediately freeze pending regulations to allow for a full review to determine if rules should be modified, withdrawn or implemented," the federation recommended to the Obama team as part of its "Day 1 Priorities" for the new president. The federation also recommended Obama dump Bush rules making it tougher to get Trade Adjustment Assistance – aid to workers who lose their jobs to subsidized foreign imports. Congress has blocked those rules for two years.
Mark Gruenberg writes for Press Associates, Inc., news service. Used by permission.
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The first memo Obama approved said rules Bush promulgated in his final days would be suspended pending review for another 60 days, and those which have not yet been officially published would be yanked.
Among the Bush rules that Obama halted were a scheme to lengthen the number of hours truckers spend consecutively on the road, and a plan to make it harder for workers to show they\’ve been exposed to toxic substances on the job.
They also include rules pushed by business, and adopted by Bush Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, to make it tougher for workers to take family and medical leave and to let their bosses demand workers\’ medical records, as well as a proposal for mandatory drug and alcohol testing for almost all coal miners.
Another Bush midnight brainstorm would have added further onerous reporting requirements for local, state and national union officers. The first reports under that rule are due this coming March.
"No proposed or final regulation should be sent to the Office of Federal Register for publication unless and until it has been reviewed and approved by a department or agency head appointed or designated by the President after noon on January 20, 2009, or in the case of the Department of Defense, the Secretary of Defense," the memo, issued by Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said.
The move elated foes of the midnight rules, including the Teamsters – who have opposed Bush\’s years-long efforts to make truckers drive longer hours – the AFL-CIO and the National Partnership for Women and Families. NWPF has led the fight to protect the family and medical leave law. Withdrawal of Bush\’s midnight rules "was one of the recommendations on our transition document, so we\’re very excited about this," said AFL-CIO spokeswoman Alison Omens.
"The new administration should immediately freeze pending regulations to allow for a full review to determine if rules should be modified, withdrawn or implemented," the federation recommended to the Obama team as part of its "Day 1 Priorities" for the new president. The federation also recommended Obama dump Bush rules making it tougher to get Trade Adjustment Assistance – aid to workers who lose their jobs to subsidized foreign imports. Congress has blocked those rules for two years.
Mark Gruenberg writes for Press Associates, Inc., news service. Used by permission.