[Ohio-talk] Your help needed

[richard]

Sent my email.

-----Original Message-----
From: Ohio-talk [mailto:ohio-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Barbara
Pierce
Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 11:49 AM
To: 'NFB of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List'
Subject: [Ohio-talk] Your help needed

 
Yesterday Eric passed along the request for letters to California. I have
just done this, so I thought I would make it simple for you by sending along
my letters. Remember that you should send blind copies to
mwillows at sbcglobal@net and mike at michaelhingson.com so that they know what is
being done to help them. You will find the email addresses in each inside
address. Just change the signature to your name, city, and email. You can
cut and paste these letters into separate messages.
 
Thanks,
Barbara
 
The Honorable Ben Hueso 

State Capitol, Room 2054

Sacramento, CA 95814

 <mailto:David.Sforza at sen.ca.gov> David.Sforza at sen.ca.gov.

 

 Dear Senator Hueso: 

 

Thank you for introducing S.B. 1109, State contracts: integrated employment:
persons with disabilities. As a person with a disability, I support this
bill because I believe that paying people with disabilities subminimum wages
is immoral, discriminatory, and unfair. I know that, if state contracts are
awarded only to entities that pay all workers at least the minimum wage,
businesses that use 14(c) certificates are likely to change their business
models so that they can obtain state contracts. Just as President Obama's
recent Executive Order will ensure that people with disabilities employed
under federal government contracts that provide services and concessions
will be paid $10.10 an hour, it is encouraging that state contracts in
California will also ensure that people with disabilities the pay equality
they deserve. 

 

The biggest obstacle facing people with disabilities is that we are often
held to lower expectations than our non-disabled peers. Legally allowing
entities to pay us subminimum wages just reinforces this fallible belief.
Passage of this bill will be a great step forward in ensuring that people
with disabilities are paid fair wages.  

 

Thank you for fighting for equality for people with disabilities.

 

Sincerely,

Barbara Pierce

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

Oberlin, Ohio

bpierce at oberlin.net

 

The Honorable Roger Hernandez 

Chair, Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment 

1020 N Street, Room 155

Sacramento, CA 95814,

 <mailto:Roger.Hernandez at asm.ca.gov> Roger.Hernandez at asm.ca.gov.

 

Dear Chairman Hernandez:

 

I write to express my support for AJR 36. I sincerely hope that this
resolution is adopted because it will alert the members of Congress from
California about the importance of H.R. 831: the Fair Wages for Workers with
Disabilities Act. If passed, H.R. 831 will end the unfair, immoral, and
discriminatory practice of paying people with disabilities subminimum wages.
If the entire California delegation in the House of Representatives became
cosponsors of H.R. 831, the bill would have a much better chance of becoming
law.  

 

Over 400,000 people with disabilities are being paid subminimum wages. This
immoral practice is legal under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards
Act of 1938. Although likely passed with good intentions, Section 14(c) is a
detriment to people with disabilities. Our biggest obstacle to overcome is
the low expectations set for us by people without disabilities. People with
disabilities know that we are capable of being productive, valuable members
of society when the proper training and supports are provided. Section 14(c)
reinforces the misconception that people with disabilities are not as
productive as individuals without disabilities; the passage of H.R. 831 will
be a great step towards erasing this misconception. 

 

Adopting AJR 36 will help gain support for H.R. 831 and will help accomplish
the long-term goal of ensuring that people with disabilities are not exempt
from the minimum wage. No one can live on subminimum wages, especially not
people with disabilities with their extra expenses. 

 

I hope that you will support AJR 36. 

 

Thank you,

 

Barbara Pierce

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

Oberlin, Ohio

bpierce at oberlin.net

 

 
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