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<b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br>
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<b> <br>
</b><br>
<b>CONTACT:<br>
</b><br>
Chris Danielsen<br><br>
Director of Public Relations<br><br>
National Federation of the Blind<br><br>
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330<br><br>
Cell: (410) 262-1281<br><br>
E-mail:
<a href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a><br><br>
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<div align="center"><h1><b>Governor Paterson Calls for At Least Minimum
Wage<br>
for Disabled Workers</b></h1><br><br>
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<div align="center"><h2><b>Supports NFB Boycott of Goodwill
Industries</i></b></h2><br><br>
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<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica"><b>New York City (June 20, 2012):</b>
David A. Paterson, the fifty-fifth governor of the state of New York and
a consultant to the <a href="http://www.nfb.org/">National Federation of
the Blind</a>, today praised bipartisan legislation to repeal a provision
of the Fair Labor Standards Act that allows workers with disabilities to
be paid less than the federal minimum wage. In a
<a href="http://www.nfb.org/media-advisory-david-paterson-address-fair-wages-workers-disabilities">
press conference</a> held on the steps of City Hall, the governor praised
Congressman Cliff Stearns (R-FL) and Congressman Timothy Bishop (D-NY)
for introducing
<a href="http://www.nfb.org/Images/nfb/SI/Fair%20Wages%20for%20Workers%202012.pdf">
the Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act of 2011</a> (H.R.
3086). The governor, who can be heard daily on WOR Radio 710, also
condemned the industry that has grown by paying workers with disabilities
less than the federal minimum wage. Flanked by members and
officials of the National Federation of the Blind, including its New York
affiliate president, Carl Jacobsen, the governor publicly called for
participation in the
<a href="http://www.nfb.org/national-federation-blind-urges-boycott-goodwill-industries">
NFB’s boycott of Goodwill Industries International Inc</a>., for
Goodwill’s payment of wages as low as $0.22 an hour to workers with
disabilities. The Governor was also joined by New York City
Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, who will introduce a resolution calling for
<a href="http://www.nfb.org/fair-wages">fair wages</a> for workers with
disabilities.<br>
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<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica">In support of fair wages for persons
with disabilities, Governor Paterson said, “Entities like the misnamed
Goodwill have conned people with disabilities and their families into
believing that drudgery for pennies an hour is the best and only work
that they can have. This destroys the souls of these workers while
benefitting the executives of these companies to the tune of six-figure
salaries. This system must not be allowed to stand.”<br>
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<a href="http://www.nfb.org/marc-maurer-bio">Dr. Marc Maurer</a>,
President of the <a href="http://www.twitter.com/nfb_voice">National
Federation of the Blind</a>, said: “We appreciate the governor speaking
out so publicly and forcefully for the right of workers with disabilities
to earn fair wages. We are pleased and proud that he is a partner
in the effort to end this practice.”<br>
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<br>
<b>About the National Federation of the Blind<br>
</b><br>
<br><br>
With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is
the largest and most influential membership organization of blind people
in the United States. The NFB improves blind people's lives through
advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging
independence and self-confidence. It is the leading force in the
blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind. In
January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan
Institute, the first research and training center in the United States
for the blind led by the blind.<br><br>
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