[nfb-talk] My reasons for reconsideration of joining the NFB, please read.

[Michael Capelle]

Hello.
This is going to be a long post, and a lot of heads will turn, I'm sure.
For many years, a lot of people will know, that I was heavilly involved 
in the American Council of the Blind, (ACB). Well, this years convention 
definitely decided for me, read on, and you will find out why. Now, 
before I continue, I want everyone to remember, that I'm not trying to 
bash ACB, just speaking my opinion. First of all, the biggest complaint 
I had, was I felt the conference/convention was very disorganized. The 
roll call of states, seemed very disorganized, and honestly, the "fat" 
jokes were getting very old. Then, on monday, the door prize people were 
not even ready, to hand out door prizes. I just felt it was not good as 
in previous years. Now, on to the biggest complaint. as some of you 
know, we are in the process of passing a bill, for the subminimum wages. 
Basically, making it illegal to pay blind persons less money then their 
sighted colleagues. The following information, below, is taken from the 
publication. The NFB, (national Federation of the Blind) definitely 
supports this, and so do I, again, see below.
Voice of the Nation's Blind
National Federation of the Blind Logo
Marc Maurer, President
200 East Wells Street
at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, MD 21230
Phone 410 659 9314 Fax 410 685 5653
www.nfb.org
The Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act of 2011
H.R. 3086
Disabled workers have been unfairly excluded from the federal minimum 
wage for 74 years, and today over 300,000 disabled workers are working 
for subminimum wages.
Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) discriminates 
against people with disabilities. This section allows the Secretary of 
Labor to grant special wage certificates to employers, permitting them 
to pay their workers with disabilities less than the minimum wage, often 
in sheltered work environments. In some instances disabled workers are 
being paid pennies per hour.
This discrimination is rooted in low expectations based on 
misconceptions about the capabilities of disabled people. The law 
falsely implies that people with disabilities cannot be productive 
employees, and subminimum wage employers prey on society’s misconception 
that disabled people are incapable of being competitively employed. In 
reality, when provided the proper rehabilitation training and tools, 
workers with disabilities can be productive and financially independent.
Subminimum wage supports an outdated business model that fosters the 
underemployment of workers with disabilities. Section 14(c) was only to 
be used “to the extent necessary to prevent curtailment of 
opportunities” for employment of people with disabilities. Instead, 
subminimum-wage sheltered workshops have eroded into day custody 
centers, limiting opportunities for workers with disabilities ever to 
transition into integrated, competitive work. These institutions instill 
a philosophy of incapacity, which becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy 
resulting in long-term underemployment.
The sheltered work system is a cash cow for the subminimum wage 
employer. Many employers insist that paying the minimum wage to disabled 
employees would result in lack of profitability and a reduction in their 
workforce, but most benefit from philanthropic donations, preferred 
status when bidding on federal contracts, and federal funding. Moreover, 
while their disabled workers receive subminimum wages that are 
subsidized by Social Security and public assistance, some workshop 
executives are earning salaries far above industry norms. The economics 
overwhelmingly favor subminimum wage employers, encouraging the 
perpetuation of subminimum wage employment and leaving workers with 
disabilities little to no choice for real employment.
The Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act of 2011:
Discontinues the practice of issuing special wage certificates. The 
secretary of labor will no longer issue special wage certificates to new 
applicants.
Phases out all remaining special wage certificates over a 3-year period. 
Entities currently holding special wage certificates will begin 
compensating their workers with disabilities at no less than the federal 
minimum wage, using the following schedule:
•
private for-profit entities’ certificates will be revoked after 1 year;
•
public or governmental entities’ certificates will be revoked after 2 
years; and
•
non-profit entities’ certificates will be revoked after 3 years.
Repeals Section14(c) of the FLSA. Three years after the law is enacted, 
the practice of paying disabled workers subminimum wage will be 
officially abolished, and workers with disabilities will no longer be 
excluded from the workforce protection of a federal minimum wage.
STOP THE DISCRIMINATION
PROMOTE EQUAL WORK FOR EQUAL PAY
Cosponsor the Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act
H.R. 3086
For more information contact:
Anil Lewis, Director of Strategic Communications
National Federation of the Blind
Phone: (410) 659-9314, Extension 2374 E-mail: alewis at nfb.org
To cosponsor the bill, contact:
James Thomas in Congressman Cliff Stearns’s office
Phone: (202) 225-5744 E-mail: james.thomas at mail.house.gov
-OR-
Tim Powers in Congressman Tim Bishop’s office
Phone: (202) 225-3826 E-mail: tim.powers at mail.house.gov
Voice of the Nation's Blind
Now, when this was taken up at the ACB's convention, there was a "do not 
pass" recommendation. It went through. This made me very upset, and 
proves, that in my opinion, ACB does not care about the future of the 
BLIND. Therefore, I've decided to give the NFB another try, once I can 
afford to, I will pay my dues, to join NFB.
Thanks for reading.
Mike.